A WOMAN’S FACE
This season’s film screening and discussion series from New Yorker writer Margaret Talbot and “Movie Mom” film critic Nell Minow might just be the best. Inspired in part by Feud, Ryan Murphy’s series on FX, “Davis & Crawford, A Fabulous Rivalry” offers two films starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford apiece — one well-known, and one off-the-wall. The next film in the series is George Cukor’s 1941 drama, which Minow describes to Metro Weekly as “a very, very nutty Joan Crawford film” in which “her face has been badly injured and then she has plastic surgery and it turns her life around.” Sunday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. Hill Center, Old Navy Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Free, but registration recommended for guaranteed seating. Call 202-549-4172 or visit HillCenterDC.org.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES
In 1973, tennis world champion and feminist and lesbian icon Billie Jean King stunned the world when she bested chauvinist and ex- world champion Bobby Riggs in a tennis match. Emma Stone and Steve Carell are King and Riggs in a biopic that follows King’s struggle to come to terms with her sexuality and the pressure she felt to prove that women’s tennis stood on equal footing with the men’s game. The husband-and-wife duo of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine) co-direct based on a script by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire). Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
The little-known story behind the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne’s enchanting series of books that brought hope and comfort to English families after World War I and then became a Disney media franchise in the ’60s. Simon Curtis’ drama examines the impact international success had on Milne’s family, chiefly the son whose toys originally inspired it. Will Tilston stars as the namesake son, with Domhnall Gleeson his father, Margot Robbie as mother, and Kelly Macdonald the nanny. Opens Friday, Oct. 13. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

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HUMAN FLOW
An epic film journey directed by the internationally renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, Human Flow examines the modern refugee crisis, in which over 65 million people worldwide have been forced from their homes to escape famine, consequences from climate change, and war. A visceral work of cinema, the documentary follows a chain of urgent human stories taking place over the course of one year and stretching to all corners of the globe. Opens Friday, Oct. 13. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

MARSHALL
In 1967, Thurgood Marshall became America’s first African-American Supreme Court Justice, crowning a lengthy career that saw him successfully argue dozens of times before the court, as well as fight for civil rights and desegregation. In Reginald Hudlin’s biopic, Chadwick Boseman (Marvel’s current Black Panther) steps into the title role as a young Marshall takes on one of his first cases, one that laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement. Josh Gad, Keesha Sharp, Kate Hudson and Dan Stevens also star. Opens Friday, Oct. 13. Area theaters, including Landmark’s Atlantic Plumbing Cinema, 807 V St. NW. Call 202-534-1965 or visit landmarktheatres.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

PROFESSOR MARSTON & THE WONDER WOMEN
The incredible true story of what inspired the Harvard psychologist to create the iconic feminist character. William Moulton Marston was aided in his endeavor by his wife Elizabeth Marston and their lover Olive Byrne, a hidden love triangle that rivals the greatest of superhero disguises. Angela Robinson’s drama stars Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote and Connie Britton. Opens Friday, Oct. 13. Angelika Film Center in Fairfax’s Mosaic District. Call 571-512-3301 or visit angelikafilmcenter.com.

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SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
Capital Classics, a new hump-day series at Landmark’s recently refurbished West End Cinema, offers a screening of one of the greatest Hollywood musicals ever made. Set during the early days of talkies, Singin’ In The Rain traces the seismic transition from silence to speech in film, as matinee idol Gene Kelly and his partner Donald O’Connor search for a solution to a dud film and a shrill co-star. Debbie Reynolds saves the day in this all-singing, all-dancing visual spectacle. Happy Hour-priced beer and wine from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, 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.

THE FOREIGNER
Jackie Chan returns to both a leading role and his action roots, but don’t expect a comedy. Instead, this is a thriller directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) about a businessman whose daughter is killed in a terrorist attack in London. Determined to find her killers, he wages war on a former IRA member turned government official (Pierce Brosnan) who might hold the information he needs. It looks bleak, action-packed, and gritty. Opens Friday, Oct. 13. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (RM)

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. Closes Sunday, Oct. 15. Signature’s Max Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $40 to $99. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org. (Andre Hereford)

AN ACT OF GOD
Tom Story is the divine one in a comedy by David Javerbaum, based on the Daily Show writer’s book The Last Testament: A Memoir by God. Story shares the stage with Evan Casey and Jamie Smithson as archangels Michael and Gabriel, helping God create an entirely new set of Ten Commandments. Opens Thursday, Oct. 12. Runs to Nov. 26. Ark Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
After his unprecedented in-the-round staging in Folger’s Elizabethan Theatre of Richard III three years ago, meticulous director Robert Richmond does it again, creating an intimate, immersive entree into Shakespeare’s epic tale of love and war. In previews, opening Sunday, Oct. 15. Now to Nov. 19. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN …
MetroStage presents Carlyle Brown’s fictionalized glimpse into the mind of Langston Hughes during the communist-purging McCarthy era, when the great poet was called to testify on the Hill about his patriotism and possible Communist ties. Marcus Naylor stars as Hughes and Michael Sharp as Joe McCarthy in this timely play featuring an original blues score by William Knowles. Directed and choreographed by Thomas W. Jones II. To Nov. 5. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 703-548-9044 or visit metrostage.org.

ASSASSINS
After a production of the musical Crazy Mary Lincoln, Pallas Theatre Collective closes out its seventh season with another musical that begins at the same moment in history: the assassination at Ford’s Theatre. Staged in Capital Fringe’s Trinidad Theatre, just north of the H Street Corridor, the revue-style portrait of attempted presidential murderers is one of Stephen Sondheim’s lesser-known shows. Clare Shaffer directs Pallas’ spin, with Andrew Keller as Lincoln’s killer John Wilkes Booth, Taylor Rieland as John Hinckley (Reagan), Tyler Cramer as Samuel Byck (Nixon), Topher Williams as Giuseppe Zangara (FDR), Karen Lange as Sarah Jane Moore (Ford), Alex Palting as Squeaky Fromme (Ford), and Andrew Flurer as Lee Harvey Oswald (JFK). To Oct. 15. Logan Fringe Arts Space, 1358 Florida Ave. NE. Tickets are $25. Call 202-733-6321 or visit capitalfringe.org.

CLOUD 9
It transpires that everyone — or almost everyone, anyway — wants to fuck British explorer Harry Bagley (Christian Pedersen), who’s welcomed with open arms into the family at the heart of Caryl Churchill’s mischievously provocative comedy, written in 1979. Churchill was prescient on matters of gender identity and sexual orientation, and the gender-blurring Cloud 9 is every bit as gay-friendly and sex-positive as today’s most enlightened comedies. It’s a struggle to keep things straight, in every sense of the word, in a deliberately confounding work — and the confusion only adds to the excitement. To Oct. 21. Richmond Triangle Players, 1300 Altamont Ave. Richmond. Tickets are $10 to $30 each. Call 804-346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.

CLOVER
Ally Theatre Company, focused on presenting works or partnering with organizations acknowledging and confronting systemic oppression in America, concludes its inaugural season with a new full-length play exploring the life of Washington socialite Clover Adams. Laura Rocklyn stars as Clover in a play that she co-wrote with Ally’s artistic director Ty Hallmark. Angela Kay Pirko directs a cast that also features Nick Depinto as Henry Adams and Tamieka Chavis as Lizzie Cameron. To Oct. 28. Caos on F, 923 F St. NW. Tickets are $25. Visit allytheatrecompany.com.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Craig Wallace is Willy Loman in the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic from American theater giant Arthur Miller, focused on the cost of chasing the American dream. Stephen Rayne directs a 15-member cast that includes Wallace’s real-life wife Kimberly Schraf as Willy’s devoted Linda. The creative team includes Tim Mackabee on set design, lighting by Pat Collins, sound and original music by John Gromada, and costumes by Wade Laboissonniere. To Oct. 22. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $62. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fords.org.

I’LL GET YOU BACK AGAIN
Memories and lessons from the ’60s factor into Sarah Gancher’s high-energy rock-and-roll comedy, focused on a struggling stand-up comedian who decides to sit in for her dead father as bassist for his seminal psychedelic rock band. Round House presents a live music-enriched production directed by Rachel Chavkin, whom the New York Times has called “one of the most gifted [directors] working today.” To Oct. 29. Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.

LOVE AND INFORMATION
Forum Theatre presents its fifth production by the entertainingly provocative British playwright Caryl Churchill, this one a fast-moving kaleidoscope of over 60 moments featuring more than 100 characters, all trying to make sense of what they know. Michael Dove directs the theatrical puzzle, pieced together by actors Edward Christian, Lilian Oben, Samy El-Noury, Shpend Xani, and Emily Whitworth. To Oct. 21. Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Call 301-588-8279 or forum-theatre.org.

NATIVE GARDENS
Arena Stage presents the local premiere of Karen Zacarias’ D.C.-set hot-button comedy, where well-intentioned neighbors become feuding enemies in a clash of class and culture. Blake Robison directs a co-production with Cincinnati’s Guthrie Theater and starring Jacqueline Correa, Dan Domingues, Steve Hendrickson, and Sally Wingert. To Oct. 22. Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $40 to $90. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

OUR TOWN
The townspeople become Japanese-style puppets in Aaron Posner’s eccentric take on the seminal classic by Thornton Wilder. John Hudson Odom (Angels in America) stars as the guiding Stage Manager in a production faithful to the script and sanctioned by the Wilder Family Estate, featuring just seven actors, who manipulate and animate the puppets. In previews. To Nov. 12. Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

SOTTO VOCE
Love transcends all borders in this 2014 work by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics). José Carrasquillo directs Theater J’s production of the passionate and lyrical drama about a young Cuban man’s research into the fate of a ship of Jewish refugees that fled Nazi Germany only to be denied entry into both Cuba and the United States. Sotto Voce features actors Brigid Cleary, Andrés C. Talero and Desiree Marie Velez. To Oct. 29. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $39 to $69. Call 202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.

STONES IN HIS POCKETS
Set in a small, hardscrabble Irish town where many of the townspeople are extras in a Hollywood film, this wicked tragicomedy by Irish playwright Marie Jones opens Keegan’s 21st season. Matthew Keenan and Josh Sticklin take on all 15 roles, playing both men and women, often switching gender and voice with barely a blink and the absolute bare minimum of costume changes. Closes Sunday, Oct. 15. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 202-265-3768 or visit keegantheatre.com.

THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY
Robert James Waller’s bestselling novel about an Iowa housewife and her life-changing, whirlwind romance with a traveling photographer became a Tony Award-winning musical in the hands of composer Jason Robert Brown and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Marsha Norman (‘night, Mother). Clare Shaffer directs an intimate production, with Ryan Burke and Erin Granfield as the central lovebirds, for Maryland’s fledgling, tucked-away Red Branch Theatre Co. Closes Saturday, Oct. 14. Red Branch Theatre, 9130-I Red Branch Rd., Columbia. Tickets are $24 to $35. Call 410-220-6517 or visit redbranchtheatrecompany.com.

AGAINST ME!
After opening for Green Day at the Verizon Center earlier this year, the Florida hardcore punk band returns for a more intimate headlining show at the 9:30 Club. A progressive rabble-rouser, and a lightning rod for the LGBTQ cause, frontwoman Laura Jane Grace makes compelling use of the strong, reverberating singing voice she was born with, making her case adamantly, sometimes viciously, on the band’s seventh album, Shape Shift With Me. Released last month, the set has the distinction of being the first album Grace has written truly from the heart. It follows 2014’s Transgender Dysphoria Blues, an intensely personal set that documented her transition from before she came out in 2012. Friday, Oct. 13. Doors at 8 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

CHEYENNE JACKSON
The gay star of TV (American Horror Story) and Broadway (Xanadu) makes his Wolf Trap debut with an intimate cabaret in the acoustically rich Barns. The Grammy-nominated performer will draw from his recorded output, including albums with Great American Songbook steward Michael Feinstein (The Power of Two), his underrated 2013 pop set I’m Blue, Skies, and last year’s Renaissance, adapted and expanded from his recent “Music of the Mad Men Era” concerts with symphonies, including the NSO Pops. Sunday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $45 to $55. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

CRYS MATTHEWS
A self-described “poster child for intersectionality,” Matthews is a black, lesbian, preacher’s kid from the South in an interracial marriage. The Herndon, Va.-based artist tells unique stories through soul-searching acoustic folk — a blend combining elements of Jill Scott, Mavis Staples and Toshi Reagon, along with a sprinkling of Tracy Chapman. Matthew tours in support of two new accomplished, simultaneously released albums: The Imagineers, a full-length set of love songs named after a bouncy, inspiring anthem, as well as the protest-oriented EP Battle Hymn for an Army of Lovers. She’s the opening act for pop singer-songwriter David Choi, a YouTube sensation based in L.A. but with a following throughout Asia. Saturday, Oct. 14. Doors at 6 p.m. Jammin Java, 227 Maple Ave. E. Vienna. Tickets are $18, or $30 for Premier Plus reserved seats. Call 703-255-3747 or visit jamminjava.com.

EMILY SALIERS
The other half of the Indigo Girls tours in support of her solo debut Murmuration Nation. And fear not, she will sing from the Indigo Girls’ impressive repertoire, as Saliers herself is responsible for writing many of the duo’s earliest and most indelible hits, including “Galileo,” “Least Complicated,” and “Closer to Fine.” Monday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m. Ram’s Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis. Tickets are $45. Call 410-268-4545 or visit ramsheadonstage.com.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
If five years ago you were swept up in the pomp and emotion of LCD Soundsystem’s melodramatic farewell tour, their sudden return might have felt a little cheap — even amid the breakneck pace of 2017’s news cycle. Fortunately, American Dream is a fulfilling, occasionally compelling crowd-pleaser that should satisfy most stalwart fans, even the ones who might still be a little crusty about their reunion. LCD’s sound has always owed much to frontman James Murphy’s neurotic obsession with post-punk, and American Dream is no different, heavy with nods and callbacks to Talking Heads and David Bowie. Yet it’s not a one-man show, and among a rotating collective of roughly a dozen members, there’s also Gavin Russom, who plays synth and percussion, who came out as transgender earlier this year. LCD kicks off the U.S. leg of a world tour as the fifth official act to headline Washington’s newest concert venue, in the newest, most-buzzed-about part of town. Tuesday, Oct. 17, and Wednesday, Oct. 18. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $61.75 to $81.75. Call 202-265-0930 or visit theanthemdc.com. (Sean Maunier)

MULTIFLORA MUSIC FESTIVAL
“Search for Sanctuary” is the theme of the inaugural month-long festival by Multiflora Productions, a. D.C.-based presenting organization specializing in genre-bending multicultural music drawn from all corners of the world. The lineup over the next week includes: Orfeia Balkan women’s choir at Hill Center, and Latin jazz ensemble Cuarteto Bomba at Bossa Bistro, both on Sunday, Oct. 15, DC Highlife All Stars on Thursday, Oct. 19, at Bossa Bistro, Combo Chimbita and Los Gaiteros de Sanguashington at the Atlas on Friday, Oct. 20, and a Weird World showcase featuring Time Is Fire, Yeni Nostalji, Quattracenta and Lisa Mezzacappa at Safari Lounge on Saturday, Oct. 21. Festival runs at various venues through Oct. 31. Visit multifloraproductions.com for more information.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC
Based at Strathmore, this 200-member symphony opens its season with two different concerts, each featuring a different star soloist: Grammy-winning musician Zuill Bailey joins the first night to perform “the king of cello concertos,” Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, while the second finds Santiago Rodriguez performing Grieg’s most popular work, his Piano Concerto in A minor. Both concerts are led by the company’s Music Director Piotr Gajewski, feature Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, and showcase former child violin prodigy Sarah Chang. Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $25 to $82. Call 301-493-9283 or visit nationalphilharmonic.org.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Conductor Juanjo Mena pairs Tchaikovsky’s stirring “Pathétique” symphony with Barber’s Pulitzer Prize–winning Piano Concerto featuring soloist Garrick Ohlsson. The program also includes the ghostly Auditorium by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates. Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE
Over the years Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and his bandmates have been tapped to help D.C. audiences celebrate everything from America’s birthday — as part of a diverse multi-act concert at RFK Stadium headlined by the Foo Fighters — to New Year’s at the 9:30 Club. This year, I.M.P. Productions brings the self-styled “supafunkrock” act from New Orleans back to help christen the Anthem, the company’s new mega-club on the Wharf, which opens on Thursday, Oct. 12, with a sold-out concert by the Foo Fighters. The stop also celebrates the release of the group’s funky, brassy, bluesy and swaggering new longplayer Parking Lot Symphony, its debut for storied label Blue Note Records. L.A.-based bluesy R&B quartet Vintage Trouble opens. Sunday, Oct. 15. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $37 to $57. Call 202-265-0930 or visit theanthemdc.com.

URBANARIAS: SHINING BROW
Daron Aric Hagen’s new 85-minute opera, with a libretto by Paul Muldoon, relates the early career of celebrity architect Frank Lloyd Wright, his adulterous affair with Mamah Cheney, and the consequences of his enormous self-regard. Robert Wood conducts and Grant Preisser directs this Usonian-steeped production from short opera company UrbanArias featuring Sidney Outlaw as Wright, Miriam Khalil as Cheney, Rebecca Ringle as Wright’s wife, Ben Wager as Cheney’s husband, and Robert Baker as Louis Sullivan. Opens Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. Weekends to Oct. 21. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $39 to $4. Call 202-399-7993 or visit urbanarias.org.

CLANCYWORKS, COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION
The Coppin State University Repertory Dance Ensemble and ClancyWorks Dance Company team up for a collaborative performance drawing on their work with dancers and choreographers from Baltimore County and Baltimore City High Schools, part of an effort to test art’s ability to bridge gaps between communities. Friday, Oct. 20, and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m. Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 West Preston St. Baltimore. Tickets are $15. Call 410-752-8558 or visit theatreproject.org.

DAKSHINA: FESTIVAL OF INDIAN ARTS
Daniel Phoenix Singh’s dance company presents its 14th annual event with a focus on pioneering women choreographers of India. Starting with free community performances of classical Indian dance styles at 6 p.m., each evening features a different company performing at 7:30 p.m.: Mallika Sarabhai and her company Darpana present a topical, progressive-minded “Classic to Contemporary” program on Thursday, Oct. 12; Bharata Natyam soloist Rama Vaidyanathan offers an evening of dance, music and poetry based on the lives of mystic poets Janabai and Lal Ded on Friday, Oct. 13; and Leela Samson and her company Spanda close out the festival with the nuanced and poignant dance production Nadi, examining the mythology and symbolism of the river in centuries of Indian poets, on Saturday, Oct. 14. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $27.50 to $60 each performance. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

FLIP FABRIQUE
The Canadian circus troupe offers a unique theatrical event combining acrobatic stunts, original “trampowall,” and humor. Their show, Catch Me!, “includes a Popsicle-eating contest and an act performed entirely in sleeping bags.” Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St. Frederick, Md. Tickets are $16.75 to $26.75. Call 301-600-2828 or visit weinbergcenter.org.

MATTHEW BOURNE/NEW ADVENTURES: THE RED SHOES
Acclaimed gay choreographer presents his re-envisioning of the beloved fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen and the 1948 iconic Oscar-winning film about one young woman’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. The British Bourne’s company performs the dark and highly theatrical work in its D.C. premiere as part of a four-stop U.S. run. Liam Mower, the original Billy Elliot on London’s West End, plays Ivan Boleslavsky while American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Marcelo Gomes alternates as Julian Craster. The Red Shoes features music by Bernard Herrmann. Remaining performances are Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 15, at 1:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $29 to $129. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

PILOBOLUS
The popular, Connecticut-based athletic dance troupe returns to the area for another performance of its work Shadowland, an innovative, evening-length multimedia piece following the dreamlike world of a young girl. The dancers use their bodies to form shapes projected as shadows on screens in front of them, move to a rhythmic original score by American composer David Poe. Shadowland was conceived in collaboration with Steven Banks, lead writer for SpongeBob SquarePants. Friday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Concert Hall in George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax. Tickets are $29 to $48. Call 888-945-2468 or visit cfa.gmu.edu.

MARGARET CHO
A bisexual San Francisco native of Korean descent, Cho has consistently worked to counteract prudish attitudes and negative portrayals about sex and alternative sexualities, in over two decades of work as a stand-up comedian and TV personality. She returns to D.C. for the third time this year, with a new stand-up show entitled “Fresh Off the Bloat.” Naturally, she’ll speak her mind in an intentionally provocative way. Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $58. Call 202-783-4000 or visit warnertheatredc.com.

SECOND CITY: WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU CLEMENS
The celebrated improv troupe returns to the Kennedy Center, this time with a tribute to the legendary American comedian and writer born Samuel Clemens but better known as Mark Twain. When Life Gives You Clemens is a show of relatable humor and satire, riffing on the past, the present, and where the Twain shall meet. Amy Thompson, Katie Kershaw, Alison Banowsky, E.J. Cameron, Mark Campbell and Saurabh Pande perform with accompaniment from music director Anthony Sanders. Part of the KenCen’s Mark Twain Prize 20th Anniversary Celebration. Thursday, Oct. 19, and Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 and 9 p.m. Kennedy Center Family Theater. Tickets are $39 to $55. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

UNIFIED SCENE THEATER: BRING BACK THE ’90S
D.C.’s upstart improv comedy company presents another round of its show that celebrates the decade when there was a Clinton in the White House. The audience chooses music videos from the ’90s to watch, cued up by Huckleberry Spin. The cast, including Erick Acuna, Jordana Mishory, Elaine Cowell, Ryan Alloway, Joe Dawson, Shealy Molpus, and Ginnie Seger, then uses the images and lyrics from those videos to create off-the-charts improvised scenes. Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8:30 p.m. Unified Scene Theater, 80 T St. NW. Tickets are $15. Visit unifiedscenetheater.com.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG
From The Color Purple and Ghost to The View today, Goldberg has shown her versatility as an actress, comedian and talk show host and is part of the elite group of artists who have won Grammy, Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Awards. After an engagement at Strathmore last May, Goldberg returns to D.C. for a night of stand-up at the Kennedy Center presented in the run-up to the 20th anniversary celebration of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor — which she won in 2001. Friday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $49 to $125. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

DENISE KIERNAN
Anybody who’s ever been to the charming town of Asheville, North Carolina, will be interested in the author of The Girls of Atomic City‘s latest book, The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home, Asheville’s Biltmore. Kiernan’s work tells the true story behind the magnificent Gilded Age mansion, which spans the two World Wars, the Jazz Age, the Depression, generations of the famous Vanderbilt family and real-life characters including everyone from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Thomas Wolfe, Teddy Roosevelt to John Singer Sargent, Henry James to Edith Wharton. The Washington Post‘s Dan Zak will lead a discussion with the author. Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit kramers.com.

ESTHER PEREL
The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity finds the renowned sex therapist challenging assumptions, upending conventional wisdom, and offering a nuanced look at affairs from multiple viewpoints. As a culture, we are ever more open about sex, but infidelity, despite being common, remains shrouded in a cloud of shame, secrecy and judgment. Perel will be in conversation with Shira Stutman, Sixth and I’s Senior Rabbi. Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $18, or $32 including one book; $45 for two tickets and one book . Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

MUHAMMAD YUNUS
The founder and managing director of Grameen Bank and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize offers a closely reasoned and compassionate call-to-action with A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions. Yunus argues that capitalism is not the answer to the world’s ills, and that it’s time to find an alternative economic system grounded in generosity rather than self-interest. The book lays out his own theories of microcredit, documenting how it’s being put into practice by entrepreneurs running successful businesses alleviating poverty, cleaning up pollution and improving health. Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.

NATHAN RUNKLE
Mercy for Animals: One Man’s Quest to Inspire Compassion, and Improve the Lives of Farm Animals documents this activist’s pet project over the past two decades. Runkle’s organization Mercy for Animals has achieved several legislative victories after exposing devastating conditions for animals on factory farms. Further advances can come from consumer’s making compassionate food choices. Sunday, October 15, 2017 at 3 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.

VAN JONES
Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together is the CNN political contributor’s blueprint for progressives to transform their collective anxiety into meaningful change. A former advisor to the Obama White House, Jones has made it his mission to challenge voters and viewers to stand in one another’s shoes and disagree constructively. He will be in conversation with Jake Tapper, CNN’s chief Washington correspondent. Thursday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $20, or $35 including one pre-signed book; $45 for two tickets and one pre-signed book. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

ARTECHOUSE: SPIRIT OF AUTUMN
Founded earlier this year by Sandro Kereselidze and Tatiana Pastukhova of event production company Art Soiree, the digital art museum, near the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Southwest D.C., is dedicated to showcasing work at the intersection of art and technology. Its latest immersive, interactive installation offers a dreamlike escape into a Fall playground using a state-of-the-art projection system with wall graphics powered by A-Blok and floor projections by Noirflux. In the evening, the projected autumn landscape changes with the setting sun, ushering in the nighttime. Now to Nov. 5. ArTecHouse in the Portals, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets for 60-minute, timed-entry sessions are $8 daytime admission, $20 for evening (drinks sold separately). Visit artechouse.com.

BLOODSTONE: PAINTINGS BY BAUJI
A Collaboration by Larry Bauer and Suzanne Manji, Bauji features painted photographs aimed at getting viewers into the Halloween spirit. Opening Reception with light refreshments is Friday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. Miss Pixie’s, 1626 14th St. NW. Call 202-232-8171 or visit misspixies.com.

BOSCH TO BLOEMAERT: EARLY NETHERLANDISH DRAWINGS
A collection of the finest drawings by Netherlandish artists born before 1585 are now on display at the National Gallery of Art. Drawn from Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, works on display include: Studies from the circle of Rogier van der Weyden, two sheets by Hieronymus Bosch, six drawings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and a selection of works by Abraham Bloemaert Now to Jan. 7. National Gallery of Art’s West Building, 6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free. Call or visit nga.gov.

DENATURED: TECHNOLOGY AND THE NATURAL WORLD
Imagined futures, ghostly pasts, the detritus of technological process and tensions between the organic and artificial are all central to the pieces in this exhibition at District of Columbia Arts Center. Sarah Burford curated the show featuring works in video, mixed-media, creative coding and 3D prints by Ryan Hoover, Joanna Platt, Rachel Schmidt and Fabiola Yurcisin. Opening Reception is Friday, Oct. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. On display through Nov. 12. DCAC, 2438 18th St. NW. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

REIKO SUDO: FANTASY IN JAPAN BLUE
A world leader in textile design and production, as CEO of Nuno Corporation, Sudo brings her internationally acclaimed works to the Kennedy Center for a six-week exhibition in honor of Japan’s historic ties to the institution and its support of the newly renovated Terrace Theater. The exhibition features fabric made from natural material mounted on 115 open fans, a symbol of good fortune. Now to Dec. 3. Kennedy Center Hall of States. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

KARA WALKER: THE CIVIL WAR (ANNOTATED)
With the full title Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated), this series of 15 prints by provocative African-American artist appropriates and alters genteel Civil War-era images. Adding in stenciled figures and shadowy elements, Walker’s works are suffused with traumatic scenarios left out of the official record. Opens Friday, Oct. 13. On display through Nov. 18. Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F Streets NW. Free. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanart.si.edu.

MIAMI IS NICE
The Golden Girls inspired this group art show and event series organized by the artist-run gallery SpaceCamp in Baltimore’s Station North, the area that also houses the city’s revitalized Eagle. Zachary Z. Handler served as lead curator of the exhibition, which also serves as the venue for his wedding to fellow Baltimore artist and performer Nick Horan — and decorative remnants from their wedding will remain in the gallery for the duration of the show as an art installation. Other artists with works on display include: Jackie Cassidy, Felice Cleveland, Samuel Draxler, Alissa Eberle, Alice Gadzinski, Labomamo, Ryan Lauderdale, Anya Mizani, April Pink, Sidney Pink, Danya Smith and Tiffany Smith. A portion of all artwork sales will go to SAGE Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders and the Trans Women of Color Collective. A discussion between Golden Girls screenwriter Stan Zimmerman and H. Alan Scott, host of Out on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Podcast, is Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 8 to 10 p.m. Runs to Oct. 28. SpaceCamp, 16 West North Ave. Baltimore. Visit miamiisnice.com.

YOU CAN GROW IT!
The United States Botanic Garden presents an exhibit intended to help experienced and novice gardeners alike have more fruitful experiences. Discover foolproof plants, pick up tips on plants that require extra attention, learn about the right plant for the right place, and get specific advice through a series of discussions. Closes Sunday, Oct. 15. Conservatory Terrace and East Gallery, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. Call 202-225-8333 or visit usbg.gov.

HANK’S OLD TOWN: OYSTERFEST 10
“We wanted to do something for the community to bring people together,” Hank’s founder Jamie Leeds says about the origins of OysterFest. “We thought we’d provide all-you-can-eat oysters, drink beer and just have a good time.” It proved so popular upon its launch in the spring of 2007 at her original Dupont Circle location, she quickly made it an annual fall event to help christen her new Alexandria offshoot. At both locations, the prospect of all-you-can-drink premium craft beer, wine and punch to wash down fresh, fried and BBQ’d bivalves, popcorn calamari, onion rings, and Old Bay fries has become such a draw, the line starts forming at breakfast and doesn’t let up until hours into the whole shucking sensation. Saturday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hank’s Oyster Bar, 1026 King St., Alexandria. Tickets are $90 all inclusive. Call 202-733-1971 or visit hanksoysterbar.com.

HANK’S PASTA BAR: SPARKLE SATURDAYS
Every third Saturday, the non-seafood-focused Hank’s in Alexandria offers a drag brunch led by Summer Knight and her girls. Jug O’ Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s will be ever-flowing. Two seatings, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21. Hank’s Pasta Bar, 600 Montgomery St., Alexandria. Tickets are $25 per person, excluding drinks. Call 571-312-4117 or visit hankspastabar.com.

NOPA KITCHEN+BAR: $70 WEEKEND DINNER FOR TWO MENU
Across from the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Penn Quarter, this 160-seat American brasserie, part of the same family as Rasika, Bibiana and the Oval Room, should already be on your shortlist for brunch. On Sundays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., each diner can choose between an appetizer and entree or sandwich, as well as a special mimosa or bloody Mary, for $28 to $30 each (or $38 with bottomless classic mimosas). Now Executive Chef Matt Kuhn is working to get Nopa on your radar earlier in the weekend as well, with a new dinner menu focused on composed dishes designed for couples, whether lovers or close friends, reasonably priced at $70 for two, before tax and tip. The menu changes weekly, and is available exclusively on Fridays and Saturdays during dinner service, 5 to 11 p.m., subject to availability. Nopa Kitchen+Bar, 800 F St. NW. Call 202-347-4667 or visit nopadc.com.

SIR SUNDAYS AT SAX
Penn Quarter’s Moulin Rouge-inspired restaurant Sax offers movement-based spectacles, including aerial stunts, hip-hop group routines, pole performances, and burlesque, to add excitement beyond the food. And male burlesque is the showcase every Sunday during brunch, as a group of male professional dancers, aerialists, and bodybuilders perform full-length shows, accompanied by unlimited mimosas delivered by by table service studs. Sundays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sax Restaurant & Lounge, 734 11th St. NW. Tickets are $50 to $65 including appetizers and unlimited mimosas. Call 202-737-0101 or visit sirmaleburlesque.com.

CHARM CITY KITTY CLUB: 15 YEARS OF QUEER
Baltimore’s premiere queer cabaret collective celebrates its 15th anniversary with a show of greatest hits, bringing back key artists, including WAMMY-winning DJ/producer Arthur Loves Plastic aka Bev Stanton, electronic musician and poet Tula Mae, erotic performance poet and Emmy-nominated musician Ellen Cherry, stand-up comedy from “punalingus” newcomer Rose Vineshank, and founding Kitty Club members Kristen Anchor and Megan McShea with their collaborative, experimental romcom video poem “Oceanauts.” Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m., preceded by cocktails at 7 p.m. Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 West Preston St. Tickets are $15. Call 410-752-8558 or visit theatreproject.org.

DC DESIGN HOUSE
A benefit for Children’s National Health System, the 10th annual event highlights the talents of the D.C. area’s top decorators, with 23 beautifully designed spaces, four boutiques, plus special events throughout the month — with a daily onsite cafe by Relish Catering. This year’s house was built in 2009 and sits on two acres, a four-story, nearly 28,000 square-foot Potomac manse with nine bedrooms, nine full bathrooms, lower-level ballroom, a cinema, two-story library flanked by two offices, multiple kitchens, a pool, pool house with apartment and covered terrace — and all of it can be yours at the listing price of merely $10.28 million dollars. Runs to Oct. 29. 9004 Congressional Court, Potomac. Tickets are $35 to $60. Visit dcdesignhouse.com for more information.

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 2-hour, 1.6-mile walking tour revisits and reexamines the sites and clues from the investigation into the assassination. Remaining tours for 2017 are on the next three Saturdays, Oct. 14, Oct. 21, and Oct. 28, at 10:15 a.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.