FILM

CATVIDEOFEST

Filmmaker Will Braden (Le Chat Noir) assembled a 70-minute program that’s a fancy feast for cat lovers, chock-full of cat videos both popular and new and undiscovered. CatVideoFest, co-presented with the Bethesda-based, globally focused nonprofit Alley Cat Allies, also doubles as a networking event for feline fans. The AFI Silver Theatre co-presents an encore screening of CatVideoFest 2017 on Friday, Aug. 10, as part of the free outdoor film series at the nearby Sonny’s Green. Stella’s Popkern will be on hand with snacks, and patrons are welcome to bring their own blankets and low-rise chairs. Every Friday evening at sundown, around 8 p.m., to Aug. 31. (This Friday’s film is Isle of Dogs.) Off the parking lot of the Blairs Shopping Center, 1290 East-West Highway. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

Ewan McGregor plays the titular character, whose childhood friends Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore help him rediscover his lost imagination. Disney’s blend of live action and CGI might make for an unusual looking Pooh, but with Jim Cummings returning to voice the silly old bear, we’re getting all kinds of nostalgia tingles. Opens Friday, Aug. 3. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

FAR FROM THE TREE

Emmy-winning filmmaker Rachel Dretzin’s life-affirming documentary explores the difficulties and rewards of raising and being a child whose experience is vastly different from that of their parents — as a result of having Down’s Syndrome, dwarfism, or autism — and based on Andrew Solomon’s book of the same title, with music by Yo La Tengo and Nico Muhly. Opens Friday, Aug. 3. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

LOONEY TUNES

Over the next several weekends, the AFI Silver Theatre offers several programs, each roughly 45 minutes in length, with selections of Warner Bros.’ classic cartoons featuring the whole Looney Tunes gang, from Bugs Bunny to the Road Runner, Daffy Duck to Wile E. Coyote, Porky Pig to Foghorn Leghorn, plus Sylvester and Tweety. Program 3 screens Saturday, Aug. 4, and Sunday, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m. Program 4 is Saturday, Aug. 11, and Sunday, Aug. 12, at 11 a.m. 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $5. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.

SEASON OF THE WITCH

Over the next six weeks, the AFI Silver Theatre toasts the late George Romero with screenings of several notable works from the “the Father of the Zombie Film.” Next week offers what Romero initially described as a “feminist film” marketed and released 45 years ago as the softcore porn film Hungry Wives, then re-cut and re-released in 1978 after the success of Dawn of the Dead as Season of the Witch and regarded as a skillful exploration of the occult. Season of the Witch is Saturday, Aug. 11, at 10:45 p.m. 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $13. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver for the full series.

THE BAND WAGON

Featuring the hallmark song “That’s Entertainment!,” this 1953 musical comedy directed by Vincente Minnelli stars Fred Astaire in one dazzling dance number after another — two of them with the incomparable Cyd Charisse. The Band Wagon returns to the big screen for one day as part of Landmark’s West End Cinema Capital Classics series. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m., 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 to $12.50. Call 202-534-1907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

STAGE

BE A GOOD LITTLE WIDOW

A young woman (Ruthie Rado) struggles after the death of her husband with a nagging mother-in-law (Emily Morrison) who is just trying to help. Be A Good Little Widow comes from rising dramatist Bekah Brunstetter, who writes for the NBC series This is Us. Unexpected’s co-founder Christopher Goodrich directs. To Aug. 5. The Fireside Room in the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Road in Bethesda. Tickets are $10 to $29.50. Call 301-337-8290 or visit unexpectedstage.org.

DAVE

Drew Gehling (Broadway’s Waitress) is a high school teacher and presidential doppelgänger thrust into the Oval Office to avoid a national scandal in this musical adaptation of the 1993 hit comedy starring Kevin Kline. Tina Landau directs the world premiere at Arena Stage. Book by Thomas Meehan (The Producers) and Nell Benjamin (Mean Girls), lyrics by Benjamin, and music by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal). To Aug. 19. Kreeger Theater in the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

HAMILTON

★★★★★

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical raps and rhymes American history with an uncanny flair for mining gold from the tremendous life story of one “bastard orphan.” Inspired by Ron Chernow’s 2005 best-selling book Alexander Hamilton, Miranda’s musical infuses emotion and insight throughout a score that’s as efficient in delivering story as it is a delight to hear sung and played live. Director Thomas Kail has constructed a smartly executed succession of set-pieces that showcases each song for individual impact, and it adds up to an impactful epic. Alexander Hamilton bore a restless, relentless energy that Miranda has tapped into willfully and quite successfully. The compositions reflect a practically unerring ear for synthesizing pop, hip-hop, R&B, Broadway, and dexterous narrative into a stirring, cohesive blend. The music paves the way forward for an entire production that feels classic and iconoclastic, historical and hip. To Sept. 16. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $99 to $625, or $49 for any same-day, standing-room-only tickets, released two hours before curtain. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org. (AH)

H.M.S. PINAFORE
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

The Hypocrites and the House Theatre of Chicago, two innovative theaters in the Windy City, have teamed up to stage two of Gilbert & Sullivan’s best-loved comic operettas in rotating rep at Olney Theatre. Celebrated for being immersive and family friendly, the productions are presented promenade style, with some seats on stage with the actors. These silly tales of scurvy pirates, modern Major-Generals, and star-crossed lovers were both directed by Sean Graney, who co-adapted The Pirates of Penzance with Kevin O’Donnell, and H.M.S. Pinafore with Andra Velis Simon and Matt Kahler. To Aug. 21. Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Tickets are $30 to $64 each. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

THE COLOR PUPRLE

In addition to Hamilton, the Kennedy Center is playing host to the other big winner from the 70th Annual Tony Awards in 2016, the adaptation by Marsha Norman and composer/lyricists Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell, and Allee Willis that won as Best Musical Revival. Now to Aug. 26. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $69 to $149. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Synetic Theater presents a new adaptation of the American classic The Wizard of Oz featuring some of L. Frank Baum’s original text and dialogue — in contrast to the “wordless Shakespeare” works the company has become known for. Offered as the first production in the Synetic New Voices Series, through which select company members are mentored in leadership roles by co-founder Paata Tsikurishvili, Oz combines verbal and nonverbal communication for an “environmental and spectacular adventure” down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy and friends. Longtime Synetic actor Ryan Sellers steps up as director, assisted by Tori Bertocci as choreographer, for a production that has had to move to Georgetown University’s main campus. (Synetic’s usual venue in Crystal City recently suffered water damage.) To Aug. 12. Devine Studio Theatre in the Davis Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 to $45. Call 866-811-4111 or visit synetictheater.org.

COMMUNITY STAGE

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Maryland’s Port Tobacco Players presents a non-professional production of this musical based on the DreamWorks blockbuster starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Terrence McNally teamed up with the musical minds behind Hairspray — Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman — for a tale, set in the jazzy, swinging “60s, following the real-life adventures of charming con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. and the FBI agent, Carl Hanratty, who pursues him in a cross-country chase. To Aug. 5. 508 Charles St., La Plata, Md. Tickets are $15 to $18. Call 301-932-6819 or visit ptplayers.com.

MUSIC

ABBA – THE CONCERT

“The best ABBA tribute band in the world,” touts the Official ABBA Fan Club. Featuring two original members of the Swedish pop group’s rhythm section, “ABBA – The Concert” is about as close as we may ever get to a performance by the actual band, recent buzz about reuniting for one hologram-enhanced simulcast notwithstanding. Sunday, Aug. 12, at 8 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna. Tickets are $30 to $60. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

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. The indomitable, forever-goodbying sensation returns for a run billed as her “Final Shows” in the venue. Saturday, Aug. 4, Sunday, Aug. 5, Tuesday, Aug. 7, Thursday, Aug. 9, Saturday, Aug. 11, and Sunday, Aug. 12, at 8 p.m. 7100 Oxon Hill Rd., Md. Call 301-971-5000 or visit mgmnationalharbor.com. (Doug Rule)

CREATIVE CAULDRON CABARET

The 9th annual summer cabaret series at ArtSpace Falls Church continues with: Kathy Halenda in “The Brassy Broads of Broadway” — from Mame Dennis to Mama Rose to Miss Mona, and from Fanny Brice to Dolly Levi to Sally Bowles — on Friday, Aug. 3, and Saturday, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m.; and talented teens from Music Therapy Center in “Coming of Age,” performing songs about their struggles with anxiety, bullying, romantic intimacy, sexual awakening, and depression, on Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, at 8 p.m. 410 South Maple Ave. Tickets are $18 to $22 per show, or $55 for a table for two with wine and $110 for four with wine. Call 703-436-9948 or visit creativecauldron.org.

JAZZ IN THE GARDEN: INCENDIO, SON DEL CARIBE

The National Gallery of Art offers free outdoor concerts immediately after work every Friday through late August. Bands offering a range of jazz styles, from swing to Latin to ska, perform amidst the museum’s collection of large-scale sculptural works while patrons enjoy food and drink, including beer, wine, and sangria, from Pavilion Cafe and outdoor grill. The 2018 series continues with pan-Caribbean salsa group Son Del Caribe on Aug. 3, and jazz flutist Andrea Brachfeld on Aug. 10, each performing from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Sculpture Garden, between 7th and 9th Streets NW. Call 202-289-3360 or visit nga.gov.

JUAN DE MARCOS & THE AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS

A remarkable ensemble of expatriate Cuban musicians led by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, the Afro-Cuban All Stars is devoted to the full range of Cuban music. It’s one of the best live bands around, given the passion and quality to the musicianship, as documented in the classic Wim Wenders’s documentary Buena Vista Social Club. That film helped make stars out of some of the band’s original players, including the late Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer. They return for another steamy summer Saturday night romp at the Hamilton. Saturday, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m. 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $35. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER

Mary Chapin Carpenter makes her annual pilgrimage to Wolf Trap, “one of my most treasured and favorite places.” She returns in a concert with Rhiannon Giddens, known as original vocalist for Carolina Chocolate Drops and for her recurring role on Nashville. Saturday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $28 to $65. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

MOONRISE FESTIVAL

Steez Promo and Glow DC team up for this annual two-day EDM festival on the grounds of the former Virgin Mobile Festival and the Infield Fest. Diplo, DJ Snake, Kaskade, Galantis, Griz, Illenium, Cashmere Cat, Phantogram, Vince Staples, Chris Lake, and Mark Knight are among the headliners across the festival’s four main stages and dance areas. Saturday, Aug. 11, and Sunday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. 5201 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore. Tickets are $153.67 for a single-day pass with tax and fees or $221.69 for a two-day pass, more for VIP options. Call 202-397-SEAT or visit moonrisefestival.com.

SIGNATURE THEATRE’S SIZZLIN’ SUMMER NIGHTS SERIES

Signature’s annual cabaret series features mostly musical actors known from productions at the Shirlington complex. The series concludes with Light Years creator and Eddie From Ohio’s Robbie Schaefer in “All My Songs Are True,” on Friday, Aug. 3, and Saturday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m., Iyona Blake (Jelly’s Last Jam) in “Life Lessons,” on Friday, Aug. 3, at 9 p.m., and Avocados Are For Rich People podcaster/blogger Bligh Voth in “No Really I’m Not Crazy,” on Saturday, Aug. 4, at 9 p.m. The Ark at 4200 Campbell Ave., in Arlington. Tickets are $35 per show. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.

SUMMER SPIRIT FESTIVAL

Billed as a “one-stop shop for a soulful good time,” this two-day festival returns to Merriweather Post Pavilion with performances by soul and hip-hop royalty. The first day, Saturday, Aug. 4, features Erykah Badu, Nas, Method Man & Redman, Lion Babe, Rapsody, Bilal, Phony PPL, and Bryan J, while Sunday, Aug. 5, offers The Roots, Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, Daniel Caesar, Backyard Band, Lizzo, Raheem DeVaughn, Masego, Ms. Kim & Scooby, and DJ Quicksilva. Performances begin at 2 p.m. both days. 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets, per day or for a Weekend Pass, range from $60 to $250. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit merriweathermusic.com.

THE NEW ORLEANS SUSPECTS FT. JENNIFER HARTSWICK

Initially formed as an occasional pick-up band with seasoned musicians from around the Big Easy, this supergroup became a touring act seven years ago and have churned out four solid albums and attracted large crowds from San Francisco to New York since. The Suspects features longtime Neville Brothers drummer “Mean” Willie Green, North Mississippi Allstars bassist Eric Vogel, Dirty Dozen Brass Band lead guitarist Jake Eckert, classically trained pianist and feature accompanist CR Gruver, and saxophonist Jeff Watkins, former leader of the James Brown Band and producer and bandleader for Joss Stone. The band is joined at the Hamilton by Vermont-based singer and trumpet player Hartswick, a veteran performer with Phish’s Trey Anastasio. Friday, Aug. 10, at 8 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $30. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

TOM GOSS

The former D.C.-based troubadour, who now resides in L.A., returns for a concert featuring fan favorites as well as new songs from the tender folk/pop balladeer, including the forthcoming single celebrating plus-sized men “Round (In All The Right Places).” Opening for Goss are two D.C.-based singer-songwriters, Emily Henry and Hayley Fahey. Saturday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. MilkBoy ArtHouse, 7416 Baltimore Ave., College Park, Md. Tickets are $12. Call 240-623-1423 or visit milkboyarthouse.com.

COMEDY

ANDY KINDLER

Kindler is a familiar presence to any TV comedy connoisseur — among other notable gigs, he has hosted Hulu’s Coming to the Stage stand-up series, served as a judge on the seventh season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, has had recurring roles on Fox’s Bob’s Burgers and Comedy Central’s Tosh. O, and appeared more than 40 times on The Late Show with David Letterman. The Kennedy Center brings Kindler to town for a night of stand-up. And although the show comes as part of the free Millennium Stage programming, it will not be streamed online per custom, and will be presented in the larger Terrace Theater. Friday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

EMO PHILIPS

The kooky, lovable Philips has been standing up for decades and has even earned plaudits from the likes of Jay Leno as “the best joke writer in America.” Even if you don’t recognize the quirky name, you’ve no doubt heard Philips’s distinctive voice in a ton of animated TV shows, including Slacker Cats, Doctor Katz, and Adventure Time. Friday, Aug. 3, at 8 and 10 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 4, at 7 and 9 p.m. Drafthouse Comedy, 1100 13th St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-750-6411 or visit drafthousecomedy.com.

JASON WEEMS & MELISSA DOUTY

A Baltimore-based kindergarten teacher by day, Weems has garnered national attention for his standup comedy by night, via NBC’s Last Comic Standing. At a Comedy Zone-presented evening at Strathmore’s intimate Amp venue, Weems will be joined by Salem, Virginia-based comedian Douty, who finished second in the World Series of Comedy Women’s Satellite in Las Vegas. Thursday, Aug. 9, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave. North Bethesda. Tickets are $14. Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com.

THE SECOND CITY: GENERATION GAP

The full title of the latest show from Chicago’s famed troupe created especially for the Kennedy Center to coincide with the District of Comedy Festival is Generation Gap…Or, How Many Millennials Does It Take to Teach a Baby Boomer to Text Generation X? Expect a satirical crash course spanning miscommunications, careers, dating, and more in a two-act, interactive spin on what the troupe calls “the age-old battle of the ages.” To Aug. 12. Theater Lab. Tickets are $49 to $59. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

WIT: SUMMER ESCAPE

The Washington Improv Theater is D.C.’s answer to comedy star-making groups such as Chicago’s Second City and L.A.’s Groundlings. Over the next month, the troupe offers a hodgepodge of summer-themed sketches, with each performance featuring different WIT ensembles, including three music-driven exercises: iMusical, presenting audiences with the opportunity to choose-your-own-disaster, resulting in the cast improvising an instant world-ending musical; Heavy Rotation, featuring a cast performing a School of Rock-inspired “improvised rock comedy”; and Karaoke Storytellers with a show that is part-VH1 Storytellers, part-Saturday Night Live audition, and part musical, all built around improvised characters delivering monologues and interpreting a song karaoke-style. To Aug. 5. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $18 at the door. Call 202-204-7770 or visit witdc.org.

READINGS

JASON KANDER

Touted as the future of the Democratic Party by no less than former President Barack Obama, this former army captain and Afghanistan war veteran comes to town to read from Outside The Wire: Ten Lessons I’ve Learned in Everyday Courage. The memoir is intended as a practical guide for anyone thinking about political service and a call to action for everyone wishing to make a difference. Kander, the founder and president of anti-voter suppression nonprofit Let America Vote as well as a candidate for Mayor of Kansas City, will be in conversation with Symone Sanders, CNN political commentator and national press secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15, or $30 including one book, $40 for two tickets and a book. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

CULTIVATING AMERICA’S GARDENS

An examination of gardening in the U.S., from early horticulture practices to Victory gardens to the romance of the American lawn. Co-presented by the Smithsonian Libraries, Smithsonian Gardens, and the Archives of American Gardens, this traditional museum exhibition — about gardens but not any kind of garden tour — looks at gardening’s history in America broken down into seven main segments. It starts with the creation of botanical gardens in the 18th Century — as one example of how the early focus on “Gardening for Science” was brought to fruition — and ends with today’s increasing concern over organic and sustainable practices, or “Gardening for the Environment.” Whether the genetically modified, chemically enhanced plant breeding days of the last century or so are truly on the way out — and with them, the focus on “Gardening as Enterprise” — certainly longgone are the large, showy private gardens of the Gilded Age and a “Gardening to Impress” outlook. On display through August. Smithsonian Libraries Exhibition Gallery, National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-633-2240 or visit library.si.edu/exhibition.

HEAVY METAL: WOMEN TO WATCH 2018

The fifth installment in a triennial exhibition series presented at the National Museum of Women in the Arts showcases 20 contemporary artists working in metal to create a wide variety of objects, including sculpture, jewelry, and conceptual forms. Inspired by NMWA’s collection of silverwork crafted by British and Irish women in the 18th and 19th centuries, Heavy Metal, displaying more than 50 works of art, seeks to further disrupt the predominantly masculine narrative that surrounds metalworking despite women’s consistent presence the field for centuries. Now to Sept. 16. 1250 New York Ave NW. Admission is $10. Call 202-783-5000 or visit nmwa.org.

LOUISE BOURGEOIS: TO UNRAVEL A TORMENT

This French-born American artist is considered an icon of late-20th century art on account of her formal innovation as well as fearless explorations of sexuality and her own personal history. In a new exhibition, Maryland’s Glenstone Museum, which is in the midst of a major expansion due to open this fall, features nearly 30 of Bourgeois’s trailblazing works, spanning five decades. On display through January 2020. Glenstone Museum, 12002 Glen Road, Potomac, Md. Call 301-983-5001 or visit glenstone.org.

PUBLIC ARTWORKS OF ROCKNE KREBS AND SAM GILLIAM

Curator Mollie Berger says the objective of this Washington Studio School exhibition is “to represent the planning and design of public art projects, both built and unbuilt, by two artists who used vastly different materials but seem to be concerned with similar elements of space, color, and presence” — from “sculpture wunderkind” Krebs’s penetrating light displays, which surpass the physical space and reach for the sun and the stars that inspired the artist, to Gilliam’s swooping, brightly colored canvases of interlocking shapes, standing in counterpoint to the grey steel and stone surrounding them. Organized in partnership with community arts-boosting entity Day Eight, the exhibit includes proposals never funded as well as documentation of works that came to fruition by these two veteran D.C.-based artists, among them never-before displayed items provided by architect and longtime Gilliam collaborator Steven Spurlock. A Curator’s Talk is Friday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. On display to Aug. 10 at 2129 S St. NW. Call 202-234-3030 or visit washingtonstudioschool.org.

SAMUEL DIXON

A Maryland artist primarily known for his work as a watercolorist who has been described as an American Abstract Impressionist, Samuel Dixon was selected for inclusion in this year’s juried group exhibition at the Hill Center Galleries. Dixon’s entry is “Typing I,” a watercolor fine art print, captured from his typewriter series “Faded Images.” (Fun fact: the painting served as the inspiration for this week’s OutWrite cover.) Portrait artist Annette Polan, professor emerita of the Corcoran College of Art + Design at The George Washington University, served as the exhibition juror, culling through 670 artworks from more than 140 artists. Now to Sept. 22. Hill Center Galleries in the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Call 202-549-4172 or visit HillCenterDC.org. A larger assortment of Dixon’s works is currently on display at Gallery 50 Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. For information, call 302-227-2050.

TITANIC: THE UNTOLD STORY

The National Geographic Museum reveals the only recently declassified story behind the 1985 discovery of the infamous ship — by oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large Robert Ballard, who stumbled on the infamous shipwreck after he completed a top-secret mission to investigate the remains of two nuclear submarines in the North Atlantic. Titanic: The Untold Story is presented in partnership with the National Archives and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Now to Jan. 1. 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.

UNSEEN: OUR PAST IN A NEW LIGHT

Works by Ken Gonzales-Day and Titus Kaphar are featured in the first contemporary exhibition of the National Portrait Gallery’s 50th anniversary season — and a provocative one at that. Nearly 60 works highlight how people of color — from Native Americans to African Americans, Asian Americans to Latino Americans — are missing in historical portraiture. Still worse, their contributions to the nation’s past were rendered equally invisible. Kaphar sets out to right those slights by recreating well-known paintings and including those traditionally left out, through his series of 17 paintings plus one sculpture. Gonzales-Day, meanwhile, explores how ideas of racial difference, otherness, and national identity have taken shape historically and visually through nearly 40 photographs, including works from his “Erased Lynchings” series focused on the American West as well as his “Profiled” series. The bilingual English/Spanish exhibition is on display through Jan. 6. 8th and F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit npg.si.edu.

FOOD & DRINK

BINDAAS FOGGY BOTTOM

James Beard Award-winning chef Vikram Sunderam’s newest dining concept reflecting the modern-day cuisine of his native India makes for a similarly satisfying and noteworthy experience as his original Rasika. A degree above fast-casual, Bindaas focuses on the kind of food one might find on the streets and in the food markets of Mumbai, yet offered in a more relaxed and refined environment. With this second outpost, the intimate Cleveland Park gem becomes a much bigger and more noticeable jewel in a younger, hipper, and more diverse part of town. Impressive dishes include “Roadside Sandwich” burgers made from either chicken or seasonal vegetables and served on a pao bun with chutney and a delicious and filling Chicken Curry with tomatoes, garam masala and saffron rice. Bindaas also features a full bar with wine, beer and creative cocktails made with spirits from local distilleries, including Green Hat Gin and Cotton & Reed Rum. Don’t even think of going without trying the Tamarind soda, house-made with honey, ginger, clove, nutmeg and sumac. 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Call 202-516-4326 or visit bindaasdc.com.

JALEO’S SANGRIA FESTIVAL

All three of José Andres’ D.C.-area Jaleo restaurants offer specials on fruity iced wine cocktails through the weekend as part of this annual event. In addition to the everyday red and white sangrias — the latter known here as Ponche de Cava — the festival presents two limited-edition concoctions: the Rosé Sangria, back by popular demand from last year, and José’s Summertime Sangria, a brand-new offering made with fresh peaches. All sangrias available by the glass and pitcher. Through Sunday, Aug. 5. Jaleo DC, 480 7th St. NW, Jaleo Bethesda, 7271 Woodmont Ave., and Jaleo Crystal City, 2250-A Crystal Dr., Arlington. Visit jaleo.com.

BRUNCH

LA BOUM

Launched seven years ago at L’Enfant Cafe, the incredibly popular boozy brunch/day party known as La Boum has only gotten bigger and boum-ier in recent years — even earning a nod as one of Bravo TV’s “Top 5 Raging Brunches in the U.S.” The self-billed “revolutionary-style brunch” welcomes patrons of all genders and sexual orientations for a multi-course dinner and four hours of drinking, dancing to a DJ, and doing “everything they weren’t allowed to do under pure parental supervision as young adults.” Yet you have to be very grown-up and plan ahead in particular for Saturday brunch — for example, there are few tables left available until Saturday, Aug. 18. Abigail, 1730 M St. NW. Tickets are $32.50 to $35 per person, plus 20-percent gratuity and drinks. Call 240-286-4286 or visit laboumbrunch.com.

DRAG

SHAW’S TAVERN: DINNER-N-DRAG, SERVED!

Sometimes you’re dragging and you just can’t make it to brunch. And sometimes you want a regular, more traditional kind of meal — you know, at night, over wine. Well, these days, you can have just that with one of D.C.’s leading ladies of drag. Every Sunday night at Shaw’s Tavern, Kristina Kelly hosts a show over supper with half-priced bottles of wine and different dinner specials each week. Seating at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. 520 Florida Ave. NW. Reservations required via shawsdinnerdragshow@gmail.com. Call 202-518-4092 or visit shawstavern.com.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

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.

HANK’S OYSTER BAR: LADIES TEA: SUMMER EDITION

This Sunday, Aug. 5, lesbians and everyone “under the rainbow” are welcome to enjoy the new bar menu and drink specials at the original Dupont location of the small chain of restaurants run by lesbian Jamie Leeds. Ladies Tea runs from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Hank’s Dupont, 1624 Q St. NW. Call 202-462-4265. Visit hanksoysterbar.com.

HEY FRASE! PODCAST W/SARAH FRASER, PAUL WHARTON

Sarah Fraser, the former Hot 99.5 Kane Show co-host and current Good Day DC contributor, dishes on politics, pop culture and all things D.C. in this podcast with The Real Housewives of DC‘s Paul Wharton. At this special live taping, they welcome radio personality Danni Starr and comedian Rob Maher, who will guide Fraser and Wharton as they try their hands at stand-up comedy. Friday, Aug. 3, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave. North Bethesda. Tickets are $25 to $30. Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com.

LA-TI-DO: THE ’70S

Regie Cabico and Don Mike Mendoza’s La-Ti-Do variety show features higher-quality singing than most karaoke, often from local musical theater actors performing on their night off, and also includes spoken-word poetry and comedy. Held at Bistro Bistro in Dupont Circle, Mendoza and Anya Randall Nebel host The ’70s, an evening of songs from that decade as well as the present featuring Sylvern Groomes, Jr. Guest performers include Vanna de la Cruz, Erin Granfield, Christina McCann, Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, Allison Saba, Michael Sandoval, Aerika Saxe, and Robin Weiner. Paige Rammelkamp is music director. Monday, Aug. 13, at 8 p.m. Bistro Bistro, 1727 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $15, or $10 if you eat dinner at the restaurant beforehand. Call 202-328-1640 or visit latidodc.wix.com/latido.

MARYLAND PARANORMAL CONFERENCE

Speakers, vendors, palm and tarot card readers, and a host of people whose interests or abilities go beyond explanations of science (and reason) will gather in a small, tucked away town outside of — where else but — Baltimore. And if most adults can’t even quite understand it, certainly no kid can, which is why organizers have posted the sign, “No one under 16 admitted.” This second annual conference features six speakers, including ghost photographer Tim Scullion and “The Ghostographer” presentation, Sandy and Jim Young with “Beyond The Veil”, Rob Gutro’s “Ghosts of England: A Medium’s Vacation Encounters,” Uma Beepat in “Spirit Communication 101,” David Salisbury with “Don’t Blame The Witch,” and Hiram Henderson and “Ghosts, Poltergeists & Hauntings.” Additionally, the first 40 people in the door receive a free copy of Richard Salva’s The Yoga of Ghost Hunting. Saturday, Aug. 4, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Elk’s Lodge, 1506 Defense Highway, Gambrills, Md. Tickets are $39.95. Visit mdparaconf.eventbrite.com.

MID CITY DOG DAYS SIDEWALK FESTIVAL

What started 19 years ago as a collaboration between Home Rule and a handful of neighboring businesses on 14th Street has blossomed into one of D.C.’s most popular outdoor events, featuring over 100 merchants in a 25-block radius encompassing the neighborhoods of Logan Circle, 14 Street, the U Street Corridor, and Shaw. Home Rule, Miss Pixie’s Furnishings & Whatnot, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Room & Board, Urban Essentials, and Flowers on 14th are among the many merchants participating the event, which also offers free admission to the African American Civil War Museum, pet-related promotions and adoption opportunities at City Paws, and dining specials from the many bustling venues on what some have taken to calling D.C.’s Restaurant Row, including Barcelona Wine Bar, Cork Wine Bar, Etto, Rice, and Sette Osteria. It all launches with a Kick Off Party Friday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. Miss Pixie’s, 1626 14th St. NW. Dog Days runs all day Saturday, Aug. 5, and Sunday, Aug. 6. Visit dogdaysdc.com.

SIGNATURE THEATRE’S OPEN HOUSE

The first Sunday in August brings an extravaganza of performances, classes, demonstrations, and exhibits to the Shirlington theater complex, spilling out onto the Shirlington Plaza as well as neighboring venues New District Brewing Company and Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub. This year’s activities include several concerts highlighting the upcoming 2018/19 season — featuring songs from Passion, Billy Elliot the Musical, Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fats Waller Musical Show, Grand Hotel The Musical, and Blackbeard — as well as performances throughout the day from Signature favorites including Bobby Smith, Will Gartshore, Stephen Gregory Smith, Natascia Diaz, Nova Y. Payton, and Erin Driscoll, plus the U.S. Army Chorus and DuPont Brass. And all day brings discounts and sales on season tickets. Sunday, Aug. 5, from noon to 8:30 p.m. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are free. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.

TASTE OF STUDIO

For the fourth year in a row, Studio Theatre, which helped to spark the 14th Street renaissance, opens its doors for an open house celebration including the Studio Flea sidewalk sale featuring costumes and props from past productions. The full slate of activities in the complex includes art installations, live music, faculty workshops, tours of the in-house production shops, and sneak peeks of shows from the 2018-2019 season — the company’s 40th — which launches with If I Forget, a comedy that chronicles the gentrification of 14th Street. There will also be performances from community partners such as Batalá Washington, DC Scores, Reel Affirmations, and the United Voices of Metropolitan AME Church. But arguably the highlight of the day is the food and drink on offer from more than 30 of D.C.’s best purveyors, a roster that includes Matchbox, Peregrine Espresso, Dino’s Grotto, Pinstripes, Barcelona Wine Bar, Nazca Mochica, Agora, Takorean, Rice, DC Noodles, Thai Chef, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. And the neighboring Churchkey will oversee a beer garden right on Studio’s P Street sidewalk. Saturday, Aug. 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Studio Theatre, 14th Street NW. Tickets are $4 per a la carte item or $50 for an all-access pass. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org/taste.