FILM

A STAR IS BORN

No one saw this coming, but the third remake of 1937’s A Star Is Born is one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year so far. Bradley Cooper is both behind the camera as director and in front of it as Jackson Maine, an established musician who stumbles across unknown singer-songwriter Ally (Lady Gaga) and helps launch her career. Naturally, they fall in love and her career quickly overtakes his, leading to all the passions and jealousies we’ve seen play out three times before. Still, there’s already Academy Awards buzz, and Gaga, stepping into shoes worn by Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand before her, has successfully transformed from hit-making diva to bona fide film star. It makes the film’s title seem a little on the nose. Now playing at area theaters. (Rhuaridh Marr)

THE HATE U GIVE

This couldn’t be timelier. Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) is a black teen from a poor neighborhood who attends a rich, predominantly white prep school. Her world is upended after she watches a white police officer shoot her childhood best friend, and the careful walls she’s built quickly crumble as she’s drawn into activism. Based on Angie Thomas’ bestselling 2017 novel, which was banned by a school district in Texas because one parent objected to the frank portrayal of its subject matter, George Tillman Jr.’s film blends coming-of-age drama with the Black Lives Matter movement — and critics are loving it. Now playing at area theaters. (RM)

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Every October, Landmark’s E Street Cinema presents not just one but two weekends with screenings of 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 as interactive as can be — particularly the last weekend of the month and a special spooky Halloween run. But you can get your next weekend with E Street’s traditional second-weekend run. Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, at midnight. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

VENOM

We last saw Venom in 2007’s Spider-Man 3, and after ten years of rumors and development, the character finally has his own film. Tom Hardy steps into the role as journalist Eddie Brock, who becomes the host of an alien symbiote that transforms him into the horrific Venom and grants superhuman abilities. Sony intends this film to start an adjacent Marvel universe to the MCU we all know and love, and Venom will apparently be darker, scarier, and more violent than the usual Marvel fare. Don’t expect to see Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, though — director Ruben Fleischer said there’s no cameo planned. Now playing at area theaters. (RM)

THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS

A rarity from early the Roman Polanski canon, this giddy, blood-soaked 1967 parody of the vampire genre fell between two of the director’s genuinely intense thrillers, Repulsion and the truly terrifying Rosemary’s Baby (1968). For all its deliberate whimsey — the comedy is mostly physical and of the bumbling sort — the film has a striking visual style, influenced in part by the paintings of Marc Chagall. The film is historically notable for the inclusion Sharon Tate, who later married Polanski and was, in 1969, murdered in couple’s home by the Manson family. Part of the Capital Classics series at Landmark’s West End Cinema. Wednesday, Oct. 10, 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

BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL

Adventure Theatre presents a world-premiere adaptation of the classic book by Robert McCloskey, in recognition of its 70th anniversary of publication. A co-commission with New York City’s Children’s Theatre, the work was written by Sandra Eskin and Adventure’s Michael J. Bobbitt and features music and lyrics by William Yanesh. Directed by Jess Jung. To Oct. 21. Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Tickets are $20. Call 301-634-2270 or visit adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

BORN YESTERDAY

Garson Kanin’s sharp-edged screwball comedy may be 70 years old, but it resonates all too well with the Washington of today. The story focuses on an opportunistic tycoon seeking to game the Washington system — but the plans are sabotaged by his girlfriend and her alliance with an idealistic reporter pushing back to end corruption. Aaron Posner directs Edward Gero and Kimberly Gilbert in a lavish production bolstered by Daniel Lee Conway’s set, a glamorous two-level hotel suite with striking architectural details. To Oct. 21. Ford’s, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $17 to $64. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fords.org.

CORALINE

Focused on a young heroine who unlocks a door in her new house and reveals an alternate world with a dangerous secret, Neil Gaiman’s 2002 children’s book has inspired adaptations across a range of media, from a stop-motion animated feature to an opera. A decade ago, David Greenspan adapted the fantasy horror for the stage in collaboration with Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields. And that is the version the quirky and adventurous Landless Theatre is producing. Melissa Baughman directs. To Oct. 28. Best Medicine Rep Theatre, Second Floor, Lakeforest Mall, 701 Russell Ave., in Gaithersburg, Md. Tickets are $10 to $20. Visit landlesstheatre.com.

DANCING AT LUGHNASA

Irish playwright Brian Friel’s wistful memory play tells the story of five unmarried sisters living in a small Irish village in 1936 and facing life’s challenges with resolve and persistence. The show is wise, warm, funny, and, being Irish in heritage, ultimately bathed in sorrow. Everyman Theatre’s production is helmed by Amber Paige McGinnis and stars Megan Anderson, Danny Gavigan, Tim Getman, Annie Grier, Bari Hochwald, and Labhaoise Magee. Closes Sunday, Oct. 7. Everyman Theatre, 15 W. Fayette Street in Baltimore. Tickets are $10 to $65. Visit everymantheatre.org or call 410-752-2208.

GLORIA

A play focused on the cutthroat world of New York’s publishing industry, and specifically the Millennial editorial assistants chasing the dream of getting a book deal before they turn 30. Closes Sunday, Oct. 7. Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St. NW. Tickets range from $20 to $69. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.

HEISENBERG

A chance encounter at a London train stop changes the course of life for two people in this tender, funny, intimate comedy from Tony Award-winner Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time). Michael Russotto and Rachel Zampelli star. Joe Calarco directs. To Nov. 11. Ark Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.

HOW TO WIN A RACE WAR

A parody of white supremacist “race war” fiction, Ian Allen’s play spans more than three centuries of civilization for an epic journey that is part-satire, part-exposé, and part horror show — depicting slave rebellions, skinheads, and a liberal dystopian future, and even featuring song-and-dance numbers. Presented by the D.C. theater collective The Klunch, the world-premiere production has a large 12-person cast including Kevin Boudreau, Kim Curtis, Tony Greenberg, Connor Padilla, and Ned Read, with voice work by Christopher Henley and B. Stanley. Weekends to Oct. 20. District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $40. Call 866-811-4111 or visit theklunch.com.

IF I FORGET

A modern Jewish family is fracturing in this political and deeply personal play — and also a hyper-local one, written by Tony-winning Bethesda-native Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for Dear Evan Hansen. Set in Tenleytown, a piece of 14th Street real estate owned by the family becomes a sticking point — should they keep or sell the property? Matt Torney directs Richard Fancy, Susan Rome, Jonathan Goldstein, Robin Abramson, Julie-Ann Elliott, Paul Morella, and Joshua Otten. To Oct. 14. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

LABOUR OF LOVE

A clever mashup of the political gamesmanship of The West Wing with a war-of-the-sexes saga akin to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, James Graham’s Olivier Award-winning comedy is set in a member of Parliament’s district office and pokes witty fun at the ups and downs of left-wing British politics. Leora Morris directs Olney’s production, which features M. Scott McLean and Julia Coffey. To Oct. 28. Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE

★★★½

Love, sorrow, and longing are folded into the plot and into each delectable dish described in Mexican author Laura Esquivel’s beloved 1989 novel Como Agua para Chocolate. That bittersweet recipe produced an equally popular film, directed by Esquivel’s ex-husband Alfonso Arau, and now begets a theatrical adaptation, care of Spanish playwright Garbi Losada. Making its U.S. premiere at GALA Hispanic Theatre under the assured direction of Olga Sánchez, Como Agua para Chocolate captures the poetry and magical realism that have stirred fans of the story’s previous incarnations. In Spanish with English surtitles. Closes Sunday, Oct. 7. GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $48. Call 202-234-7174 or visit galatheatre.org. (Andre Hereford)

LINCOLNESQUE

Keegan Theatre remounts a thoroughly Washington play it first presented in 2009, about a speechwriter for a mediocre Congressman headed for defeat who enlists his brother, a psychiatric outpatient convinced he is the reincarnation of the 16th U.S. president, to write great oratory. Directed by Colin Smith, Keegan’s remount of John Strand’s comedy features original cast members Susan Marie Rhea, Stan Shulman, and Michael Innocenti. To Oct. 14. 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $36 to $46. Call 202-265-3768 or visit keegantheatre.com.

LYSISTRATA

Sarah Ruden’s adaptation of the Greek farce by Aristophanes focuses on the titular heroine’s ploy to end a never-ending cycle of war by convincing the women of Greece to withhold sex until the men agree to a truce. Michael Blum and Darlene Harris co-direct a cast of local amateurs led by Amy Heller as Lysistrata. Weekends to Oct. 14. Spotlighters, 817 St. Paul St., Baltimore. Tickets are $21 to $24, or just $10 for “Ten Spot Thursday” on Sept. 27. Call 410-752-1225 or visit spotlighters.org.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

Shakespeare’s classic becomes a mirror of modern society in a dexterously crafted adaptation by U.K. theater company Cheek By Jowl and the Pushkin Theatre Moscow. The production offers a fresh take on Shakespeare’s dissection of the nature of justice, mercy, and virtue. Director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod originally developed the work for the Moscow stage. Part of the Kennedy Center’s World Stages series. In Russian with projected English titles. Opens Wednesday, Oct. 10. To Oct. 13. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $19 to $75. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

SOUTH PACIFIC

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific has its dated aspects, in form as well as content, but it is also brimming with early pop hits-cum-American Songbook standards (“Some Enchanted Evening,” “Bali Ha’i”). And then there’s the show’s anti-racist messaging, which remains satisfying and notable, particularly in light of the contrast of how provocatively ahead-of-their-time they were back in the day — a key reason the show won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. It was the second of only nine musicals to be so honored to date. Closes Sunday, Oct. 7. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Port Tobacco Players kicks off its 70th season as a community theater in southern Maryland’s Charles County with Robert Harling’s comedy about six Southern friends who harangue, needle, and ultimately support each other in times of crisis. Brimming with sweetness and sass, heart and compassion, Steel Magnolias really takes the cake — a giant Armadillo cake, in fact. Weekends to Oct. 7. 508 Charles St., La Plata, Md. Tickets are $15 to $18. Call 301-932-6819 or visit ptplayers.com.

SUMMERLAND

The Washington Stage Guild presents Arlitia Jones’ drama relaying the mysterious but true tale of William H. Mumler, a spirit photographer with a talent for capturing haunting images from the world beyond the veil. Set in the years after the Civil War, Summerland focuses on Mumler’s booming business of contacting the dead for mourners, and the city marshal who wants to prove the photographer is a fraud. Starring Yury Lomakin, Rachel Felstein, and Steven Carpenter. Kasi Campbell directs. To Oct. 21. Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $30 to $60. Call 240-582-0050 or visit stageguild.org.

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

Shakespeare’s early comedy of mistaken identities involves two sets of twins and an ocean of confusion. Veanne Cox, Nancy Robinette, Tom Story, Ted van Griethuysen, Sarah Marshall, and Eleasha Gamble head a large, gifted cast. Directed by Alan Paul. To Oct. 28. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.

THE EVENTS

In the wake of a mass shooting, a lone survivor yearns to find the compassion, understanding, and peace she needs to overcome her trauma — but thoughts and visions of the shooter haunt her every step. David Greig’s The Events is another socially conscious, thought-provoking work presented by Theater Alliance, featuring Regina Aquino as the survivor and Josh Adams as the shooter. Colin Hovde directs. Closes Sunday, Oct. 7. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are $35 to $40. Call 202-241-2539 or visit theateralliance.com.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT

The LGBTQ-focused Richmond Triangle Players marks the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death with a production of Moisés Kaufman’s groundbreaking examination into the Wyoming murder and its aftermath. Lucian Restivo directs. To Oct. 19. The Robert B. Moss Theatre, 1300 Altamont Ave. Richmond. Tickets are $10 to $35. Call 804-346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.

TURN ME LOOSE

Gretchen Law’s intimate and no-holds-barred drama chronicling Dick Gregory’s rise as the first black comedian to expose audiences to racial comedy. Edwin Lee Gibson plays Gregory, with John Garlin taking on all the other supplemental roles, from emcee to interviewer to heckler to cabbie. John Gould Rubin directs. To Oct. 14. Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $40 to $95. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

MUSIC

ADAMS MORGAN PORCHFEST

A eclectic and eccentric festival showcasing the rhythms that make the city’s legendary, multicultural neighborhood move. Launched in 2013, PorchFest features more than 30 local musicians and musical acts in mix of ages and expertise, performing everything from brass to R&B, folk to rock, and Latin to reggae in pop-up venues on porches and patios of historic homes and local businesses throughout the neighborhood’s leafy residential streets. Each location hosts three 45-minute sets. Saturday, Oct. 6, from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Starting point is SunTrust Plaza, 18th Street and Columbia Road NW. Free. Call 202-997-0783 or visit admoporchfest.com.

AKUA ALLRICH

A D.C. native and Howard University alum, the young jazz vocalist and composer blends traditional, modern, and African jazz styles while singing in the showy manner of many of today’s leading soul/pop divas. But she’s especially well-regarded for covering Nina Simone, and Allrich will perform renditions of beloved songs by the jazz iconoclast as well as South African powerhouse Miriam Makeba. The concert will be followed by a panel discussion on “The Role of Black Women, Arts, and Activism.” Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Lang Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $25. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

ALL THINGS GO FALL CLASSIC

For its fifth year, the high-caliber indie-pop festival has taken inspiration from the push for women’s rights and gender parity sparked by last year’s Women’s March to present an all-female lineup on its first day, Saturday, Oct. 6. Featuring brand-new, buzz-generating stars Maggie Rogers and Billie Eilish as headliners, the day also brings up-and-coming sensations including Finnish pop star Alma, sunny alt-R&B artist Ravyn Lenae, the Sara Bareilles-esque bright pop-rocker Charlene Kaye (female vocalist of indie-pop group San Fermin), and LPX, the alias of Lizzy Plapinger. Sunday, Oct. 7, brings bigger names all around, including former Capital Pride headliners Carly Rae Jepsen and Betty Who, with special guest MisterWives. The Fall Classic also showcases local culinary favorites Timber Pizza, Shake Shack, Sweetgreen, Rocklands, and Bun’d Up, among others. General Admission tickets are $65 for 1-Day or $95 for 2-Day, while VIP tickets are $139 for Sunday or $229 for 2-Day (Saturday-only VIP is sold out) and include fast-entry express lane, access to a VIP Viewing Area and Lounge with complimentary food, dedicated cash bar and specialty food vendors viewing areas. Call 888-512-7469 or visit allthingsgofallclassic.com.

BSO SUPERPOPS W/TONY DESARE: I LOVE A PIANO

The singing jazz pianist Tony DeSare has become known for putting his own jaunty spin on American Songbook standards. His appearance with Jack Everly and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will salute pop’s greatest pianists, ranging from George Gershwin and Ray Charles to Billy Joel and Elton John. Thursday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Also Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are $25 to $90. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

BOB MOSES

This Canadian electronic/pop act is named after the prominent New York City planner and consists of Jimmy Valiance and Tom Howie, whose languid yet varied vocal delivery is stunning in a subtle, hypnotic way. Bob Moses makes smooth and moody electronica with dramatic and moving graces in a style similar to that of Australia’s Rufus du Sol. Call it the next generation of chillout dance music: a tasteful, sophisticated blend of progressive house and reflective pop that works both at a low hum in the background as well as turned up and tuned in, with close attention paid to the finer details. Mansionair opens. Thursday, Oct. 11. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $28.50. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

TROUBLE IN TAHITI

The Capital City Symphony opens its 51st season with a toast to the centennial of Leonard Bernstein. Artistic Director Victoria Gau, who is also associate conductor of the National Philharmonic, leads an all-Bernstein concert including the Arias and Barcarolles song cycle featuring vocalists Delores Ziegler and Kevin Short of the University of Maryland. But the centerpiece of the program is a semi-staged presentation of the one-act opera Trouble in Tahiti, the only work for which Bernstein wrote the words as well as the music. Sunday, Oct. 7, at 4 p.m. Lang Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $15 to $25. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

FOLGER CONSORT: OKTOBERFEST

There won’t be beer steins at this twist on the German tradition. Instead, the Folger Library’s early music ensemble puts the focus on music from German-speaking lands in the centuries before the classical era of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. The Consort’s founding directors Robert Eisenstein and Christopher Kendall are joined by other string and wind instrumentalists, plus tenor Mark Bleeke, for a program that includes colorful songs by 14th-century Tyrolean knight and musician Oswald von Wolkenstein, quirky instrumental pieces from the 15th-century Glogauer Liederbuch, and opulent early 16th century music by Heinrich Isaac and Ludwig Senfi. Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, 4 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2 and 5 p.m. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $25 to $42. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: LENNY’S PLAYLIST

“An orchestral artist is a living being, and a musician incorporating all the music that has preceded him, and all the music informing his daily life.” The quote from Leonard Bernstein informs this program, led by the Philharmonic’s music director Piotr Gajewski, and featuring works notable to Bernstein, including Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, and Barber’s Violin Concerto featuring Bella Hristova. Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $34 to $84. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

NSO: MENDELSSOHN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO

National Symphony Orchestra Conductor Laureate Christoph Eschenbach returns for a program featuring rising star violinist Ray Chen, whose talent, sense of humor, and savviness with both social media savvy and pop culture — with appearances on Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle and a partnership with Giorgio Armani — are said to be “redefining what it means to be a classical musician.” In addition to one of the most treasured concertos in the repertoire, the program also includes Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral.” Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., and Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

PINK MARTINI WITH ARI SHAPIRO

Everyone’s favorite quirky cocktail orchestra, led by Thomas Lauderdale, makes its debut on the Southwest Waterfront in a concert featuring a regular guest vocalist whose musical career it launched — Ari Shapiro, best known as the co-host of NPR’s quintessential afternoon news program All Things Considered. Sunday, Oct. 7. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $35 to $95. Call 202-888-0020 or visit theanthemdc.com.

SHEMEKIA COPELAND

Continuing the legacy of blues divas Etta James and Bessie Smith, to say nothing of her late father, Texas bluesman Johnny Copeland, Shemekia Copeland is far from just a powerhouse brassy blues singer-songwriter. The stirring, genre-bending music featured on the 39-year-old’s eighth release, America’s Child, is a bluesy, soul-fired blend of Americana, folk, and rock. Recorded in Nashville, the set, with guest turns by John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Rhiannon Giddens, and lesbian folk-rocker Mary Gauthier, “celebrates our collective diversity in all its forms and colors.” Friday, Oct. 5. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $15.75 to $35.75. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

SHEN YUN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Through all-original music, this symphony seeks to rekindle worldwide interest in China’s 5,000 year-old culture and civilization. The result is a blending of the spirit, beauty, and distinctiveness of Chinese music with the precision, power, and grandeur of the Western symphony orchestra. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $35 to $105. Call 301-493-9283 or visit nationalphilharmonic.org.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA: LA TRAVIATA

WNO’s Francesca Zambello launches the company’s season with a new production of Verdi’s everlasting story of love and sacrifice, renowned for its soaring arias and heartbreaking conclusion. A co-production with the Atlanta Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, the Seattle Opera, and Indiana University, La Traviata features elegant staging by Peter Davidson and turn-of-the-century costumes by Tony-winning designer Jess Goldstein. To Oct. 21. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $300. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

DANCE

ERICA RAE SMITH-GOODEN

The legacy and vitality of Caribbean dancehall is celebrated in a world premiere part of the Kennedy Center’s 2018 Local Dance Commissioning Project. Smith-Gooden, a D.C.-based Philadelphia native, choreographed and performs the work, which incorporates modern fusion dance, features a live “selecta” (DJ), and encourages the crowd to be active in carrying out the kind of call-and-response format integral to dancehall. Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

FURIA FLAMENCA DANCE COMPANY: CAFE FLAMENCO

Estela Velez de Paredez founded the Furia Flamenca Dance Company 15 years ago, with a focus on combining flamenco’s gypsy heritage with modern flamenco choreography to produce an elegant balance of motion and energy. Cafe Flamenco is an intimate evening of flamenco “tablao” style, with drinks and tapas served tableside during the performance by dancers from the company, a legacy resident entity with Joy of Motion Dance Center, and accompanied by guitarist Torcuato Zamora. Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8:30 p.m. Sprenger Theatre in Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $40 at the door. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

HELANIUS J. WILKINS: A BON COEUR

The celebrated gay African-American choreographer performs an evening-length, mixed-media solo piece named after a Cajun term that means to do something wholeheartedly. Billed as a celebration of heritage, heart and soul, A Bon Coeur draws on Wilkins’ Creole roots and experiences growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana, as told in a presentation interwoven with text, an original sound score, and projection. The work is also the second installment of a contemporary dance trilogy that has grown out of a multi-year creative research effort by Wilkins. Saturday, Oct. 6, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit danceplace.org.

COMEDY

COLIN MOCHRIE & BRAD SHERWOOD: SCARED SCRIPTLESS

Two of the stars from the hit TV improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway? take the show on the road, with hilarious sketches of scenes and songs made up on the fly based on audience suggestions. Friday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $34 to $64. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

COLIN QUINN: ONE IN EVERY CROWD

Number 56 on Comedy Central’s list of 100 greatest stand-ups of all time, the New York comic is known from his various cable specials as well as for playing Amy Schumer’s father in Trainwreck. Mere days after suffering a heart attack last February, the 59-year-old took to Twitter to say he was doing well, joking that if he had dropped dead, “you would see a funeral like Al Capone!” Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7 and 9 p.m. Terrace Theater. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

KRISH MOHAN

A Native American comic, who hosts the weekly web show “Fork Full of Noodles” and the podcast “Taboo Table Talk,” Mohan explores “bubble culture” among Americans and the current divide in today’s political climate through storytelling, satire, and comedy. His hour of “socially conscious comedy” was the Audience Choice Award winner at the 2018 Pittsburgh Fringe Festival. Opening set by Franqi French. Friday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. Reliable Tavern, 3655 Georgia Ave. NW. Tickets are $5 online, or $10 at the door. Call 202-800-0441 or visit reliable-tavern.com.

READINGS & LECTURES

JOANNE B. FREEMAN: VIOLENCE IN CONGRESS

The long-lost story of physical violence on the floor of the U.S. Congress is explored in this talk with an author of books on that theme, including The Field of Blood and Road to Civil War. Freeman elaborates on the period of history before the Civil War, when the Capitol was rife with conflict and legislative sessions were often punctuated with threats, canings, fist-fights, beatings, intimidation, drawn knives and pistols, mostly over the issue of slavery. Friday, October 5, at noon. William G. McGowan Theater, National Archives Museum, Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets NW. Free, with reservations recommended; first-come, first-seated. Call 202-357-5000 or visit archivesfoundation.org.

CAROLINE DE GUITAUT: RUSSIA: ROYALTY AND THE ROMANOVS

The decorative arts curator of the U.K.’s Royal Collection Trust

explores the long and complex history shared by the British royals and the Russian imperials, from enemies to allies, diplomatic impasse to dynastic marriage, with a particular focus on their grand state gifts and intimate personal mementos. And their shared patronage was at its modern peak with the House of Fabergé, the chief focus of the lecture, which is the second in an October series at the estate founded by prolific Fabergé collector Marjorie Merriweather Post and in conjunction with the current exhibition, Fabergé Rediscovered. Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

ART & EXHIBITS

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: A GREAT LEAP OF FAITH

A display of prominent artifacts highlighting the history of citizen participation, debate and compromise from the nation’s formation to today. The American experiment is still alive, if not altogether well at the moment, but it has endured rough times before. This exhibition, at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum, highlights the various ways in which leading figures have strived to make the country “a more perfect union.” Objects include Thomas Jefferson’s portable desk he used to draft the Declaration of Independence, the inkstand Abraham Lincoln used to draft the Emancipation Proclamation, and the table on which Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments. Ongoing. 14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanhistory.si.edu.

FABERGE REDISCOVERED

The late heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post has a renowned collection of pieces from the firm of Carl Fabergé, the legendary jeweler to the last court of Russia. A special exhibition at Post’s Hillwood Estate, nestled in a leafy section of Upper Northwest a few blocks from Van Ness, unveils new discoveries relating to the collection of about 90 Fabergé works, including two imperial Easter eggs. To Jan. 13. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested donation is $18. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

DRAWN TO PURPOSE

Culling from its rich collections, the Library of Congress exhibition brings to light remarkable but little-known contributions made by North American women to the art forms of illustration and cartooning. Spanning the late-1800s to the present, Drawn To Purpose highlights the gradual broadening in both the private and public spheres of women’s roles and interests, demonstrating that women, once constrained by social conditions and convention, have gained immense new opportunities for self-expression and discovery. To Oct. 10. The Graphic Arts Galleries, Ground Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Call 202-707-8000 or visit loc.gov/exhibitions.

MARK BRADFORD: PICKETT’S CHARGE

Referred to as the most significant living American painter by the Hirshhorn, gay African-American artist Mark Bradford certainly works on a scale commensurate with that kind of stature. Take, for example, his huge, 400-foot installation created for his debut at the Smithsonian’s modern art museum as well as in D.C. A timely, commissioned “cyclorama” of eight large, site-specific collages, Bradford was inspired by Paul Philippoteaux’s same-named masterpiece depicting the loss of the Confederate Army at the Battle of Gettysburg. Covering the curved walls of the Hirshhorn’s third level inner circle, the work presents 360-degrees of abstracted historical narrative using Bradford’s signature practice of collage, juxtaposed with reproductions of the 19th-century original in a way that intentionally disrupts, messes up, and confuses. The end result is a work that invites reconsideration of how narratives about American history have been shaped and contested. To Nov. 12. Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit hirshhorn.si.edu.

MICRO-MONUMENTS II: UNDERGROUND

An exhibition featuring 15 local and eight German artists, who were brought together to focus a contemporary lens on topics including the cosmos, nature, and deep time, with the intention of serving as a catalyst for exploration into enduring questions about our history and place in the world. A co-presentation of the Washington Sculptors Group and IA&A at Hillyer, featured artists include Ursula Achternkamp, Alan Binstock, Janet Brome, Mark Fromm, Caroline Hatfield, Linda Hesh, Jacqueline Maggi, Alim Pasht-Han, Judith Pratt, and Steve Wanna. Through Oct. 28 at 9 Hillyer Court NW. Call 202-338-0325 or visit athillyer.org.

PORTRAITS OF THE WORLD: SWITZERLAND

Once a year, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery plans to showcase one portrait created by a foreign artist in an exhibition designed around that work, via a series intended to highlight the global context of American portraiture. The inaugural exhibition focuses on “Femme en Extase (Woman in Ecstasy),” a portrait of Italian dancer Giulia Leonardi by Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler, complemented by a selection of works from the gallery’s collection featuring American dancers, notably Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Ted Shawn, and Ruth St. Denis. To Nov. 12. 8th and F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit npg.si.edu.

QUEER(ING) PLEASURE

Inspired by Audre Lorde, this exhibit of works in various media is focused on illustrating “the radical queer potential of pleasure” and the ways in which pleasure is an “unexpressed and unrecognized” feeling. Curated by Andy Johnson, per the District of Columbia Arts Center’s Curatorial Initiative, Queer(ing) Pleasure goes beyond the standard “limited, white, hetero-centric logic of the erotic” with works of performance, photography, embroidery, video, and sculpture by artists including Antonius Bui, Monique Muse Dodd, Tsedaye Makonnen, John Paradiso, and Jade Yumang. To Oct. 14. DCAC, 2438 18th St. NW. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

FOOD & DINING

CHINA CHILCANO: PASSPORT TO PERU WEEKLY MENUS

Carlos Delgado, head chef at the Peruvian-focused Latin-Asian fusion restaurant in José Andrés’ small-plates empire, is overseeing a month-long promotion celebrating the regions of Peru with a variety of weekly special menus. The first week runs to Sunday, Oct. 7, and focuses on the Pacific Coast, with offerings including beef heart with potatoes and corn in rocoto sauce ($9) and Arroz con Mariscos, a medley of crab, octopus, shrimp, and conch with jasmine rice and red onion ($17), plus the cocktail La Playa, made with Ron Cartavio, pineapple pisco, guanábana, lemon, and prickly pear ($12). Week two starts Monday, Oct. 8, with a focus on the country’s central highland area, showcasing the complex stew Adobo Aquequipeño, made with pork shoulder and lamb chops, root vegetables and Andean herbs ($17), which you can wash down with Chicha de Guindas, a mixed drink of cherry pisco and corn beer ($13). The last half of the month spotlights the Amazon and the capital of Lima. To encourage people to try each week’s menu, the restaurant is offering a stamp per visit that can be redeemed for cocktails on a future visit. To Oct. 28. 418 7th St. NW. Call 202-783-0941 or visit chinachilcano.com.

LEGAL SEA FOODS: OYSTER FESTIVAL

The Massachusetts-based seafood chain celebrates all things bivalves. Fried oysters are available in the following styles: Buffalo with blue cheese, celery hearts, and radish; BBQ with coleslaw and BBQ mayo; Sriracha Lime with roasted corn salsa and crispy shallots; or as an “Oyster BLT” with chipotle mayo. Baked Oysters are prepared as a Lobster Spinach Oyster bake with cheese and herbed crumbs; Oyster Scampi with shrimp, garlic butter, and white wine; Crab & Cheese Oyster with Jonah crab, horseradish, cheddar, and cream cheese; or Roasted Oyster with smoked chorizo, butter, and fresh herbs. A variety of oysters will also be available raw, served on the half shell, with selections and prices changing daily depending on what’s available. Wash it all down with this year’s official festival drink, the Deadrise, a concoction of Tito’s vodka, muddled cucumber, lime, and grapefruit bitters. Available at lunch and dinner daily now through Oct. 10. All three area locations: 704 7th St. NW, 2301 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, and 2001 International Drive in Tysons Galleria, McLean. Visit legalseafoods.com.

LOGAN TAVERN: LOGANFEST HAPPY HOUR

The pioneering eatery that helped pave the way for Logan Circle’s restaurant boom puts a happy hour spin on its Oktoberfest promotion. The LoganFest 2018 “Bier Festival” features local Oktoberfest beers, a Berlin Mule, plus appetizers of Pretzel Bites, Beer & Cheddar Dip, and German Sausages — with all items priced at $7. Everyday from 4 to 7 p.m. through Oct. 7. 1423 P St. NW. Call 202-332-3710 or visit logantavern.com.

RADIATOR BIERGARTEN

The cocktail bar and cafe in Kimpton’s Mason & Rook hotel will celebrate cooler temperatures and Oktoberfest traditions with an autumnal festival on the patio, complete with outdoor fire pits. The highlight is German fare on communal tables, from the traditional (Bavarian-themed lagers poured into steins) to reimagined biergarten bites from Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden, including pretzels and beer cheese dip, grilled bratwurst with charred onion and sauerkraut, and chicken schnitzel sliders on a pretzel bun. The promotion includes a loyalty punch card, with each liter of beer earning one punch — those with 10 punches will win an Oktoberfest-themed das boot to take home. Daily from 4 p.m., weather permitting. Through Oct. 22. Radiator, Mason & Rook, 1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Patio seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 202-742-3150 or visit radiatordc.com.

SNALLYGASTER DC: BEASTLY BEER JAMBOREE

Named after the mythical beast said to have once terrorized the area, this craft beer festival and fundraiser features more than 120 of the world’s finest breweries pouring more than 350 small-batch brews. The lineup is a who’s who of popular and revered breweries from around the region and the country, including Maryland (Charm City Meadworks), Virginia (Red Dragon Brewery), Vermont (Hill Farmstead), Michigan (Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales), California (Ballast Point), Texas (Jester King), Louisiana (Great Raft), and Florida (Funky Buddha), and Canada (Bellwoods). There will be food trucks and vendors, live music and DJs, and other fesive fare. Saturday, October 13, from 1:30 to 7 p.m. Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 6th Streets NW. Tickets are $15, or $40 to $65 for passes also offering 30 food and drink tickets and early access. Visit snallygasterdc.com.

TASTE OF BETHESDA

This 29th annual festival brings nearly 50 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Produced by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, this year sees participation from new area restaurants including the Big Greek Café, CherCher Ethiopian Cuisine, Dog Haus Biergarten, Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant, The Red Bandana Bakery, and True Food Kitchen. Returning favorites include Georgetown Cupcake, Jaleo Bethesda, Mussel Bar, Olazzo, and Ruth’s Chris. Live performances will come from the 19th Street Band, Aztec Sun, Elikeh, Jay Byrd & the Musical Trust, Joker’s Wild, Rochelle Rice, Sara Jones, and Sweet Saludos, plus Ancient Rhythms Dance Company, Coyaba Dance Theater, the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance, Urban Artistry, and Wong Chinese Lion Dancers. Saturday, Oct. 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Woodmont Triangle, Bethesda. Free admission, or $5 for four “taste” tickets. Call 301-215-6660 or visit bethesda.org for more information.

VIRGINIA WINE FESTIVAL

Alternately billed as “Virginia’s Oldest Wine Festival” and “the East Coast’s Longest-Running Wine Festival,” this 43rd annual event organized by TasteUSA and presented by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association features more than 200 wines from many of the commonwealth’s most revered wineries. The festival also features Virginia craft beers poured in the Virginia Oyster Pavilion, with bivalves served on the half shell, grilled, or baked in special dishes. It will all be complemented by live entertainment, craft vendors, and of course food trucks and vendors — including Brick n’ Fire Pizza, Columbia Station, DC Slices, Danibelle’s Lebanese, Kovi Asian Kitchen, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Maggiano’s, Red Dog BBQ, Qui Qui Catering, and Smoke in the City. Saturday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gateway Park Rosslyn, 1300 Lee Highway, Arlington. Tickets, including tasting glass, unlimited wine (and cider) tastings, and access to the Oyster Pavilion, are $40 in advance, or $55 at the door; a VIP pass also grants one-hour early admission, plus access to a private tent and bathrooms with additional reserve wine tastings and costs $65 in advance or $95 at the door. Visit virginiawinefest.com.

NIGHTLIFE BY DOUG RULE

FLASHY SUNDAYS: FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

This Sunday, Oct. 7, DJs Sean Morris and Kurt “TWiN” Graves, two of D.C.’s best gay house mixmasters, celebrate five years of throwing their incredibly popular holiday-Sunday party at the hip, sharply designed nightclub Flash. The party starts at 10 p.m. and runs with an extended bar until at least 4 a.m., since Monday is the national holiday Columbus Day. Flash is at 645 Florida Ave. NW. Tickets are $20 for access to the main dance floor and roof deck. Call 202-827-8791 or visit flashdc.com.

GREEN LANTERN: REWIND: REQUEST LINE

Darryl Strickland was one of the most prolific DJs in gay D.C. in the ’90s, which makes him eminently qualified to serve as VJ for this party focused on playing the best video hits of the ’80s and ’90s. There’s drink specials on offer and even the ability to make requests all night long — obviously this isn’t quite a regular night out. Saturday, Oct. 6, starting at 9 p.m. Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct. NW. No cover. Call 202-347-4533 or visit greenlanterndc.com.

NELLIE’S: LEDERHOSEN REALNESS

There are many excuses to celebrate Oktoberfest and German beer this time of year, and you’d surely be welcome to wear traditional lederhosen wherever you go. But next weekend, Nellie’s offers an “Octoberfest Extravaganza” presented by DJ Chord Bezerra at which patrons donning lederhosen are promised “unreal deals” on giant steins of craft beer. Also on offer are food specials. Saturday, Oct. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. 900 U St. NW. Free. Call 202-332-NELL or visit nelliessportsbar.com.

DC9: PEACH PIT

Named after the diner on Beverly Hills, 90210, Peach Pit was started by DJ Matt Bailer more than eight years ago at Dahlek, the former Eritrean restaurant that also birthed Mixtape. Bailer describes the party as a “kind of sweaty mosh pit of guys and girls, straights and gays, black people and white people, old people and young people — all just dancing and singing at the top of their lungs.” Peach Pit is very strictly ’90s, as Bailer only plays and takes requests for tracks released between Jan. 1, 1990, and Dec. 31, 1999. Saturday, Oct. 7. Doors at 10 p.m. DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. Cover is $5, or $8 after midnight. Call 202-483-5000 or visit dcnine.com.

TEN TIGERS PARLOUR: THE COVEN’S 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Every second Saturday of the month comes a queer women-centered “witchy dance party” in the Petworth restaurant/bar/intimate nightclub venue owned by D.C.’s ubiquitous Hilton Brothers (Brixton, Marvin). Kate Ross’ The Coven is touted as “open to all genders, orientations, ideologies, and badasses,” and an event where — no surprise given the name — “dark couture is encouraged.” Saturday, Oct. 13, starting at 10 p.m. 3813 Georgia Ave. NW. Call 202-506-2080 or visit tentigersdc.com.

UPROAR: MIDNIGHT BLACK LIGHT HAPPY HOUR & DANCE PARTY

On the first and third Saturdays of every month, DJ Mike Babbitt turns off the regular lights, puts on the black lights and turns up the house beats on the second floor of Shaw’s bear-popular venue. All that, plus drinks are 2-for-1. Next Midnight party is

Saturday, Oct. 6 — or technically, Monday, Oct. 7, when it ends at 3 a.m. 639 Florida Ave NW. Free. Visit facebook.com/uproarloungedc.

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 every Saturday in October at 10:15 a.m. 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $18. Call 202-397-7328 or visit fords.org.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

In the year 1529, King Henry VIII flaunted his love for Mistress Anne Boleyn by bringing her in tow — and not his wife Queen Katherine of Aragon — as part of the royal court’s annual trek to the village of Revel Grove for its Harvest Festival. “Of all the storylines we do with Henry VIII,” says Carolyn Spedden, artistic director of this annual festival, now in its 42nd year, “Boleyn tends to be the most popular.” Guided by an overarching historical storyline that changes each year, RennFest offers a little something for everyone in what 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. And there is also special programming on Saturday, Oct. 6, and Sunday, Oct. 7, the annual Shakespeare Celebration including a one-hour production of Henry VIII, wacky parodies from Shakespeare’s Skum, including a tag team Romeo + Juliet, a Monologue Mash Up with actors performing their favorite speeches, plus the festival’s regular Streetspeare program with short scenes from the Bard and other Tudor writers performed by roaming actors around the site. RennFest runs weekends to Oct. 21. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Md. Tickets are $19 to $26 for a single-day adult ticket, with multi-day passes also available, or a Season Pass for $150. Call 800-296-7304 or visit rennfest.com.

MINEFAIRE: THE ULTIMATE MINECRAFT FAN EXPERIENCE

Billed as Comic-Con for Minecraft fans, enthusiasts of one of the world’s most popular video games ever will arrive all decked out to compete for best costume as well as join gaming tournaments, learn from the world’s top Minecraft experts, meet and greet their favorite Minecraft YouTube stars, and enjoy hands-on attractions for families and people of all ages — but, to be frank, this one is mostly for the kids. Saturday, Oct. 6, and Sunday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dulles Expo Center, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center Drive, Chantilly, Va. All-inclusive tickets start at $49. Call 703-378-0910 or visit minefaire.com.

OPUS MERRIWEATHER

Columbia’s recently renovated Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods gets transformed once again as the second in a three-year project celebrating technology and art. Presented by the Howard Hughes Corporation, the developers of downtown Columbia, this free, multi-sensory festival features immersive art installations, mesmerizing music performances and projection mapping, as well as artisanal culinary offerings all intended to offer a surreal sensory journey. Among the highlights of the second year, with the theme “Enter The Kaleidoscope” are a multi-layered performance of MYRIAD by Oneohtrix Point Never, photographer Marilyn Minter’s film Green Pink Caviar, and the Mexican-born multimedia artist Alejandro Almanza’s kinetic installation “Ahead and beyond of everyone’s time, space and rhythm,” which suggests a rupture in space-time between two divergent events, namely a fancy dinner and a dance party. Saturday, Oct. 13, from 4:30 to 11 p.m. 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Free. Visit opusmerriweather.com.

SMITHSONIAN’S CRAFT2WEAR SHOW

Now in its 12th year, this “show and sale of wearable art” features masters of American handicrafts — more than 60 — selected by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, as well as leaders from notable design schools. Having raised over $12 million in its first 11 years for the Smithsonian’s museums, research facilities and traveling exhibits, the focus of Craft2Wear is on purchasable, one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry and accessories. This year’s festival debuts “Pepper,” a robot guide to the many individually designed pieces for sale. It opens with a cocktail reception featuring hors d’oeuvres, sweets, an informal fashion show, and a first chance to see and buy designs on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. Festival runs Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $13 per day in advance or $15 at the door, or $50 for Opening Night with one-day return, by advance purchase only. Call 202-272-2448 or visit smithsoniancraft2wear.org.