Events

	ART EXHIBITIONS Tuesday, January 5 – Monday, February 15 Phyllis Evans: Works on Paper Play and improvisation are an important part of Evans’ artistic process. She strives to “get out of her own way” while making art. She enjoys working in a series, and has worked in a variety of media, such as oil, acrylic, watercolor and gouache, collage, and handmade paper. In this exhibition, Evans presents two recent series of Handmade Paper Collages and Ink Drawings. Evans received an MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and has shown her work in a number of national exhibitions and extensively in the Washington area. Her work is included in many public and private collections.
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Thursday, February 4, 10:15 am & Friday, February 5, 10:15 am & 12 noon African American Dance Ensemble Lecture/Demo Chuck Davis’ high energy dance troupe invites audience participation in celebration of African heritage. Tickets: $6/person, $5/person groups of 15 or more
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Saturday, February 6, 8 pm African American Dance Ensemble This internationally acclaimed dance troupe uses dramatic staging, exciting rhythms and choreography, and colorful costumes to present a dance concert of dramatic excitement. Tickets through 12/31: $15/person; on or after 1/1/2010: $20/person
	Tuesday, February 16 – Monday, March 29 Allen Linder: Drawings and Prints When creating his intricate etchings and ink drawings, Linder works on the paper from all sides. “I don’t want to know what up or down is until content and space begin to reveal themselves,” he says. Instead he remains focused on purely formal elements of vocabulary, composition, value and space without any intent to create a narrative. The titles of his works and the form and narrative implied by them are born out of what he’s come to see in the density of marks and form on the page.
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Tuesday, February 23, 10:15 am & 12 noon Buffalo Soldier Selected as one of the “Best American Plays for Young Audiences,” this play tells the true story of the heroic deeds of the 9th and 10th Cavalries. Recommended for grades 3 & up Tickets: $6/person; $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Friday, February 26, 10:15 am & 12 noon Everybody’s Hero: “The Jackie Robinson Story” At the beginning of the summer of 1947, television was brand new, the sound barrier had not been broken, and baseball was a white man’s game. By the time fall arrived, all that had changed. President Truman addressed the nation for the first time on TV, Chuck Yeager flew faster than any man ever had, and Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play major league baseball. This play, featuring music by Mad River Theater Works, shows the events that shaped Jackie Robinson’s character, his struggle to gain acceptance, and the tremendous obstacles he overcame on his way to changing the face of our nation and our national pastime. Recommended for grades 3 & up Tickets: $6/person; $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Sunday, February 28, 4 pm PRAISE! The annual liturgical dance festival returns with top dance troupes from area churches. This year’s performance features gospel soloist Cora Harvey Armstrong, a widely known and admired singer whose voice has been compared to Mahalia Jackson’s. Tickets: $12/person; $10/person/seniors, students, and groups of 15 or more
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Friday, March 5, 7:30 pm The Best of Café Groove - 4 Year Anniversary Show Join poets, singers, emcees, and special guest performers for an evening of entertainment you’ll never forget! Ages 12-18 Tickets: $3
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Sunday, March 7, 4 pm Love 2 Dance Teen Showcase The top dancers from area schools and studios bring the latest moves and grooves to entertain you with a high-energy performance. Tickets: $10/person, $5/person seniors & students
	PLATINUM SERIES FOR SENIORS Tuesday, March 9, 11 am Ira Blount: The Common Threads That Bind You’re invited to attend a screening and discussion with Ira Blount, an extraordinary, 91 year-old artisan whohas mastered nearly a dozen handcrafts. These include quilting, basket weaving, wood carving, calligraphy, Japanese origami, painting, beading, tin punching, needle point, and hand bell ringing. In his own words, Ira Blount tells of how he acquired quilt-making skills from his mother, an uneducated woman who fashioned quilts from bits of clothing and rags to keep her three sons warm in the cold winters of Tennessee and through the challenges of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Through his beautiful art pieces, we’ll find a man who was tested by hard times but later found his purpose in creating masterpieces. FREE for seniors 60 and over; advanced registration required
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Wednesday, March 10 & Thursday, March 11, 10:15 am & 12 noon The Little Engine That Could Powered by the well-known refrain “I think I can, I think I can” and YOUR help, the Little Engine overcomes seemingly impossible odds to carry a train full of toys over a steep mountain. Colorful trains and life-sized toys come alive onstage to teach children about the power of optimism in this entertaining production by the Omaha Theatre Company. Recommended for grades pre-K-3 Tickets: $5/person
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Saturday, March 20, 7:30 8th Annual World Dance Showcase Celebrate traditional dance cultures from all parts of the world. Enjoy a dazzling galaxy of accomplished performers from our diverse community, proudly performing their artistic heritage. Tickets: $12/person, $10/person seniors & students
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Saturday, March 27, 11 am Hot 8 Gumbo for Kids This one-hour lecture/demonstration for families combines live performances of rap, jazz, and rock by the Hot 8 Brass Band, enhanced by music myths and the personal stories of New Orleans band members. Tickets: $7/person, $5/person children ages 12 & under
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Saturday, March 27, 7:30 pm Hot 8 Brass Band Concert Get a taste of the Big Easy as the trumpet blares and the drums rock out the cool sounds of New Orleans jazz. This two-hour concert features traditional songs like “Down by the Riverside” and “Saint James Infirmary” mixed with hot original works. In the spirit of New Orleans’ efforts to rebuild and renew, the audience is encouraged to bring canned goods that will be donated to a community shelter. Tickets: $10/person
	Tuesday, March 30 – Monday, May 10 Mosaics by Valerie Theberge and ¿Shahin Shikhaliev The husband and wife team of Shikhaliev and Theberge usually work on large scale mosaics installed permanently in public spaces, such as the ones they completed for the Gateway Arts Center in Brentwood and the Vansville Community Center in Beltsville. For this exhibition at the Publick Playhouse, they will be presenting some of their smaller mosaic works.
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Wednesday, April 21 & Thursday, April 22, 10:15 am & 12 noon Dallas Black Dance Theatre Lecture/Demo Dances of all styles are demonstrated, with hands-on participation by the audience, followed by a performance of an exciting current modern dance work by this world renowned, high-energy company. Recommended for all ages Tickets: $6/person, $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Wednesday, April 21 & Thursday, April 22, 7:30 pm-9 pm Dallas Black Dance Theatre Workshops Train with members of Dallas Black! The Wednesday workshop is for advanced modern dancers, and Thursday’s workshop is for intermediate and advanced liturgical dancers. Fee: $15/class; $7/observers
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Friday, April 23, 11 am Dallas Black Dance Theatre The renowned modern, jazz, and spiritual dance company presents an exciting hour-long program for seniors that is sure to be a sell out!
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Friday, April 23, 8 pm, and Saturday, April 24, 2 pm Dallas Black Dance Theatre The annual visit of the fabulous Dallas Black Theatre to the Playhouse is a highlight of the Washington area dance season. Don’t miss this wonderful performance of modern dance. Tickets: $20/person, $15/person DancePass holders (for more information about DancePass, visit www.dancemetrodc.org )
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Tuesday, April 27, 10:15 am & 12 noon Aesop’s Fables The Jim West Puppets are bigger than the puppeteer. Aesop’s dog Moral, is the star of the show who gets into mischief and shows off his karate skills and flips. Recommended for grades Pre-K-3 Tickets: $6/person, $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Thursday, May 6, 10:15 am & 12 noon Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Class Clown ArtsPower Theatre brings a musical comedy version of the popular book by James Preller. When Althena Lorenzo gets slimed, and other practical jokes occur in class, Jigsaw Jones becomes a student detective on the trail of the class clown. As the audience laughs at the onstage antics, they also help Jigsaw by figuring out the secret codes he needs to solve the mystery. Recommended for grades 1-4 Tickets: $6/person, $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	Tuesday, May 11 – Monday, June 21 Nora Simon: Photographs Nora Simon is a resident of Greenbelt and a student at the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. She has been ¿honing her photography skills for two years and enjoys shooting a wide variety of subjects using both digital and¿film photography.
	PLATINUM SERIES FOR SENIORS Tuesday, May 11, 11 am I’m Not Rappaport Walter Matthau and Ossie Davis star as two cynical seniors who spend their days together on a Central Park bench in this hilarious adaptation of Herb Gardner’s off-Broadway play. Amy Irving co-stars in this film, a fascinating exploration into aging,people’s fear of age, and the uncertainty of the future. FREE for seniors 60 and over; advanced registration required
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Friday, May 21, 10:15 am & 12 noon Beauty and the Beast American Family Theatre’s Broadway series presents a one-hour version of the famous musical about courage and compassion. A beautiful girl discovers that the power of love can overcome the beastliest of adversities. Recommended for grades K-5 Tickets: $6/person, $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	MIDWEEK MATINEES Wednesday, May 26, 10:15 am & 12 noon Are You My Mother? ArtsPower National Touring Theatre brings an original musical based on P.D. Eastman’s enduring children’s book about a baby bird’s adventure. Wonderful music and imaginative sets and costumes keep the young audience enthralled. Recommended for grades Pre-K-2 Tickets: $5/person in groups of 15 or more
	PLATINUM SERIES FOR SENIORS Tuesday, June 8, 11 am Not Easily Broken After years of disagreeing on what true happiness, success and love really are, Dave and Clarice Johnson have reached a breaking point in their marriage. When Clarice is hurt in a car accident, the obvious truth that more than just her injuries need attention is exposed. As Clarice develops a relationship with her physical therapist and Dave develops a friendship with another woman, both are tempted and must confront whether their vows are not easily broken. This film is based on the book by T.D. Jakes and stars Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, and Jenifer Lewis. FREE for seniors 60 and over; advanced registration required
	Tuesday, June 22 – Monday, August 2 Sarah Liang: Layered Drawings on Mylar Sarah Liang’s work centers on an interest in the universality of our biological make-up and landscape; combined with the collective sense of the sublime. The imagery in the work presented in this exhibition is derived from landscape photographs which have been removed from their original context, rotated, and multiplied. They then evolve to take on ambiguous abstract forms that can be seen in a micro/macro context: animal or landscape, recognizable yet alien.
	WEEKEND PERFORMANCES Saturday, July 31, 6-9 pm ShoeBert Alley Goes Salsa This fun, dancing-in-the alley event that makes you the star and benefits area children is back and shaking things up with a salsa band on an outdoor stage! The evening starts with an hour-long salsa lesson from 6-7pm, followed by a two-set dance with a hot Latin band and a food tent. Bring a folding chair if you want to sit; this is an outdoor event that only moves inside the theatre if it rains. Tickets: $15, or bring a pair of NEW shoes and socks for a preschool- or elementary-age child.