Summer Arts Preview

Critics’ picks

As the sun takes its usual dramatic turn towards Washington, our critics shine a spotlight on cool shows and fresh exhibits that will keep you from sailing away this summer.

HANDOUT PHOTO: Elaine Yuko Qualter and Joshua Drew in dog & pony dc's production of 'Beertown.' (Photo by Clinton Brandhagen) (Courtesy of dog & pony dc. Contact Rachel Grossman for re-use: rachel@dogandponydc.com)

Theater: Refreshing ‘Beertown’

Peter Marks

HANDOUT: George Bellows. 'Stag at Sharkey's,' 1909 oil on canvas; framed: 110.17 x 140.5 x 8.5 cm (43 3/8 x 55 5/16 x 3 3/8 in.) unframed: 92 x 122.6 cm (36 1/4 x 48 1/4 in.) The Cleveland Museum of Art, Hinman B. Hurlbut Collection

Summer art: Bellows, Diebenkorn

Philip Kennicott

Hilda Maribel Sifuentes Altamirano, of Peru, weaves during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, July 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Lonnae O'Neal Parker and Jacqueline Trescott

HANDOUT IMAGE: Children's entertainer and one-man band Peter McCory. (Credit: Courtesy of Peter McCory) (Contact:)

Summer is showtime for kids

Carla Broyles

(L-r) TOM HARDY as Bane and CHRISTIAN BALE as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ action thriller “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. TM and © DC Comics

Summer Movie Preview

The Post’s Michael O’Sullivan comments on the films to know about this summer.

HANDOUT: Movie still from 'Big Easy Express,' the closing night film at Silverdocs.

Summer film: Silverdocs picks

Ann Hornaday

HANDOUT: Richard Chartier. 's is for... (2),' archival ink jet print. 11' x 20'. June 2012, limited signed/numbered edition of 10.

At D.C. art galleries, some gems

Mark Jenkins

HANDOUT PHOTO: Image of the Paris Opera Ballet's performance of 'Giselle.' (Photo by Julien Benhamou) (Courtesy of The Kennedy Center. Contact Amanda Ritche for re-use: akritchie@kennedy-center.org)

Breezy dance counters swelter

Sarah Kaufman

HANDOUT PHOTO: Image of the Paris Opera Ballet's performance of 'Giselle.' (Photo by Julien Benhamou) (Courtesy of The Kennedy Center. Contact Amanda Ritche for re-use: akritchie@kennedy-center.org)

Breezy dance counters swelter

Sarah Kaufman

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2009 file photo, American singer, songwriter and music producer George Clinton performs with the funk, soul and rock music collective Parliament-Funkadelic on stage at the Avo Session in Basel, Switzerland. Clinton and the Black Eyed Peas have settled a lawsuit in which the funk pioneer accused the pop group of improperly sampling his music. (AP Photo/Keystone, Georgios Kefalas, File)

Top D.C.-area summer concerts

Every one of these concerts stands out from the pack, so it’s in your best interest to attend as many as possible.