D.C. By the Dozen

It's a win-win setup for you and the theaters: You get entertainment on the cheap; they get to build buzz about their shows and, with luck, endear themselves to new patrons.

The best way to make sure you're in the know about these events is to sign up for the e-mail lists of your favorite theaters. And to make sure you get in, it's best to get to the box office about 90 minutes before the curtain goes up.

Tip: If you don't want the hassle of signing up for individual theaters' e-mail lists, try the League of Washington Theatres ( http://www.lowt.org). Its e-mail updates will give you the scoop on what's happening at a bunch of area theaters.

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN SHOWS Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (641 D St. NW, 202-393-3939): "Stunning," March 10 and 11 at 8. Washington Shakespeare Company (Clark Street Playhouse, 601 S. Clark St., Arlington, 800-494-8497): "Hedda Gabler," March 1 and 8 at 2. Theater J (1529 16th St. NW, 800-494-8497): "The Price," March 11 at 7:30.

APRIL: The Wright Stuff

Underwhelming. That might be the first word that comes to mind as you approach the small, weathered house tucked into the woods of Alexandria. But it probably won't be the one you walk away with.

The only Frank Lloyd Wright house open to the public in the area, the 1940s-era Usonian-style Pope-Leighey House is considered one of the finest examples of the famed architect's small homes. Two bedrooms, 1,200 square feet and an original price tag of $7,000. You could walk the length of the thing in 10 seconds, but that won't happen under the tutelage of the home's devoted guides.

Most days, you're as likely as not to have the privilege of a private tour, which means lots of time for questions about the heated floor, geometric window designs, minimalist furnishings and the woman who slept in the master bedroom until she was 83 -- even after the construction of Interstate 66 forced a move from its original location in Falls Church. If you've never seen a Frank Lloyd Wright house, you'll be happy for the enthused introduction, while groupies will love having the unhurried elbow room to really inspect the home's masterful details.

Tip: The Pope-Leighey House is adjacent to Woodlawn, a Federal-era mansion George Washington gave to his nephew as a wedding present in 1799. So if you're feeling ambitious, make it a day of historical architecture. Also, Wright's serious fans should plan their visit for the first Sunday of each month, when in-depth tours of the structure are given.

POPE-LEIGHEY HOUSE 9000 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria. 703-780-4000.http://www.popeleighey1940.org. Open March through December, Tuesday-Sunday (open Mondays in March) from 10 to 5 (last tour at 4:30). $7.50 adults, $3 children.

MAY: Here, Life Is Wild

You live, work and play along particular pathways that make it easy to forget. To forget that this place is more than neighborhoods and monuments and office parks and traffic jams. That before any of that, this land was home to native tribes and bald eagles. There are plenty of those majestic birds still around, of course -- if you know where to look.

With all the protected land in and around Washington, there's an almost overwhelming number of choices. Here's one we particularly like: Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge. It's just off Route 1 in Lorton, but it's the type of place that can make you forget that urbanity even exists. The Mason Neck peninsula juts into the Potomac River, and a three-mile trail through the wooded refuge leads to an arrestingly beautiful marsh often cited as one of the nation's best viewing points for those eagles.

May is an ideal month to visit, refuge manager Greg Weiler says, because "the weather is such that you have a lot of migrant birds coming through the area." After you've worked up an appetite, detour into nearby Pohick Bay Regional Park (you'll see signs for it on your way to the refuge) and refuel with a picnic on the banks of the rolling Potomac.