The Medicine Show: A Cure Thing!

Before there was late-night television to hawk amazing mineral makeup, and positively-going-to-change-your-life skin ointment (and pills to zap fat solely from your belly, and creams to both end cellulite and pump up that bust line), there was the good old-fashioned medicine show, where people could also buy a whole lot of broken promises.

Saturday in Old Town Alexandria, the Athenaeum and Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum are re-creating the quackery and carnival-like atmosphere of earlier days at the Old Town Medicine Show, a family-friendly day of historically based performances. The event is tied to the "Rackets and Remedies" exhibition of paintings at the Athenaeum.

On the bill is the traveling medicine show produced by Faire Wynds Entertainments, a family act from Ohio that travels the country reenacting a real 1830s show, minus the gross stuff (it wasn't uncommon for long-ago medicine acts to show bleeding, publicly analyze bodily excretions and use humor we wouldn't find so funny today).

In Dr. Chalmer Bodkin-Child's Amazing Patent Medicine Show (at 1 and 5 p.m.), Faire Wynds founders Eric Scites, his wife, Susan, and daughter, Virginia, take the humorous parts of the medicine show and exaggerate them, although it isn't that hard: The traveling acts often featured circuslike performances, followed by a quack doctor/salesman hawking his wares -- "10 minutes of commercial," says Eric Scites, for products "curing" memory loss, hair loss and the like.

Also scheduled Saturday are performances of Pr ofessor Orson Squire Fowler's Phrenology Lecture and Demonstration (what is it with these names?), performed by David Keltz, a historical reenactor who's best known in this area for his spot-on Edgar Allan Poe. Fowler was a real and famous phrenologist (an expert in the now totally discredited skull/personality analysis), lecturer and author, whose writings included "Matrimony, or Phrenology Applied to the Selection of Companions" -- picking a spouse based on the bumps and plateaus on one's head. That's what "Fowler" will be talking about at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

All the performances Saturday are appropriate for even young children and families, and better yet, are free. Reservations, however, are required. The Athenaeum, 201 Prince St., Alexandria. Visit http://www.apothecarymuseum.org (note: you have to select pay by check or money order, though you will not be charged) or call 703-838-3852 to reserve a space at one performance or both.

Save the Date

EXHIBIT: "She's So Articulate: Black Women Artists Reclaim the Narrative" Local collector Henry Thaggert and the Arlington Arts Center's exhibitions director, Jeffry Cudlin, have gathered the work of 11 artists (including Nekisha Durrett, Renee Stout and Lauren Woods) in this show organized, in some ways, to dissect the controversial work of African American artist Kara Walker. (Walker's touring retrospective, "Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love," sparked protest -- and received some very good reviews -- this winter with its depictions of slavery, sexuality and stereotypes.) But even without that focus, "She's So Articulate" looks as if it will be a collection of a broad array of talent and feature a rare, sharp focus on race. "She's So Articulate" opens June 10, with a reception on June 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. (In the meantime, you can find some of Walker's work hanging in Washington, kind of buried in the show "Celebrating the Lucelia Artist Award, 2001-2006," at the Smithsonian American Art Museum through June 22. Walker won the award in 2004.) Free. June 10-July 19. Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703-248-6800.

CONCERT: Lizz Wright This deep-voiced soul singer missed her scheduled concert in March at the Birchmere, but now she's making things right on June 23 at the Alexandria music hall. She's promoting her latest record, "The Orchard," a Southern-tinged, gospel-influenced record with nods to Sweet Honey in the Rock, Ike Turner and even Patsy Cline. $35. 7:30 p.m. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. 202-397-7328.

FESTIVALS: George Mason Festival of the Arts If you've never heard of the Mason fest, it's because this three-week event next month will be the first such series thrown by the Fairfax-based university (it should fill the slow months of the summer). NoVa's theater, jazz, choral, opera and classical music companies all step out for performances. In theater, expect productions of works by Karen Zacarías and others. The Fairfax Choral Society presents a pops production, "Hollywood Goes Choral III," the Fairfax Art League and artists present a slew of gallery shows, and there will even be a movie segment. The festival is June 12-29 on the campus. Tickets, $10-$45. (Some events are free, and multiple-event packages are also available.) Center for the Arts, Braddock Road and Route 123. For a full schedule and details, visit http://www.masonfestival.org. For tickets, 888-945-2468.

The District

Today

ON STAGE: "Carmen" To see a Synetic Theater production is not quite the same as seeing a play; for example, the company has performed three Shakespeare plays with haunting electronic scores and dance-inspired movements, but without a single word. "Romeo and Juliet" was performed with a set made of a massive ticking clock ( subtle. . .). For the last production of the season, opening today, Prosper Mérimée's novel "Carmen" is retold without opera, and with a bit of dialogue and a large, ominous cage as its set. For those who don't usually venture to Rosslyn to see the company perform, this one is at the Kennedy Center. $35-$40. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Through June 15. Kennedy Center Family Theater, 2700 F St. NW. 202-467-4600.

THE SCENE: "Illmatic" -- Remixed The regular Beatdown producer bashes in D.C. keep getting more ambitious: Tonight at the Rock & Roll Hotel, acts including Overok, J-Scrilla, Kev Brown, Judah, Montana and Team Demolition (10 acts in all) spend the evening remixing every track on Nas's brilliant 1994 debut, "Illmatic" -- live. $20. Doors at 8 p.m. Rock & Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. 202-388-7625.