By -- Lavanya Ramanathan
Thursday, May 29, 2008;
C11
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 DateEXHIBIT: "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 DistrictToday
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.
ON STAGE: Bill Maher Perhaps you waited till the last minute. Somehow, tickets are still left to see Maher, TV talk host (HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher"), author ("New Rules: Polite Musings From a Timid Observer") and generally politically outspoken comic, who is at DAR Constitution Hall tonight. How much would you like to bet that Maher is going to have something to say about Election '08? $52.50-$68.50. 8 p.m. DAR Constitution Hall, 18th and C streets NW. 202-397-7328.
TomorrowTHE GREAT OUTDOORS: Jazz in the Garden Skip out of work early, grab a date (and maybe some snacks) and head to the National Gallery of Art for this summer institution: concerts in the Sculpture Garden. Tomorrow, the second installment of the performance series features frenetic local jazz act Young Lions. Performances continue every Friday through Oct. 3. Free. 5-8:30 p.m. (The garden closes at 9:30.) Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-289-3360.
MarylandToday
FILM: Best of the 48-Hour Film Project The eighth edition of this D.C.-born event features tons of area teams that were assigned a character, prop and a line of dialogue to work into a film, no matter what genre they drew out of a hat. And, oh yeah, they then had 48 hours to film, edit and otherwise complete a mini-movie four to seven minutes in length. Now, the best of the crop are screened tonight at the AFI Silver. (The elements the teams had to use were: a character named Larry or Lori Gardner who is a designer; sauce as the prop; and the line, "I'll be glad when he's gone.") $9.75. Tonight at 7 and 9:30 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720.
CONCERT: Western Maryland Blues Festival Beginning today in Hagerstown is this annual parking-lot festival: a celebration of blues music that continues through Sunday. On the bill are such popular acts as Buckwheat Zydeco, Guitar Shorty and Bettye LaVette. The big day to go is Saturday, when the event is ticketed ($35-$40; children, $7), but essentially a daylong concert. If cash is an issue, check out Sunday's free family blues picnic, which starts at noon. Free-$40; a Saturday-Sunday pass is $50. Today, 4-6:30 p.m.; Friday, 4-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Various locations including Central Parking Lot, North Potomac Street, Hagerstown. 301-791-3246. For advance tickets, details and locations, visit http://www.blues-fest.org.
SaturdayCLOSING: "Looking for Roberto Clemente" This weekend is the last chance to catch Imagination Stage's child-friendly musical about a young baseball fanatic in the 1970s whose dream comes true when Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit comes flying through his window. $10-$20. 12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Through Sunday. The Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. 301-280-1660.
Northern VirginiaToday
EXHIBIT: Ice Queen Sculptor Tatyana Schremko has had exhibits at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, in private homes and even in Florence, Italy, but this winter she ventured farther than ever before. Schremko traveled to the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival near the Siberian border in northeastern China, where she participated in ice- and snow-sculpture competitions. The festival is one of the world's most famous winter events and attracts tourists and competitors from far and wide. On account of that pesky factor known as melting, Schremko was unable to transport her work here, but she is eager to share her pictures. Today, Schremko will present images and discuss her experiences in Harbin. Refreshments will be served. Free. 7 p.m. Torpedo Factory Arts Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. 703-838-4565.
TomorrowCONCERT: The Paul Green School of Rock Kids Take on Aerosmith Never mind that the kids from the Vienna-based outlet of this national chain of music schools (which inspired the movie "School of Rock") are probably too innocent to even know what Steven Tyler means when he sings "Back in the Saddle." They're as young as 7, after all. The kids, who've been honing their chops at shows at Jammin' Java, will spend two days at the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, playing the songs of that legendary Boston band Aerosmith. $10. Tomorrow at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. 703-486-2345.
SaturdayFESTIVALS: Vintage Virginia Wine Festival This 27th annual festival celebrating the state's wine communities returns to Bull Run Regional Park with 50 wineries from across Virginia pouring samples (which are unlimited with admission). If you're bringing a family, there is a kids' area with face painting, live music and food. $25 in advance; designated drivers and ages 12-20, $16; ages 6-12, $5; younger than 6, free. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Bull Run Regional Park, 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville. For details and advance tickets, visit http://www.vintagevirginia.com.
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