Our Picks

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Can't Miss

1.LORETTA LYNN

[CONCERT] Lynn has been one of country music's premier voices for five decades, and her classic songs still pack a potent punch. If on this tour she ignores a request or two, or needs to stay seated for much of the show, she has earned the right. You don't get many chances to see musicians of this caliber. Act accordingly. With the Lynns and Justin Jones.

Saturday, doors at 6 p.m. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. 202-393-0930 or 800-955-5566. $55.

2.WASHINGTON JEWISH

FILM FESTIVAL

[MOVIES] This 19th annual event kicks off Thursday with a screening of the Australian film "Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger" and a party at the D.C. Jewish Community Center's Goldman Theater. That venue and six others will go on to show feature and documentary films from 10 countries, including such anticipated foreign titles as "Let's Dance!," "Lemon Tree," "One Day You'll Understand" and "Two Lives Plus One." For a complete schedule, visit http://www.wjff.org.

Opens Thursday. Through Dec. 14. Venues in Washington, Bethesda and Silver Spring. 202-777-3231. $6-$20.

3.JEAN GRAE

[CONCERT] Fans of the versatile MC, who has been doing her thing since the late '90s, got a shock earlier this year when it appeared that she was announcing her retirement on her MySpace page. Well, that seems to have carried as much weight as other recent hip-hop retirements. It's a good thing, too; the underground scene is much stronger with an active Jean Grae. With Mr. Len and Mark De Clive-Lowe.

Saturday at 9 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. 202-667-7960. $15-$18.

4.WAR CHILD

[MOVIE] Emmanuel Jal grew up a child soldier in Sudan, fled to the United States and has since channeled the agonies of his war-torn upbringing into acclaimed hip-hop music. Now an independent D.C. film production company is releasing a documentary on his life and his mission to keep the world's eyes on the conflicts and inequities in Africa. It's scheduled to run for only one week, so see it while

you can.

Opens Friday. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. 202-452-7672. $7.50-$10.

5.YEASAYER

AND CHAIRLIFT

[CONCERT] Doesn't it seem as though songs in Apple commercials are becoming a genre in and of themselves? Washington recently has hosted a run of concerts by performers with iPod, iPhone or MacBook ads on their résumés. That trend continues with this show, where the iPod Nano-hawking "Bruises" by opening band Chairlift will easily be the most recognized song. Headliner Yeasayer and Fang Island share the bill.

Wednesday at 8 p.m. Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100. $16-$18.

-- Sunday Source staff

Critics' Choice

THE SNOW QUEEN

[ON STAGE] Aerialist Mara Neimanis's ability to soar and whirl through space added a liberating dimension to Amelia Earhart's story in "Air Heart," a hit of the 2007 Capital Fringe Festival. Now Neimanis puts real risk into the Hans Christian Andersen tale of female derring-do, "The Snow Queen." Neimanis's 60-minute aerial play, featuring a deaf and hearing cast, trapezes, masks and Latvian lullabies, turns a little girl's quest to rescue a friend into a true test of going beyond the limits.

-- Sarah Kaufman

Opens Thursday. Through Dec. 13. Gallaudet University, Elstad Auditorium, 800 Florida Ave. NE. 202-651-5500. $20 online, $25 at the door.

THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT

[ON STAGE] So you missed this show at Forum Theatre in the spring? Shame . . . but redemption is at hand, for director John Vreeke's crackerjack ensemble returns en masse to the H Street Playhouse in Stephen Adly Guirgis's gripping, hilarious meditation on faith and cosmic justice. The play sizzles with ideas and scalding dialogue (the subject matter and streetwise profanity probably made it too strong for subscription-based troupes with big budgets), and the Forum cast is one of the most exquisitely balanced of the year.

-- Nelson Pressley

Opens Friday. Through Dec. 21. H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St. NE. 202-396-2125 or 800-494-8497. $20, seniors and students $18, $15-$20.

Concerts

JOHN PIZZARELLI -- Today at 5 and 8 p.m. The jazz guitarist, vocalist and bandleader is known for classic standards and late-night ballads. Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St., Annapolis. 410-268-4545. $35.

RYAN MONAHAN -- Today at 6 p.m. The singer-songwriter combines folk, dark jazz and subtle funk influences to craft wistful, melodic pop. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, 2700 F St. NW. Free. 202-467-4600. FREE

Q-TIP -- Today at 7 p.m. The Grammy Award-winning hip-hop pioneer's latest solo album, "The Renaissance," hit shelves this month. With the Cool Kids and Pacific Division. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. 202-393-0930 or 800-955-5566. $32.50.

FISHBONE -- Today at 8 p.m. The Los Angeles band has been blending funk, punk and ska for two decades. With Heavy Mojo and Natives of the New Dawn. State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church. 703-237-0300. $17.

SEBASTIEN GRAINGER -- Today at 8:30 p.m. The former drummer-vocalist for Death From Above 1979 established himself as a solo artist with his debut, "Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains." DC9, 1940 Ninth St. NW. 202-483-5000. $10.

AARON NEVILLE -- Tuesday-Wednesday at 8 p.m. The third Neville brother hits town for a holiday concert with older brother Charles. Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St., Annapolis. 410-268-4545. $73.50.

YEASAYER AND CHAIRLIFT -- See Can't Miss.

LORETTA LYNN -- See Can't Miss.

THE MODERN SOCIETY -- Saturday at 8 p.m. This rock band from the mountains outside Atlanta sounds like the love child of Tom Petty, the Strokes and Oasis. Dahlak, 1771 U St. NW. 202-332-2110. $7.

LOVE IS ALL -- Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The export from Gothenburg, Sweden, is a post-punk revivalist standout. With Darker My Love and the Strange Boys. Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. 202-388-7625. $12.

JEAN GRAE -- See Can't Miss.

Exhibits

AUTUMN COLORS -- Closes Monday. Photography by Jack Nevitt and turned wood by Patrick O'Brien. Artists' Undertaking Gallery, 309 Mill St., Occoquan. 703-494-0584. FREE

IV INTER-AMERICAN BIENNIAL OF VIDEO ART -- Opens Monday. Through Jan. 30. The winners of the competition hail from Latin America and the Caribbean. Inter-American Development Bank, IDB Cultural Center, 1300 New York Ave. NW. 202-623-3774. FREE

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES IN MINIATURE: AFRICAN AMERICAN DOLLHOUSES -- Opens today; free reception 6-8 p.m. Through Jan. 24. Work by Sharon J. Frazier and Linwood M. Smith. Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., Alexandria. 703-838-4356. $2.

ACCOMMODATING NATURE: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF FRANK GOHLKE -- Opens Friday. Through March 3. Photographs document how people interact with and change their environment. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-1000. FREE

JOURNEY ALONG THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD -- Opens Friday. Through Dec. 28. Recent cubist etchings by Maryland artist Joseph Holston. Washington Printmakers Gallery, 1732 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-332-7757. FREE

IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THIS WAS, WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS? -- Closes Saturday. The gallery's sixth D.C. Artist Solo Exhibition highlights the two- and three-dimensional works of Nilay Lawson, a 2002 graduate of the Corcoran College of Art & Design. Transformer Gallery, 1404 P St. NW. 202-483-1102. FREE

PASTIME -- Closes Saturday. Work by photographers including Ken Ashton, Michael Itkoff and Christopher Sims. Civilian Art Projects, 406 Seventh St. NW. 202-347-0022. FREE

PHOTOFIELDS 2008: WAVE PARTICLE DANCE OF LIFE -- Closes Saturday. Images by Los Angeles-based artist Michael W. Barnard. R Street Gallery, 2108 R St. NW. 202-588-1701. FREE

REGIME CHANGE STARTS AT HOME -- Closes Saturday. The politically themed exhibition includes new works by Shepard Fairey, Al Farrow and Paul D. Miller, better known in the music world as DJ Spooky. Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th St. NW. 202-332-8767. FREE

MID CITY ARTISTS FALL OPEN STUDIOS -- Saturday-Dec. 7. Twenty artists in and around Logan and Dupont circles open their studios to the public for a weekend of art exposure. Participating artists include Lucinda F. Murphy, Charlie Jones, Billy Colbert and Robert Dodge. For details, visit http://www.midcityartists.com. FREE

WINTER SILHOUETTES: BONSAI & PENJING EXHIBIT -- Opens Saturday. Through Dec. 14. Deciduous trees from the museum's permanent collection are shown without the cover of their leaves before being put into winter storage. U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave. NE. 202-245-2726. FREE

GEORGIA GOLDBERG: LIGHT, SHADOW AND AIR -- Through Dec. 20. A gallery installation focusing on making the invisible visible. McLean Project for the Arts, McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. 703-790-1953. FREE

LINO TAGLIAPIETRA IN RETROSPECT: A MODERN RENAISSANCE IN GLASS -- Through Jan. 11. The Venetian-trained studio glass artist credited with expanding the art form is the subject of a career retrospective featuring 140 works spanning four decades. Renwick Gallery, 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. 202-633-1000. FREE

PORTRAITURE NOW: FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY -- Through Sept. 27. Images by photographers working on assignment for such publications as the New Yorker, Esquire and the New York Times Magazine show the vulnerabilities and struggles of Everyman alongside similarly frank celebrity portraits. National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-8300. FREE

Movies

Films open Friday and are in general release unless otherwise noted. Opening dates subject to change. Check http://www.washingtonpost.com/moviesor Friday's Weekend section for details and complete movie listings.

WASHINGTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL -- See Can't Miss.

CADILLAC RECORDS -- For those who can't get enough of Beyoncé, here she is playing Etta James in this historically fictionalized account of the rise of Chess Records during the 1950s. Also starring Adrien Brody as famed music producer Leonard Chess, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters and Gabrielle Union as the put-upon wife of Waters.

NOBEL SON -- This movie looks cracked-out beyond belief! Alan Rickman plays a philandering chemist who just won a Nobel Prize and has to deal with his tough-as-nails wife (Mary Steenburgen) and the violent kidnapping of their PhD-candidate son (Bryan Greenberg). Somewhere along the way, Bill Pullman and Danny DeVito get involved. Based on the trailer, this looks like a combination of "The Game," "Ransom," "Indecent Proposal," "True Lies," "Pulp Fiction" and "The Story of Louis Pasteur."

PUNISHER: WAR ZONE -- This superhero movie does not star Tom Jane, who played the Punisher in the 2004 movie. This one stars an Irishman named Ray Stevenson who battles a villain known as Jigsaw, a name that appears blatantly stolen from the "Saw" franchise. Either way, someone gets punished. (It's probably us.)

SAVE ME -- When it comes to Christianity and homosexuality, who's the boss? Let's ask Judith Light, who stars as a woman who runs a ministry that tries to counsel gay men to become straight. Robert Gant ("Queer as Folk") mentors Chad Allen (who played Matthew Cooper in "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman") through his "conversion." Suffice it to say, you can't spell "mentoring" without "men." Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. 202-452-7672. $7.50-$10.

WAR CHILD -- See Can't Miss.

On Stage

TWELFTH NIGHT -- Opens Tuesday. Through Jan. 4. One of Shakespeare's most popular comedies deals with separated twins and mistaken identity. Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. 202-547-1122. $20-$74.75.

TODD BARRY -- Thursday-Dec. 7. In addition to numerous late-night talk show appearances, the stand-up comedian has been on "Flight of the Conchords" and "Lucky Louie." DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-296-7008. $15-$17.

THE CHRISTMAS REVELS -- Opens Saturday. Through Dec. 14. Audience participation is encouraged during this fully costumed Renaissance theater piece. George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. 301-587-3835. $12-$45.

TEHREEMA MITHA DANCE COMPANY -- Saturday at 8 p.m., Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. A contemporary and traditional South Asian-inspired performance. Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE. 202-269-1600. $22, seniors and students $17, 12 and younger $8.

BOOM -- Closes Dec. 7. The premise of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's dark doomsday comedy is whether a marine biologist and a journalism student's coupling in an underground lab could somehow help mankind avoid extinction. Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. $38-$60.

GREY GARDENS -- Through Jan. 4. The cult documentary from 1975 became a Broadway musical last year, and now that musical comes to Washington. Broadway veteran Barbara Walsh stars in the tale of a mother and daughter who, after years of privileged living, allow themselves and their house on Long Island to descend into squalor. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300. $49-$67.

NEXT TO NORMAL -- Through Jan. 18. This musical about manic depression concerns a housewife who is falling apart. The production, directed by Michael Greif ("Rent"), came straight from New York. Arena Stage, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington. 202-488-3300. $47-$66.

Sports

CAPITALS -- Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the Florida Panthers. Thursday at 7 p.m. against the New York Islanders. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-397-7328. $25-$225.

WIZARDS -- Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the Portland Trail Blazers. Friday at 7 p.m. against the Los Angeles Lakers. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-397-7328. $40-$275.