Gather Around for Story Time, But Leave the Little Ones at Home

This weekend, the two-for-one musical "Cautionary Tales for Adults and the Many Adventures of Trixie Tickles," a highlight of the 2007 Capital Fringe Festival, is reprised at Round House Theatre. If you're looking for an antidote to crass commercialism and faked joy, you'll find it in this $15 show.

The naughty little comedies look at life lessons from two very different sides of the coin: "Cautionary Tales" stars a whacked-out librarian with a storybook that contains not cheery tales of childhood triumphs but four vignettes of harsh, cold adulthood. Inspired by the Edward Gorey-illustrated "Cautionary Tales for Children," the dark stories feature adults faced with seemingly mundane decisions but who face serious consequences for their choices.

"The Many Adventures of Trixie Tickles" grew out of "Cautionary Tales," says Shawn Northrip, who wrote both works. But "Trixie," he says, is about the lies we tell children about life. On her first day of school, Trixie is lucky enough to learn the truth, including that "You won't be what you want to be." Ouch.

The show opens tonight. Despite the cutesy titles, it's definitely not for kids.

$15; Round House subscribers, seniors and younger than 25, $12. Tonight at 8, tomorrow at 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Round House Theatre, 8641 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 240-644-1100 or visit http://www.roundhousetheatre.org.

SAVE THE DATE

THE SCENE The Found Footage Festival: Dirty Movies Two guys, Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett, pick through garage sales, dig around in trash bins outside of businesses and take videos offered by fans to create their Found Footage Festival. It's sort of like Found magazine in that it puts other people's business out there for the world to see -- and laugh at. Prueher and Pickett snap up corporate training videos, old home movies, anything that sparks a voyeur's interest. The touring showcase lands at two Washington area venues next month. $10. Dec. 12 at the Montgomery Cinema & Drafthouse, 11006 Veirs Mill Rd., Silver Spring; Dec. 13 at the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. For tickets, visit http://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com or http://www.montgomerydrafthouse.com.

CONCERT NPR's "A Jazz Piano Christmas" National Public Radio's concert at the Kennedy Center featuring top jazz musicians and rising stars is a perpetual sellout. This year it includes Eliane Elias, Ellis Marsalis, Rebeca Mauleón and Arturo O'Farrill, performing holiday standards. Tickets remain only for the late show next week. (If you can't make it or prefer to keep your cash, you can always catch the broadcast on NPR later.) $40. 9:30 p.m. Dec. 4. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater, 2700 F St. NW. 202-467-4600.

THE DISTRICT

Today

THE SCENE "No Scrubs": Let's Give Thanks for the '90s Will Eastman and Brian Billion spin -- oh, my -- Ace of Base, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Salt-N-Pepa, Lauryn Hill and all the other staples of your eighth-grade dance at this semi-regular dance party. It's at the Black Cat tonight. $10. 9:30 p.m. 1811 14th St. NW. 202-667-7960.

Tomorrow

EXHIBIT "Regime Change Starts at Home" Go for the Obama portrait by Shepard Fairey or for the intricate, brainy sculptures by Al Farrow, who fashions small cathedrals and other houses of worship from gun parts and bullets (though he has never owned a gun for any purpose other than making his art). The point is: Just go, because the well-organized show is up for just another week. Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Through Dec. 6. Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th St. NW. 202-332-8767.

Monday