David T. Little’s Soldier Songs makes its DC debut at the Atlas this weekend.
Greetings! So, if all goes well with Operation American Spring, our government will be overthrown and I imagine a lot of our readers will be out of work. In the off-chance that doesn’t happen, here are some ideas for your weekend:
Tonight at the Hill Center authors Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnewill discuss their book HRC: State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hilary Clinton. Over wine and cheese, they will discuss the “Clinton machine” and Hillary’s phoenix-like rise. The event begins at 6pm and is free. Reserve your spot here.
Friday night at CHAW, work on your drawing skills at Working on the Figure. Work on drawings or paintings in front of a live model in a session without an instructor. Its BYO your own drawing materials but easels are provided. The class is $76 for a four class pass or $20 class drop-in. Call (202) 547-6839 for more information.
The Hill Center will show Salaam Dunk a documentary about an Iraqi women’s basketball team from the American University of Iraq. The women come from diverse backgrounds and had never been running before let alone participated in a team sport. The screening begins at 7pm and is free. Register here.
Saturday is Graveyard Grub: Food Truck Festival at Congressional Cemetery. From 11am – 7pm you can enjoy treats from seven food trucks – BBQ Bus, Big Cheese, DC Empanadas, DC Slices, Red Hook Lobster, Curbside Cupcakes, and Captain Cookie and the Milk Man as well as drinks from a full bar hosted by the District Restaurant Group. Non-members are welcome bring their pets. A free introductory tour will be offered at 11 am, and a Civil War tour will be offered at 1 pm. More information can be found on their website.
Saturday is also DC Public Library’s 5th annual Tour de DCPL. This year DCPL has partnered with Black Women Bike, as well as DDOT’s Anacostia Waterfront Initiative for the 5th Annual Tour de DCPL. The ride is a bit more challenging then in past years…about 14 miiles…children 9 and under are encouraged to attend the “Library Lovers Like to Bike” family ride on May 31st (See below). Check-in starts at 9 a.m. at Southeast Library (403 7th Street SE) and the ride starts at 9:30 a.m. The first leg is a quick ride up 7th Street to Northeast Library (330 7th Street NE). Then a nice ride to Rosedale Library (1701 Gales Street NE), then on to Deanwood (1350 49th Street NE), followed by Dorothy Height/Benning Library (3935 Benning Road SE), Anacostia Library (1800 Good Hope Road SE) and over the 11th Street bridge and back to Southeast Library. You can register here.
The Atlas presents composer David T. Little’s opera Soldier Songs. Little was a punk drummer but has quickly become a respected composer of contemporary music. Soldier Songs is an evening-length multimedia event from composer David T. Little that combines elements of theater, opera, rock-infused-concert music, and animation to explore the perceptions versus the realities of the Soldier, the exploration of loss and exploitation of innocence, and the difficulty of expressing the truth of war. Performances are Saturday night and Sunday afternoon and tickets are available here.
At the Argonaut local band “The Side Dish” will play at the Argonaut from 8pm – 10pm. Expect an acoustic/electric mix of originals and covers of classic rock tunes. No cover but I hear they like Smarties…
Have a great weekend!
Jen DeMayo is Director of Community for the Atlas Performing Arts Center.