Weekend Round Up December 21, 2017
By • December 21, 2017 0 1013
The weekend leads right into Christmas Monday, with “A Christmas Carol” in Olney, Maryland; German Advent and Christmas music at the Folger; a Swedish Julbord in Woodbridge, Virginia; and the Feast of the Seven Fishes in Georgetown. There are also jazz, beer and comedy options — not to mention a Falafel Frenzy and a Matzo Ball on Christmas Eve.
‘A Christmas Carol’
These are the final performances of Paul Morella’s one-man show at Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road in Olney, Maryland. Morella voices 47 characters as Charles Dickens originally intended — in the author’s own words. Adapted from Dickens’s original novella and reading tour, this solo version, recommended for age 10 and up, will transport theatergoers back to Victorian England. Performances are Thursday, Dec. 21, at 7:45 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23, at 3 and 7:45 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 24, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $45 to $80. For details, visit olneytheatre.org or call 301-924-3400.
‘Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming’
With lute, organ, viol consort Arcadia Viols and vocal ensemble Cathedra, Folger Consort celebrates the season with music from Germany — from the medieval majesty of the 15th-century Glogauer Liederbuch to the flower of the 17th-century German Baroque. The music of Praetorius, Schütz, Schein and Scheidt will be performed, along with festive dances and canzonas. Performances are Thursday, Dec. 21, and Friday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 23, at 4 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $50. The Folger Theatre is located at 201 East Capitol St. SE. For details, visit folger.edu or call 202-544-7077
Shemekia Copeland at Blues Alley
Whether she’s belting out a raucous blues-rocker, firing up a blistering soul-shouter, bringing the spirit to a gospel-fueled R&B rave-up or digging deep down into a subtle, country-tinged ballad, Shemekia Copeland sounds like no one else. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, presents two sets nightly, at 8 and 10 p.m., on Thursday, Dec. 21; Friday, Dec. 22; and Saturday, Dec. 23. Tickets are $35 (Thursday) and $40 (Friday and Saturday). For details, visit bluesalley.com or call 202- 337-4141.
Swedish Christmas Julbord
A Julbord — pronounced “yule board,” literally meaning Christmas table — is a feast for the eye and a treat for the taste buds, with its colorful combinations of food that can be either salty, sweet or acidic. Seating times at this all-you-can-eat buffet at Ikea, 2901 Potomac Mills Circle in Woodbridge, Virginia, are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22. Reserve at eventbrite.com and pay at the door: $16.99 ($12.99 Ikea Family), $4.99 for kids ($2.99 Ikea Family).
‘The Real Americans’
Mosaic Theater Company presents the last performance of “The Real Americans” at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE, on Friday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m. Inspired by 100 days travelling in a van through small-town America, actor-journalist Dan Hoyle enacts a multi-character encounter with the people at ground zero of our country’s growing economic inequality and polarized politics: union coal miners, rural drug dealers, anti-war Veterans, and closeted gay creation theory experts, among others. Tickets are $20 and $45. For details, visit mosaictheater.org or call 202-399-7993.
First Studio: Story + Workshop
Children aged 3 to 5 are invited to use their imaginations as they explore the paintings, sculpture and architecture of the Kreeger Museum, 2401 Foxhall Road NW, on Saturday, Dec. 23, at 10 a.m. Each First Studio includes a gallery tour, a story and a hands-on art-making experience. Tickets are $10. An adult companion is required. For details, visit kreegermuseum.org or call 202-337-3050.
After Hours D.C. Beer Tour
This After Hours D.C. Beer Tour, on Saturday, Dec. 23, at 5:30 p.m., includes transportation to four local breweries, 15 craft beer samples and a gourmet dinner. The pick-up location is the National Portrait Gallery, 801 F St. NW. This is a 21+ event. Tickets are $99. For details, visit citybrewtours.com or call 202-759-2337.
Chinese Menu: ‘Home for the Holidays’
On Saturday, Dec. 23, at 7 and 9:30 p.m., DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW, presents a special “Home for the Holidays” comedy show, with “ex-pats” — talented folks who have come home to D.C. for the holidays — mixing it up with menu regulars. Tickets are $10. For details, visit dcartscenter.org or call 202-462-7833.
Feast of the Seven Fishes
On Saturday, Dec. 22, and Sunday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m., Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW, will host a Feast of the Seven Fishes as part of its Chef’s Table series. The feast is a Christmas Eve custom from Southern Italy. Chef Liam’s menu includes squid, shrimp, baccala, mussels, clams, cod and branzino. Tickets are $100, exclusive of tax and gratuity, plus $25 for an optional flight of four four-ounce wine pours. For details, visit viaumbria.com or call 202-333-3904.
Falafel Frenzy
On Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24, at 9 p.m., Hawthorne restaurant, 1336 U St. NW, will host a night of dancing and mingling with hundreds of young adults from Greater Washington’s Jewish community. All proceeds will go to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s efforts to build a stronger Jewish future locally, in Israel and around the world. Tickets are $30 in advance (including one drink ticket) and $35 at the door (not including one drink ticket). For details, visit shalomdc.org.
Matzo Ball
Also on Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24, at 9 p.m., Matzo Ball, the nation’s leading event for Jewish singles, kicks off its 31st year with parties in eight cities, including Washington, D.C. The D.C. venue for Matzo Ball is Decades, 1219 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $30. For details, visit matzoball.org.
All-Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam
The Kennedy Center’s free Millennium Stage series presents its 19th annual All-Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam on Monday, Dec. 25, at 6 p.m. Performers will include vibraphonist Chuck Redd, drummer Lenny Robinson, trumpeters Robert Redd and Tom Williams, bassist James King and vocalist Delores King Williams. For details, visit kennedy-center.org or call 800-444-1324.
