“The Jewel on U” could use a good polish—and perhaps a new cut altogether. Since last year, the District’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities has vowed to track down a fresh-faced operator for the pitifully underused Lincoln Theatre on U Street NW—someone who could find a way to put butts in its 1,250 seats and start pulling in much-needed business. In August, the commission, which has run the city-owned venue since Jan. 1, put out a request for proposals to find a new licensee. But the search didn’t lure enough qualified candidates. So in December, the city put the theater up for lease, with more relaxed terms designed to appeal to commercial entities. Let’s hope this latest move attracts the kind of self-sufficient and creative operators the Lincoln Theatre needs. For too long, one of the city’s grandest theaters has sat empty on Friday nights, while lines stretch down the block for the little businesses that surround it.