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Greetings, D.C.! What’s on your agenda today?

DO THIS: Beer lecture. If you ask a beer historian about barleywine, they may quarrel with the broad classification, perhaps preferring something more suited to the quaff’s complexities. Fortunately, not everyone who savors well-crafted beer is hung up on the semantics of suds; they merely want a well-sourced beverage that demands another go. To this end, there is Pizzeria Paradiso’s President’s Day Barleywine Bash, where you’ll get to try the American pioneer (Anchor’s Old Foghorn, first brewed in 1976), as well as nearly 25 other world-class offerings from big-name craft brewers like Lagunitas, Rogue, Heavy Seas, Brooklyn, and the inimitable J.W. Lees, as well as a very tempting Mikkeller/Three Floyds collaboration. And don’t fret about the lingo. After all, by your third helping of this high-octane stuff (barleywines usually range between 8 and 15 percent alcohol by volume), you’re unlikely to care what fussy cicerones want to call it. You’ll just want more. The President’s Day Barleywine Bash began yesterday and continues today at Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle. 2003 P Street NW, (202) 223-1245 (Aaron Morrissey)

EAT THIS: Fat Tuesday on a Monday. Get a leg up on your Mardi Gras celebration tonight at Acadiana. And, by leg, we mean the green kind. Frog legs, served Buffalo-style with ham and cheddar cheese grit cakes, highlight a four-course prix-fixe dinner at chef Jeff Tunks’ Louisiana-themed downtown D.C. fish house. If the thought of fried Kermit gams are making you feel a little, um, jumpy, then opt for the crawfish jambalaya instead. For entrées, take your pick of shrimp creole or rabbit étouffée. King cake doughnuts round out the shiny bead-clad feast, so try not to choke on the small plastic baby embedded somewhere in the dough. You just might wind up with more responsibility than you bargained for. Price is $48 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Acadiana, 901 New York Ave. NW, (202) 408-8848 (Chris Shott)

OTHER A&E HIGHLIGHTS

MUSIC

Mittenfields, a local five-piece led by recent Washington City Paper cover subject Dave Mann, leaven their shoegaze with some slacker lilt. Loud isn’t usually so nice. With Gray Young and Left & Right at 8 p.m. at Black Cat Backstage. 1811 14th St NW, (202) 667-4490. $10.

Yasiin Bey, the rapper formerly known as Mos Def, raises spirits tonight at 9:30 Club. 815 V St. NW, (202) 265-0930 [Sold out].

And on the hardcore and punk tip, there are a couple of good DIY shows.

COMEDY

WCP contributor Brandon Wetherbee occasionally hosts 8×8, a variety show. Tonight’s lineup is solid, with stand-up from man-about-town Andrew Bucket and a solo set from Laughing Man frontmanBrandon Moses. Plus six other acts. Looking Glass, 3634 Georgia Avenue NW (202) 722-7669 8:30 p.m. Free.

ALSO HAPPENING, courtesy of D.C.’s most awesome arts and entertainment calendar, after the jump:

Music

Rock

Black Cat Backstage
1811 14th St. NW. (202) 667-7960.

Mittenfields, Gray Young, Left & Right.

8 p.m.

$10.

Fillmore Silver Spring
8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. (301) 960-9999.

Cody Simpson.

7 p.m.

$22.50.

Jammin Java
227 Maple Ave. East, Vienna. (703) 255-1566.

Nat and Alex Wolff, Theycallmepiano.

7 p.m.

$12.

Funk & R&B

Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. (202) 337-4141.

Lonnie Liston Smith, Brian Jackson, and Mark Adams.

8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

$35.

Madam’s Organ
2461 18th St. NW. (202) 667-5370.

One Nite Stand.

9 p.m.

$3—$7.

Jazz

Bohemian Caverns
2001 11th St. NW. (202) 299-0800.

Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra.

8 p.m.

$7.

Blues

Birchmere
3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. (703) 549-7500.

Robert Cray, Lili Anel.

7:30 p.m.

$49.50.

Country

IOTA Club & Café
2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. (703) 522-8340.

Charlie and the Contraband.

8:30 p.m.

$10.

Hip-Hop

9:30 Club
815 V St. NW. (202) 265-0930.

Yasiin Bey (Mos Def).

7 p.m. (Sold out).

Classical

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600.

Northwestern University Bienen School of Music.

6 p.m.

Free.

Vocal

Kennedy Center Concert Hall
2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600.

National Presidents Day Choral Festival.

2 p.m.

Free.

Books

Galleries

1250 Ninth St. NW
1250 Ninth St. NW. Tuesdays-Saturdays 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Ongoing: “Next Generation.” Artists whose work is featured in the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s “30 Americans” exhibit select pieces by 12 young African-American artists at this show affiliated with Contemporary Wing Gallery. The latter’s show includes work from Derrick Adams, Kajahl Benes, Caitlin Cherry, Sonya Clark, Alex Ernst, Wyatt Gallery, Kira Lynn Harris, David Huffman, Jason Keeling, Karyn Olivier, Gary Pennock, and Cheryl Pope. Feb. 4–March 10.

Adah Rose Gallery
3766 Howard Ave., Kensington. Fridays-Sundays noon-6 p.m. (301) 922-0162. Ongoing: “The Pleasures Here are Well-Known.” John James Anderson’s playful pop-art works incorporate logos and graphics. Susan Stacks’ pencil and ink works explore transformations within the drawing process. Feb. 8–March 11.

Addison/Ripley Fine Art
1670 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tuesdays-Saturdays 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (202) 338-5180. Ongoing: “Thinking Inside the Box.” An exhibit by Kay Jackson. Jan. 27–March 3.

Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery at the D.C. JCC
1529 16th St. NW. Sundays-Thursdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fridays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (202) 518-9400. Ongoing: “Walking Tel Aviv: Photographs by David Bergholz.” A lesser-known side of the city known as the secular heart of Israel, as captured by Bergholz in 2008. Jan. 19–April 26.

Arlington Arts Center
3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Wednesdays-Fridays 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays noon-5 p.m. (703) 248-6800. Ongoing: “She Got Game.” Curated by Jeffry Cudlin, this exhibit features the work of 11 artists interested in changing perceptions of gender roles. Jan. 13–March 18.

Artisphere
1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Wednesdays-Fridays 4 p.m.-11 p.m.; Saturdays noon-11 p.m.; Sundays noon-5 p.m. (703) 875-1100. Ongoing: “Too Extroverted to Paint.” Arlington native Amy Hughes Braden paints large portraits of tweens. Jan. 19–March 11.

Artisphere
1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Wednesdays-Fridays 4 p.m.-11 p.m.; Saturdays noon-11 p.m.; Sundays noon-5 p.m. (703) 875-1100. Ongoing: “Night and Day: The Suburbs of Northern Virginia.” Everitt Clark’s series of night and day photographs capture two sides of the NoVa suburbs. Feb. 1–March 31.

Athenaeum
201 Prince St., Alexandria. Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, noon-4 p.m.; Saturdays 1 p.m.-4 p.m. (703) 548-0035. Ongoing: “Interconnections.” GA Gardner’s paintings look at our complex ties to mass communication, infusing his works with bright, Caribbean-inspired colors. Jan. 26–March 11.

Carroll Square Gallery
975 F St. NW. Mondays-Fridays 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (202) 234-5601. Ongoing: “Washington Realism.” Exhibit dedicated to local painters’ realist works. Jan. 27–March 30.

Civilian Art Projects
1019 Seventh St. NW. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (202) 607-3804. Ongoing: “Six Painters.” Civilian presents a new annual microsurvey of paintings by local artists. Includes pieces by Tom Bunnell, Eric Finzi, Cavan Fleming, Tom Green, Nora Sturges, and Champneys Taylor. Jan. 20–Feb. 25.

Conner Contemporary Art Gallery
1358 Florida Ave. NE. (202) 588-8750. Ongoing: “Bodies and Soul” represents the first D.C. solo exhibition of sculptor Patricia Cronin. “Wir Packen in Unseren Koffer” (“Packing Our Suitcase”) features pieces based on living in Vienna, Linz, and D.C. by artist group Die Vettern. Feb. 4–March 10.

Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th St. NW. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 10 a.m -5 p.m; Thursdays 10 a.m -9 p.m. (202) 639-1700. Ongoing: “Are We There Yet?” Australian artists Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, in their first U.S. exhibition, attempt to illustrate how an astronaut might eat if he ate like an “everyman” on a mission to Mars. Dec. 3–March 11.

Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th St. NW. (202) 639-1700. Ongoing: “Sleeping Soldiers.” Images from the collection of Tim Hetherington (1970-2011), a photographer who documented U.S. Army soldiers for 15 months in a dangerous post in Afghanistan. Many of his photos show soldiers enjoying free time. Feb. 4–May 6.

Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th St. NW. (202) 639-1700. Ongoing: “Shadows of History: Photographs of the Civil War From the Collection of Julia J. Norrell.” Images from the first war documented thoroughly by photographs. Exhibit shows portraits of soldiers and officers, landscapes, and the grimmer aspects of the very deadly conflict. Feb. 4–May 6.

DC Arts Center
2438 18th St. NW. Wednesdays-Sundays 2 p.m.-7 p.m. (202) 462-7833. Ongoing: “Emerging From the Curious: Commonplace Anomalies.” The debut solo exhibition of local artist Stephanie Williams, this show features drawings and sculptures that toy with our understanding of the world. Feb. 10–March 18.

Edison Place Gallery
Eighth Street and G Street NW. Ongoing: “2:46 and Thereafter.” Transformer Gallery and Tokyo-based art collective DANDANS show the works of 18 up-and-coming Japanese artists whose work deals with the aftermath of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in 2:46 and thereafter, so named for the time the earthquake hit. Feb. 16–March 25.

Embassy of Austria
3524 International Court NW. Call (202) 895-6776 for hours. RSVP required at acfdc.org. (202) 895-6714. Ongoing: “Migration_Standards.” An exhibit with a theme of migration and its origins in the redistribution of power and property. Jan. 20–April 15.

Flashpoint Gallery
916 G St. NW. (202) 315-1305. Ongoing: “The Temptation.” Jacqueline Levine’s mixed-media, site-specific, floor- and wall-based installation will echo both traditional Dutch painting and ’80s pop culture. Feb. 10–March 16.

Folger Shakespeare Library
201 E. Capitol St. SE. Mondays-Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays noon-5 p.m. (202) 544-7077. Ongoing: “Shakespeare’s Sisters: Voices of English and European Writers, 1500-1700.” Exhibit explores unknown women writers of Shakespeare’s day, whose works went unpublished in a time when women were discouraged from picking up the pen. Feb. 3–May 20.

G Fine Art
1350 Florida Ave. NE. Wednesdays-Saturdays noon-6 p.m. (202) 462-1601. Opening: “The Devil, a Shadow, the Notice of a Small Falling Leaf.” In the gallery’s third solo show by Ian Whitmore, the artist utilizes interruption as a device, sometimes inserting new and extraneous images into his works. Feb. 4–March 10.

Gallery 31 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th St. NW. (202) 639-1700. Ongoing: “Senior Thesis Proposals.” In preparation for NEXT at the Corcoran, select graduating BFA and MA students from the Corcoran College of Art and Design will preview their final projects and theses. Feb. 8–March 2.

Gallery 555
555 12th St. NW. Wednesdays-Saturdays noon-7 p.m.; Sundays 1-5 p.m. (202) 393-1409. Ongoing: “Jacqui Crocetta.” Abstract acrylic works on canvas by Crocetta. Feb. 1–Feb. 24.

The Gallery at Vivid Solutions
2208 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. Tuesdays-Fridays noon-5 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (202) 365-8392. Ongoing: “Second Look: Selections From a Print Lab’s Archives.” A group photography exhibit of images printed at Vivid Solutions’ print lab. Jan. 13–March 30.

Gallery plan b
1530 14th St. NW. Wednesdays-Saturdays noon-7 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m.-5 p.m. (202) 234-2711. Ongoing: Works by Bernardo Siles. Jan. 11–Feb. 26.

George Mason University Fine Art Gallery
4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Mondays-Fridays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (888) 945-2468. Ongoing: “Progeny.” A joint exhibit of photographs by Deborah Willis and her son Hank Willis Thomas, who are interested in African-American issues and race in the United States. Feb. 1–Feb. 29.

Goethe-Institut Washington
812 Seventh St. NW. Mondays-Thursdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (202) 289-1200. Ongoing: “Gute Aussichten: Young German Photography.” A survey of images from seven winners of the eighth annual German competition for graduate photography students. Feb. 2–April 27.

Heiner Contemporary
1675 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tuesdays-Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (202) 338-0072. Ongoing: “Austin Thomas: Studies.” A solo exhibition of collage, figure drawings, sketchbooks, prints, and installation by New York artist Austin Thomas. The show’s centerpiece is an interactive desk that engages visitors. Jan. 20–March 3.

Hillyer Art Space
9 Hillyer Court NW. Mondays and Saturdays noon-5 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays noon-6 p.m. (202) 338-0680. Opening: “Toile de Jouy.” Elizabeth Holtry’s depictions of stereotypically ugly creatures—hyenas, insects, and rats—question why humans so freely find fault with animals that aren’t pretty. Her work draws from the French fabric-painting method toile de jouy. Feb. 3–Feb. 24.

Hillyer Art Space
9 Hillyer Court NW. Mondays and Saturdays noon-5 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays noon-6 p.m. (202) 338-0680. Ongoing: “Confined: Visual Synonyms.” David Myers’ photographs document how human expectations form the way animals are displayed in zoos and aquariums, and how animal captivity speaks to a human desire to control nature. Feb. 3–Feb. 24.

Honfleur Gallery
1241 Good Hope Road SE. Tuesdays-Fridays noon-5 p.m.; Saturdays 11-5 p.m. (202) 365-8392. Ongoing: “Radio Transmission Ark.” Rob Peterson and Lindsay Reynolds’ installed, multimedia portrait of the community surrounding Honfleur Gallery. “Vernacular Preservation Society.” Ryan Clifford and Joe Galbreath investigate the typographic vernacular of Detroit, Rochester, and Baltimore, with a focus on signage from the 1970s. Jan. 13–Feb. 24.

La Maison Française
4101 Reservoir Road NW. Viewable by appointment only. Call (202) 944-6400. (202) 944-6400. Ongoing: “Chronicles of a Portraitist.” Portraits of French celebrities and other well-known figures by master portraitist Gérard Rondeau. Jan. 19–March 16.

Lamont Bishop Gallery
1314 9th St. NW. Thursdays–Saturdays 1-7 p.m. Ongoing: “The Village B-Boy.” More than 20 images by Nigerian-American artist Aniekan Udofia, who draws from African interpretations of American hip-hop culture. The works will ultimately wind up on building walls in his Nigerian hometown, Uyo. Feb. 4–March 3.

Studio Gallery
2108 R St. NW. Wednesdays-Fridays 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (202) 232-8734. Ongoing: “La Bellissima.” Screenprints of Italy by Elizabeth Grusin-Howe. “Glimpses of Solitude.” Paintings of winter forests and summers in France by Sally Levie. “Taking Shape.” Figure sculptures by Trish Palasik. Feb. 1–Feb. 25.

Museums

Art Museum of the Americas
201 18th St. NW. (202) 458-6016. This exhibit, curated by Paco Cano, Eva Mendoza Chandas and Jodie Dinapoli, shows work by young New York-based Latin American and Spanish artists who incorporate their city into their art.

Artisphere
1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. (703) 875-1100. “Too Extroverted to Paint” will be comprised of large paintings of “tweens,” those oft-misunderstood kids in the gap between child and teenager. Braden, an Arlington native, will be working on pieces at Artisphere throughout the exhibit, soliciting visitors’ own stories of awkward growing-up experiences.

Freer Gallery of Art
Jefferson Dr. & 12th St. SW. (202) 633-1000. This is one of three 2012 exhibits celebrating the renowned Japanese artist Hokusai; it features a pair of six-panel folding screens of Mount Fuji.

Freer Gallery of Art
Jefferson Dr. & 12th St. SW. (202) 633-1000. This is one of three 2012 exhibits celebrating the renowned Japanese artist Hokusai; it features his paintings and drawings.

Katzen Arts Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. (202) 885-2787. Revi’s paintings are created as an act of meditation, and are thus intended to aid their viewers in their own meditations.

Katzen Arts Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. (202) 885-2787. Middleman’s messy, colorful paintings of Baltimore’s cityscapes evoke visions of post-industrial rot.

Katzen Arts Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. (202) 885-2787. American University faculty members Zoë Charlton, Tim Doud, Deborah Kahn, and Luis Manuel Cravo Silva demonstrate what they worked on during their sabbaticals from the institution.

Katzen Arts Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. (202) 885-2787. Kids@Katzen participants display their photos, as inspired by the exhibitions “Re-viewing Documentary: The Photographic Life of Louise Rosskam” and “Wayne Barrar: An Expanding Subterra.”.

Kreeger Museum
2401 Foxhall Rd. NW. (202) 338-3552. A collaboration with Washington Sculptors Group, Martha Jackson-Jarvis, and Dalya Luttwak.

Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE. (202) 707-5000. The continued bolstering of the Library of Congress’ comic art collection is on display here; the selection includes political and social satire, comic strips, and caricature.

Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE. Free. (202) 707-5000. Digital photographs of Earth by Landsat 7 satellites and the United States Geological Survey.

National Archives
700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Free. (202) 357-5000. A review of the leader and scientist’s life, from his rebellious Boston teenhood to his travels through Europe and our young nation. Features original documents from the National Archives collection, including Franklin letters, journals, and a rare 1787 version of the Constitution.

National Building Museum
401 F St. NW. Mondays-Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays, 11. a.m.-5 p.m. $8. (202) 272-2448. “Unbuilt Washington.” Features proposals for buildings in D.C. that were never built from the 1790s to the present. The exhibit asks how the capital city might be different had planners approved those ideas and also shows recent proposals that reflect the changing face of the city.

National Building Museum
401 F St. NW. (202) 272-2448. Architect and Lego Certified Professional Adam Reed Tucker recreates famous buildings in colorful plastic miniature.

National Gallery of Art
Fourth St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Mondays -Saturdays 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Free. (202) 737-4215. Forty-three works spanning the career of Mel Bochner, a pioneering conceptual artist during the 1960s who often melded language and visuals.

National Gallery of Art
Fourth St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Mondays -Saturdays 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Free. (202) 737-4215. The first U.S. exhibit of classical sculptures, bronzes, and gold works by 15th- and 16th-century Italian sculptor Antico.

National Gallery of Art
Fourth St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Mondays-Saturdays 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Free. (202) 737-4215. The gallery celebrates the 100th birthday of the influential and experimental photographer Harry Callahan.

National Gallery of Art
Fourth St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Free. (202) 737-4215. Fifty-five works from Picasso, renowned for his abilities as a draftsman. The works show the master artist’s development during a crucial 30-year period.

National Gallery of Art
Fourth St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Free. (202) 737-4215. Prints and drawings that illustrate the 17th-century artist’s interpretations of the baroque.

National Museum of African Art
950 Independence Ave. SW. Daily 10. a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Free. (202) 633-4600. Collection of more than 150 masks, ceramics, regalia, and other pieces from the Benue River Valley in sub-Saharan Africa.

National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Daily 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Free. (202) 633-1000. Display of Thomas Jefferson’s private 1820 text in which the third U.S. president aimed to chronologically and scientifically tell the story of Jesus’ life.

National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free. (202) 633-1000. An exhibition of materials from Jefferson’s Virginia plantation that shed light on his lifetime of slave ownership—an act he called an “abominable crime.” Presented by the Museum of African American History.

National Museum of Natural History
1000 Constitution Ave. NW. Daily 10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Free. (202) 633-1000. Images taken by orbiting telescopes reveal more about the maturation of Earth and the lifespans of stars and galaxies.

National Museum of Natural History
1000 Constitution Ave. NW. (202) 633-1000. A series of 40 X-rays and photographs of preserved fish specimens that demonstrate fish evolution and diversity.

National Museum of the American Indian
4th St. & Independence Ave. SW. (202) 633-1000. With the intent of bucking the supernatural stereotypes in the popular Twilight books and movies, this exhibit is an intimate look into the artwork and wolf creation stories of the Quileute people of coastal Washington; many icons and symbols of the Quileute have found their way into the the Twilight franchise.

National Portrait Gallery
Eighth Street & F Street NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Free. (202) 633-8300. In recognition of the former president’s centennial, the Portrait Gallery presents portraits of Ronald Reagan, widely considered a transformational leader.

National Portrait Gallery
Eighth Street & F Street NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. (202) 633-8300. An exhibition of portrait miniatures.

National Portrait Gallery
Eighth Street & F Street NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. (202) 633-8300. First in a series of exhibitions marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War through a series of four alcove exhibitions.

National Portrait Gallery
Eighth Street & F Street NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. (202) 633-8300. Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ portraits of 50 African Americans inverts the negative connotations of the black list.

National Portrait Gallery
Eighth Street & F Street NW. (202) 633-8300. Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts of America, this exhibit is an intimate look into the life of founder Juliette Gordon Low and the organization she established.

Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (888) 639-7386. Just in time for an election year, the Newseum explores media coverage from the days of William McKinley to Barack Obama through images and video.

Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (888) 639-7386. This exhibit presents photographs of dogs belonging to 23 presidents in their not-so-natural habitat: the White House.

Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (888) 639-7386. Artifacts (like the Unabomber’s cabin), photographs, historic newspapers, and interactive displays explain the FBI’s crime-fighting endeavors and role in popular culture, as well as its relationship with the media.

Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (888) 639-7386. Fifty iconic photos from the long career of Neil Leifer are accompanied by Leifer’s own explanations.

Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (888) 639-7386. Thirty front pages that ran during the Civil War are on view in this exhibit, highlighting both Confederate and Union viewpoints.

Phillips Collection
1600 21st St. NW, Washington. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.–6 p.m. $0-$12. (202) 387-2151. Lee Boroson’s hanging sculpture composed of felt and silk is displayed in the Vradenburg Cafe. Part of the Intersections project.

Phillips Collection
1600 21st St. NW, Washington. (202) 387-2151. This exhibition features works made with the the Kodak handheld camera, introduced in 1888, by French avant-garde post-Impressionists.

Phillips Collection
1600 21st St. NW, Washington. (202) 387-2151. As part of the Intersections series, Brooklyn-based artist Alyson Shotz displays three large-scale drawings made of yarn and nails that play with spatial perception.

Phillips Collection
1600 21st St. NW, Washington. (202) 387-2151. This exhibit features 27 works on paper by seven French artists, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Renwick Gallery
1661 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (202) 633-7970. Ninety-five objects from the White House’s permanent collection, some of which have not been seen outside the White House, represent the furniture, glassware, textiles, and glass used to adorn the president’s home.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St. NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Free. (202) 633-7970. Decorative pieces from the White House’s permanent collection, some of them heretofore unseen in public. Exhibit includes furniture, ceramics, textiles, and more.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St. NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. (202) 633-7970. Exhibition features 32 19th-century patent models from Alan Rothschild’s vast collection.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St. NW. Daily 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Free. (202) 633-7970. Culled from the museum’s permanent collection, this exhibit showcases contemporary artists’ use of repetition and variations on a theme.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St. NW. (202) 633-7970. Leibovitz departs from her typical portrait subject matter, shooting landscapes and interiors and objects occupied by boldfaced names.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St. NW. (202) 633-7970. Thirty-two mousetrap models by dozens of American inventors show the breadth of patented inventions in the nineteenth century.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St. NW. (202) 633-7970. Works by 83 contemporary artists, belonging to the museum’s permanent collection, are on display, highlighting the use of multiplicity—or, repetition, rhythm, pattern, and printmaking.

Textile Museum
2320 S St. NW. (202) 667-0441. In celebration of the East Asian calendar’s designated Year of the Dragon, this exhibit presents textiles from around the world depicting dragons and other mythic creatures.

Dance

Theater

Almost, Maine
Nine tales of love bloomed and lost beneath the Northern lights in Almost, Maine.
1st Stage. 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean. Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. To February 26. $15-$25. (703) 854-1856.

Anna in the Tropics
Anna in the Tropics, Nilo Cruz’s familial tragedy set in a Florida cigar factory, won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for its poetic language and historical relevance, not its romance-novel plot. All the wit and gorgeous turns of phrase are intact in this new Spanish-language version, beautifully acted by a cast of seven. Lines like “Men marry their cigars, my dear, and the white smoke becomes the veil of their brides” will keep audiences engrossed whether they understand Spanish or are following along via subtitles. Factory life is interrupted by the arrival of a new lector, who reads to the workers from Anna Karenina as they roll tobacco. Soon the characters are discussing Tolstoy’s novel as if holding a mirror up to their own lives. It’s a clever premise, but the parallel tragedies that afflict characters in the book seem unfairly glossed-over in this play. Rape, adultery, and murder, anyone? But as long as the characters are spouting poetry and sipping rum, the show is gorgeous fun. (RJR)
GALA Hispanic Theatre. 3333 14th St. NW. Thursdays-Saturdays 8 p.m.; Sundays 3 p.m. Some Friday shows at 10:30 a.m. To March 4. $20-$38. (202) 234-7174.

Astro Boy and The God of Comics
The story of a Japanese cartoonist and the crime-fighting robot he created. A world premiere.
Studio Theatre 2ndStage. 1501 14th St. NW. To March 11. $30-$35. (202) 332-3300.

Blood Wedding
“90 minutes of passion and violence” proclaims the marquee of the Source Theatre—the five-year-old Constellation Theatre Company’s home field—presumably because “100 minutes of poetry and symbolism” is a harder sell. The violence occurs off-stage, but its scars are present from the 80-year-old Spanish classic’s opening scene, wherein Deidra LeWan Starnes’ Mother still grieves so deeply for her slain husband that she won’t even let their son The Groom (a charming Mark Halpern) carry a knife with him to work in the vineyards. And passion? Check. The feverish and convincing Dylan Myers’ unhappily married Leonardo knew the bride when she used to rock and roll, you see. Once he turns out be spying on Halpern’s Bride-to-be (Victoria Reinsel, nicely conveying the ambivalence of chattel) the show shakes off the cobwebs of its listless beginning and acquires a hypnotic sense of morbid inevitability. (CK)
Constellation Theatre at Source. 1835 14th St. NW. Thursdays-Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To March 4. $20-$35. (202) 204-7741.

Civilization (All You Can Eat)
Jason Grote’s new play, set in the beginning of “the Obama age,” depicts the struggles of six urban residents in search of sustenance.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre. 641 D St. NW. To March 11. $20-$67.50. (202) 393-3939.

Elephant Room
A co-premiere between the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Arena Stage, Elephant Room promises a big dose of goofy slapstick from a trio of not-all-there illusionists (with hilarious wigs).
Arena Stage. 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tuesdays-Thursdays 7:30 p.m.; Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To February 26. $40. (202) 488-3300.

The Gaming Table
In Susanna Centlivre’s 18th-century comedy, a boisterous nightly card game hosted by a wealthy window is the site of illicit love affairs, mismatched desires, and lurid addiction.
Folger Elizabethan Theatre. 201 E. Capitol St. SE. Tuesdays-Thursdays 7:30 p.m.; Fridays 8 p.m.; most Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. To March 4. $30-$65. (202) 544-7077.

Genesis Reboot
Written by Peter and Ben Cunis, Genesis Reboot is the physical tale of an angel who has built a new Tree of Life, and embarks on a quest to determine what would happen if Adam and Eve got a redo.
Synetic Theater at Crystal City. 1800 South Bell St., Arlington. Wednesdays-Saturdays 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. To March 3. $45-$55. (800) 494-8497.

Hercules in Russia
In the world premiere of Allyson Currin’s new play, a former Alabama slave becomes a guard to Tsar Nicholas II and his family.
Doorway Arts Ensemble at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center. 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. To March 4. $20. (240) 567-5775.

Into the Dollhouse
A movement-based piece that addresses being female and coming of age.
Flashpoint Mead Theatre Lab. 916 G St. NW. To February 26. $15. (202) 315-1306.

Josephine Tonight
Twentieth-century America was not kind to its African-American artists. One of the most famous to find fame abroad was Josephine Baker, a self-taught hoofer from East St. Louis who, after been being told she was “too black” for New York, made it big in Paris. She’s got a great life story for the stage, but Josephine Tonight, a new bio-musical at Metrostage, doesn’t do her justice, in part because there’s little dancing in the show. The production feels like a well-funded workshop of a promising musical. The star worth seeing isn’t Zurin Villanueva, playing Josephine, but Aisha de Haas, in the dual role of her mother and mentor. (RJR)
MetroStage. 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria. Thursdays-Fridays 8 p.m; Saturdays 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m.; Sundays 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. To March 18. $25-$50. (703) 548-9044.

The Language Archive
A brilliant linguist struggles to save his tattered marriage.
Forum Theatre at Round House Theatre Silver Spring. 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. To March 10. $25. (240) 644-1390.

Les Justes
WSC Avant Bard presents a new interpretation of the Camus work by Rahaleh Nassri. In it, a group of turn-of-the-century Russian revolutionaries conspire to murder the Grand Duke, until one member refuses to go ahead with it, citing potential harm to the duke’s young niece and nephew. In turn, the group begins to question its philosophy.
Artisphere. 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Thursdays-Fridays 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. (pay what you can) and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To March 11. $25-$35. (703) 875-1100.

Next Fall
Round House takes on the Tony-nominated love story about Adam and Luke, a couple rocked when Luke suffers a serious accident. As friends and family gather, their opposing views clash and result in a standoff that speaks to relationships forged despite great differences.
Round House Theatre Bethesda. 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Tuesdays-Thursdays 7:30 p.m.; Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 3 p.m. To February 26. $26-$56. (240) 644-1100.

Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers
No Rules Theatre presents a retelling of J.M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy that explores the tale’s original ideas. Ages 10 and up.
No Rules Theatre Company at H Street Playhouse. 1365 H St. NE. Thursdays-Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. Additional dates at norulestheatre.org. To March 3. $25. (336) 462-9182.

Really Really
The world premiere of a provocative tragicomedy by Paul Downs Colaizzo, loosely based on the rape accusations against Duke’s lacrosse team.
Signature Theatre. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tuesdays-Wednesdays 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays-Saturdays 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. To March 25. $55-$79. (703) 820-9771.

Red
The painter Mark Rothko, at the pinnacle of his career, hires a new assistant to help him complete a group of murals for New York’s Four Seasons restaurant. During the process, he finds he must face his own internal struggles, or be destroyed by his relationship with the next generation of artists.
Arena Stage. 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tuesdays-Thursdays 7:30 p.m.; Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To March 11. $55-$90. (202) 488-3300.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona
PJ Paparelli directs Shakespeare’s comedy about two young longtime friends, Valentine and Proteus, whose bond is shaken when they fall in love with the same woman.
Lansburgh Theatre. 450 Seventh St. NW. Tuesdays-Wednesdays 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays-Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To March 4. $35-$90. (202) 547-1122.

The Water Engine
An inventor encounters obstacles while he attempts to patent his water-run engine.
Spooky Action Theater. 1810 16th St. NW. To March 11. $20-$25. (301) 920-1414.

Yellowman
The 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist for drama, Dael Orlandersmith’s Yellowman tells of the love and tragedy experienced by Eugene, a light-skinned black man, and Alma, a dark-skinned black woman, in a North Carolina Gullah community.
Rep Stage at Howard Community College. 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Wednesdays-Thursdays 7 p.m.; Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. To February 26. $26-$33. (443) 518-1500.

Film

Coriolanus
Caius Martius is not a baby-kisser. In Coriolanus, the leader fights for his city of Rome, but he’s got no love for his constituents. In short, Martius is too honest to be a politician, especially considering that the play is set in the era of cell phones and Skype. Ralph Fiennes stars as Martius, later dubbed Coriolanus because of his triumph over the city of Coriole—the most satisfying aspect of which was his defeat of his most hated enemy, Aufidius (Gerard Butler). Fiennes also makes his directorial debut here, and considering the source material as well as his fierce performance, it’s an impressive one. (TO)
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

Declaration of War
In France’s foreign-language submission for the Oscars, a young couple goes to battle with a cancer that threatens their infant son. The film is based on the actual experiences of Jérémie Elkaïm and director Valérie Donzelli, who also star.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
In this sequel to the 2007 film Ghost Rider, a puffy Nicolas Cage portrays the Marvel Comics superhero, who has absconded to Eastern Europe and remains in hiding until a church calls on him to help a possessed boy.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

NEW Il Trittico
From the Royal Opera House comes a performance of the three brief operas that compose Il Trittico, a show rarely performed as a whole. Features Lucio Gallo and Eva-Maria Westbroek.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
In the sequel to 2008’s massively lucrative Journey to the Center of the Earth, an older Sean travels to an uncharted island (with his stepfather, played by The Rock) to find his long-lost grandpappy.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

Safe House
Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds star in this action thriller about Tobin Frost (Washington), a former CIA agent who goes bad and is relocated to a CIA “safe house” in South Africa run by Matt Weston (Reynolds). But mercenaries after Frost’s blood aren’t far around the corner.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

The Secret World of Arrietty
A Japanimated film based on Mary Norton’s kids book The Borrowers, The Secret World of Arrietty goes beneath the floorboards to explore the tiny world of “The Borrowers,” little people who live unseen among humans, quietly borrowing their items to survive. Soon, a boy discovers his family’s secret roommates.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

This Means War
Pop quiz! A good romantic comedy needs which of the following: 1) chemistry 2) conflict 3) car chases 4) explosions. If you’re director McG, the answer is all of the above, with particular late-chapter emphasis on death-defying stunts and massive fireballs in his latest feature, This Means War. Isn’t that sweet? The story involves CIA partners/best buds Tuck (Tom Hardy, charming but deserving better) and the ridiculously named FDR (Chris Pine—eh). They both accidentally get involved with Lauren (Reese Witherspoon), a workaholic who doesn’t take time to pursue a relationship. Tuck’s a sweetheart, but with FDR it’s hate at first sight, so naturally a quandary will ensue. Here’s a partial list of the rom-com cliches employed: wacky/raunchy best friend (Chelsea Handler). Shot to the crotch. Attack dogs as well as cute dogs. The line, “I trusted you!” And, let’s not forget, our lead character, the gorgeous work-obsessed “loser” without a love life. There are a couple of minor laughs here and there, and if you think you know where things are heading—well, you actually don’t. It’s a nice if not entirely believable surprise. (TO)
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

The Vow
When a young bride (Rachel McAdams) falls into a coma and gets amnesia, it’s up to her new husband (Channing Tatum) to help her restore her memories and rekindle their love.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

W.E.
Madonna directs this love story about a lonely New Yorker who fantasizes about the romance between King Edward VIII and his American true love, Wallis Simpson, but finds their life together was not so picturesque.
(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)