Dateline for Summer 2002


Dateline Summer 2002 ONGOING EVENTS $ Theater Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” A sweeping tale of romance, vengeance, and murder, “Sweeney Todd” is a grand musical of comedy, tragedy, and thrills with riveting lyrics and a melodic score. Presented as part of the Kennedy Center’s Sondheim Celebration through June 30. Ticket range $20–$79. For more information call 467-4600. Exhibition “Technology as Catalyst: Textile Artists on the Cutting Edge” at the Textile Museum through July 28. The exhibit explores the interconnected role of hi-tech equipment and handwork in the creation of textiles. For more information, call 667-0441 or visit www.textilemuseum.org. $ Exhibition “Taoist Immortals” through Aug. 31 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Two six-fold screens by Yukinobu Kiyohara, one of the few women artists to achieve professional status in 17th-century Japan, depict figures known for their magical powers and mastery of Taoist principles. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and people 60 and over, free for NMWA members and youth 18 and under. For information call 783-5000. Exhibition “Year of the Horse: Chinese Horse Paintings” will be on display until Sept. 2 at the Freer Gallery of Art. These rarely seen works on silk and paper date from the 14th to the 19th century. Call 357-2700 or visit www.si.edu for more information. Exhibition “At the Controls: The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Looks at Cockpits” Twenty large-format color photographs capture the cockpits of airplanes and spacecraft from the museum’s world-renowned collection. From the efficiently designed instrumental panel of the Spirit of Columbus to the myriad of switches and gauges in the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, each cockpit photograph displays advances in aviation and aeronautics from the pilot’s point of view; through Sept. 23. Admission is free. For more information call 357-2700 or visit www.si.edu. Exhibition “Precious Memories: The Collectors’ Passion” at the Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture through Sept. 30. The exhibit explores the work of seven cultural historians who have emerged as major collectors of African-American art, memorabilia, and archival objects offering insight into the black experience in America. Exhibition “On Track: Transit and the American City” on view through Oct. 27 at the National Building Museum. Explore the spatial, political, technological, and human dimensions of rail transit’s relationship to cities. For more information, call 272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Exhibition “Sacred Sites: Silk Road Photographs by Kenro Izu” Japanese born New York photographer Kenro Izu is best known for his photographs of the ancient Buddhist temples at Angkor, Cambodia; and his still-life images of decaying flowers and nudes. This exhibition of 25 large-format platinum prints focuses on sacred sites in western China, Ladakh and Tibet through Jan. 5 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. For more information call 357-4880. Exhibition “Slates, Slide Rules, and Software: Teaching Math in America” is on display at the National Museum of American History. Call 357-2700 or visit www.si.edu for more information. THURSDAY / JUNE 13 $ Lecture Joanna Trollope: An Evening of Civilized Conversation Best-selling British author Joanna Trollope discusses her most recent book “Girl From the South.” Starts 6 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $14; members $11. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Event John Cleese, creator of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Faulty Towers,” and a noted film actor, will share stories about his life and career. Cleese will be awarded the Gold Sovereign medal for his contributions to the performing arts. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution. Tickets are $20 for resident members, $18 for senior members, and $25 general admission. For more information, call 357-3030. $ Event Tony Kornheiser, Washington Post sports columnist and ESPN radio and TV personality, shares some of his funniest and most moving pieces from the turn of the last century in his new book, “I’m Back for More Cash.” Kornheiser takes on the current political, social, and media climate with no-holds-barred humor. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution. Tickets cost $11 for resident members, $10 for senior members, and $14 for general admission. For more information call 357-3030. Theater The Thai Cultural Group of Washington performs a folk and classical repertoire with a traditional Thai orchestra on the steps of the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer Gallery of Art. Admission is free. For more information call 357-2700. FRIDAY / JUNE 14 $ Lecture/Book Signing A Call to Heroism Peter Gibbon, a research professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, reflects on new concepts of heroism. Gibbon’s new book, A Call to Heroism: Renewing America’s Vision of Greatness, is available for signing after the lecture. Starts noon. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $14; member $11. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Lecture/Film “I Can’t be Satisfied: The Blues of Muddy Waters” Journalist and documentary filmmaker Robert Gordon, who has written the biography “Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters,” discusses Waters” remarkable accomplishments and presents the only sneak preview of his Muddy Waters documentary. Starts 7 pm. Ring Auditorium, 7th & Independence SW. Gen. admission $14; members $11. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Theater “Saturday Night Fever, The Musical” Inspired by the successful 1977 film and featuring songs from the legendary film soundtrack by the Bee Gees, it tells the streetwise New York City story of an ambitious, talented Brooklyn kid with a desire to make it big in Manhattan. At the National Theater through June 30. Tickets range $35–$75. For more information call 800/447-7400 or visit the Web site www.telecharge.com/fever. Dance “Shout ‘n’ Feel It” specializes in swing dances from the 1920s to the 1940s, including the Charleston, the Big Apple, the Lindy Hop, and the Jitterbug. Begins at 6 pm at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. $ Theater “The Diaries” Signature Theatre concludes its 2001–02 season with Helen Hayes Award-winning playwright John Strand’s compelling new drama, “The Diaries,” directed by PJ Paparelli, weekends through July 14. Tickets range $24–$30. For more information call 800/955-5566. $ Theater “Lobby Hero” The Studio Theatre second stage presents the Washington premier of the work of acclaimed playwright Kenneth Lonergan with his play, “Lobby Hero.” Performances run through June 23. Tickets range $29.50–$43.50. For more information call 332-3300. $ Exhibition “Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years — Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum” This blockbuster exhibition seen previously in New York and Boston, is coming to the Corcoran Gallery of Art through Sept. 30. Tickets range $8–$40. For more information, call 639-1700. $ Exhibition “Larry Rivers: Art and the Artist” Considered a pioneer of Pop Art, Larry Rivers ranks as one of the most influential artists of our time. Featuring approximately 100 works — paintings, sculptures, as well as prints and drawings — the exhibition spans five decades of River’s career at the Corcoran Gallery of Art through July 22. Tickets range $8–$40. For more information call 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. $ Exhibition “The Eyes of History 2002” In its second year at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, “The Eyes of History 2002” showcases the work of the country’s most distinguished photojournalists — the White House News Photographer’s Association — and features compelling images documenting the year’s top news stories. On display through July 29. Tickets range $8–$40. For more information call 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. $ Exhibition “Stanley Tretick: The Kennedy Years” This exhibition focuses on Stanley Tretick’s famous photographs of the Kennedy’s. Tickets range $8–$40. For more information call 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. $ Exhibition “Edward Weston: Photography and Modernism” Called “the quintessential American photographer of his time,” Edward Weston is best known for his still lifes of peppers and shells, his heroic portraits, and abstract close-ups. On display at The Phillips Collection through Aug. 18. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and free for students and children under 18. For more information, call 387-2151 or visit www.phillipscollection.org. SATURDAY / JUNE 15 $ Seminar A Day at the National Gallery, London Hilary Guise, British art historian shares her knowledge of the gallery, from The Sainbury Wing, The High Renaissance, Barque Rome, Spain, and the Protestant North, and The East Wing: France and the Birth of Modern Painting. From 10 am–4:30 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $120; members $75. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. SUNDAY / JUNE 16 Father’s Day $ Performance The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition The Smithsonian is the first venue to present in performance the winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. Show starts 4 pm. Ring Auditorium, 7th & Independence SW. Gen. admission $20; members $16. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Exhibition “A Magnificent Age: The Walters’ 19th-Century Collection” The acclaimed collection of 19th-century art reopens at The Walters Art Museum in exquisite new galleries after more than four years, completing the Baltimore museum’s $24 million dollar renovation to its Centre Street Building. Admission is free for members and children 17 and under; $8 for adults; $6 for seniors; $5 for college students. For information call 410/547-9000, ext. 283 or visit the Web site www.thewalters.org. $ Exhibition “Awash with Color: Highlights from the Watercolor Collection” The Walters Museum presents this exhibition of 20 works representing artists such as Americans John Singer Sargent and Thomas Sully; French painters Corot and Daumier; and Spanish artists Mariano Fortuny and Martin Rico through Oct. 27. Admission is $8. For more information call 410/547-9000. MONDAY / JUNE 17 $ Theater “Big Love” presented by the Woolly Mammoth Theater Company at various times through June 21. This hilarious and radical adaptation of Aeschylus’s “The Supplicant Maidens” turns Greek drama on its ears in this battle of the sexes. 8 pm, AFI Theater at the Kennedy Center. For information call 467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org. $ Lecture “Faith Prince, Broadway’s Leading Lady” Tony-award winning star of the ’92 Broadway revival of “Guys and Dolls,” Faith Prince, discusses her life and career with Dwight Blocker Bowers, cultural historian, National Museum of American History at 7 pm. Sponsored by the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Tickets are $25 for members; $30 for non-members. For more information call 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. TUESDAY / JUNE 18 $ Seminar An Evening at the Tate Gallery, London Hilary Guise, British art historian offers a broad survey of the development of painting in Great Britain from the early 18th century to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. From 6–8:30 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., S.W. Gen. admission $35; members $25. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Lecture Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmer’s Markets In this lecture, Deborah Madison, one of the foremost authorities on cooking vegetarian cuisine, presents a slide-illustrated lecture on local and regional farmers’ markets. She will also provide recipes and menus for the market-fresh ingredients she found along the way. Starts 6 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $14; members $11. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. WEDNESDAY / JUNE 19 $ Lecture LeRoy Neiman: An American Artist Neiman explores the evolution of his life and work. The program includes a slide-illustrated overview of his prints and paintings, as well as talk with senior curator Jan Moser, National Museum of American Art. Starts 6 pm, followed by informal wine reception. Ring Auditorium, Hirshhorn Museum, 7th & Independence SW. Gen. admission $14; members $11. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Book Signing “The Nanny Diaries” Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, who experienced and wrote this novel for which Miramax already has the film rights, portray a composite heroine, an entertaining narrator, and impromptu social critic. Book signing follows the program. Sponsored by the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Tickets are $10 for members and $14 for non-members. For more information, call 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. Home Buying Workshop A free workshop on How to Use the Non-Profit Nehemiah Gift Program to Purchase a Home will be held at the Fairfax Public Library, from 6:30–8:30pm. Seating is limited, reservations required. Call 800/362-3878 code 4163 or visit www.HomeBuyingEvent.com. All workshops are free and open to the public. A donation of a canned food would be appreciated. THURSDAY / JUNE 20 $ Lecture The Churches of Renaissance Florence Renaissance art expert Philip Jacks examines how the charismatic preachers Archbishop Sant’ Antonio and Savonarola shaped the spiritual climate of 15th-century Florence within the context of some of these great churches. Philip Jacks new book, The Spinelli of Florence: Fortunes of a Renaissance Merchant Family, is available for signing. Starts 6 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $15; members $12. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Concert “National Symphony Orchestra Festival of Favorites” 7 pm, Concert Hall at the Kennedy Center. Tickets cost $19–$69. For information call 467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org. $ Tour “Inside the Temple of Liberty: An Artist’s Perspective” Peter Waddell will lead a tour through the Capitol, using images from his exhibition, “19th Century Interiors of the United States Capitol: Paintings by Peter Waddell,” to reveal the stories behind the spaces we enter and the inspiration for his works. Sponsored by the American Architectural Foundation and the Octagon Museum. Space is limited. Tickets are $7 for AAF/Octagon members and $35 for non-members. For more information, call 879-7766. FRIDAY / JUNE 21 $ Exhibition Opening Young Benefactors celebrate the opening of the exhibition “Open City: Street Photographs Since 1950.” The exhibition begins with the raw, edgy imagery of the 1950s and ends with contemporary views that explore the street as a theater of human activity. The Smithsonian Young Benefactors will view the exhibit and an outdoor reception around the fountain follows the viewing. The event also includes a band, Hors d’Oeuvres, and Open Bar. From 7–10 pm. Hishhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, 7th St., SW. Gen. admission $30; young benefactor members $20. There is an additional $5 charge for ticket sold at the door. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. Performance John Eaton! The nationally acclaimed entertainer and jazz pianist amuses and entertains with musical reflections on such artists as Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, and Duke Ellington. Starts 7:30 pm. Baird Auditorium, 10th and Constitution, NW. Gen. admission $22; members $17. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit www.ResidentAssociates.org. SATURDAY / JUNE 22 $ Seminar “English Gardens: The Art of Nature” Gail Bromley of Britain’s Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, will lead a slide-illustrated seminar charting the development of the English garden from the 18th century to the present, and describing the major influences and characteristics of each period. Participants learn the principles of past garden design and how they have shaped contemporary gardens. An English luncheon will also be served. From 10 am–3:30 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $135; members $90. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Seminar/Performance Richard Rodgers — A Centennial Celebration In celebration of Richard Rogers’ centennial, The National Museum of American History’s cultural historian Dwight Blocker Bowers hosts an all-day seminar reviewing Rodgers’ musical and cultural contributions. Concluding the seminar is an evening concert narrated by Richard Rodgers' daughter, Mary Rodgers, and featuring the live performance of his songs. Seminar runs 10 am–4 pm, performance begins 7:30 pm. Lecture at S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Concert in the Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History, 10th & Constitution. Gen. admission $24; members $19. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Performance Eliane Elias The final concert of The Smithsonian Associates Musica de las Americas series, 2002 Grammy nominated Elias performs her distinct style, blending Brazilian music, jazz, and classical. Pre-concert interview 6:30 pm, concert 7:30 pm. Voice of America Auditorium, 330 Independence Ave., SW. Gen. admission $26; members $21. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. Event “Madagascar Family Day” at the National Museum of African Art. 11 am–3 pm. For more information, call 357-4600. MONDAY / JUNE 24 $ Event “To Sir With Love: An Intimate Evening with Sidney Portier” The Kennedy Center welcomes world-renowned film star and Renaissance man Sidney Portier as he reflects on his extraordinary life and career. 8 pm, SL Concert Hall. Sold out, but call 326-9554 to check on last-minute cancellations. TUESDAY / JUNE 25 $ Exhibition Stephen Crowley was named “Photographer of the Year” by the White House News Photographer’s Association for a portfolio that included his essays “Voices of Afghanistan” and “Day in the Life of President Bush.” In a slide lecture, Crowley discusses why art photographers need photojournalism and why photojournalism needs art photographers. Sponsored by the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Tickets are $12 for members and $16 for non-members. For more information call 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. WEDNESDAY / JUNE 26 $ Lecture “Globalization and Its Discontents” Catch a rare glimpse of global financial institutions, as Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz discusses his new book Globalization and Its Discontents at 6 pm. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, a book signing will follow the lecture. Tickets are $11 for resident members, $10 for senior members and $14 general admission. For more information call 357-3030. $ Exhibition “A Shared Passion: Henry Clay Folger, Jr., and Emily Jordan Folger as Collectors” Throughout their married life the Folgers shared a passion for collecting all things Shakespeare. Experience how the Folgers built their collection at the Folger Shakespeare Library through Oct. 26. For more information and ticket prices, call 544-7077. THURSDAY / JUNE 27 $ Lecture “Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership” Military strategist, Eliot A. Cohen, describes the nature of strategizing by looking at four of History’s greatest wartime statesmen — Lincoln, Clemenceau, Churchill, and Ben Gurion. Starts 6 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $14; members $11. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. FRIDAY / JUNE 28 $ Award Ceremony Celebrating the Artistry of Yo-Yo Ma, The Benjamin Franklin Creativity Laureate Award Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, receives this award made possible by the Creativity Collaboration, a joint program of The Smithsonian Associates and the Creativity Foundation. Starts 6 pm. Baird Auditorium. 10th and Constitution NW. Gen. admission $15; members $12. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit www.ResidentAssociates.org. Exhibition “Secrets of Silk” Is silk really stronger than steel? Can a silkworm produce a strand more than a mile long? What gives silk its luster? These and many other fascinating questions are answered by “Secrets of Silk,” an exhibition at the Textile Museum through Jan. 5 exploring the production and use of one of the world’s most luxurious fibers. Admission is free, $5 suggested contribution. For more information, call 667-0441 or visit www.textilemuseum.org. Event “The Junkman,” Donald Knaack, composes for and performs on a variety of found materials. Begins at 6 pm at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. SATURDAY / JUNE 29 $ Seminar Great Railway Journeys Join the Smithsonian Associates on the 20th Century Limited as it glides along the picturesque Hudson River; take a virtual front seat in the Vista-Some, as the California Zephyr challenges the front range of the Rocky Mountains; relax on the luxurious Venice-Simplon Orient Express to Istanbul; and succumb to the gentle, hypnotic rhythm of the Indian Pacific in Australian. From 9:30 am–2:45 pm. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr., SW. Gen. admission $65; members $55. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Seminar The Enchanting Castles of Germany This beautifully illustrated seminar, taught by German scholar Eckehard Simon, examines how and why the castles were built; their architecture and working parts; daily life in them; and the wonderful myths and legends that endured for centuries. A buffet luncheon is served in the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany House. From 10 am–4:30 pm. Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, 4645 Reservoir Rd., NW. Gen. admission $135; members $90. For tickets and information, call The Smithsonian Associates at 357-3030 or visit the Web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org. $ Theater “Forbidden Broadway — 20th Anniversary Tour” It has been 20 years and the sidesplitting savagery known as “Forbidden Broadway” is still doing Broadway the only way it knows how. The revue’s latest edition, “Forbidden Broadway: 20th Anniversary Celebration,” comes to the Smithsonian. Tickets are $20 for resident members, $18 for senior members and $26 general admission. For more information, call 357-3030. Exhibition “The Adventures of Hamza” An adventure story based in part on the exploits of Hamza, an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, who traveled throughout the world spreading Islam. The greatest illustrated manuscript of the Hamzanama was made in India for the Mughal Emperor Akbar (ruled 1556–1605) when he was still a teenager. It originally contained 1,400 illustrations, about which 200 survive today. This exhibition brings together about 60 of the finest of these illustrations from collections all over the world at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery through Sept. 29. For more information call 357-2700 or visit www.si.edu.