City Limits | January 2009

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Throughout January

Storytelling at Mount Vernon – “Inauguration” is the theme for Mount Vernon’s January storytelling session, “Once Upon a Time at Mount Vernon,” held every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Hands-On History room in the Donald W. Reynolds Education Center. During the 20-minute session, children will learn about General Washington’s dramatic journey to New York for the country’s first inauguration! The storytelling program is recommended for children ages 3 to 8 and parental supervision is required. Free with regular Estate admission. For more information visit www.mountvernon.org.

Greater Tuna – The Little Theatre of Alexandria welcomes you to Greater Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. In this hilarious send up of small town life, two actors create the entire population of Tuna in a “tour de farce” of quick changes and of comic characterizations. Wednesdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., 600 Wolfe Street. For tickets or more information, visit www.thelittletheatre.com or call 703-683-0496.

Through January 23

National Treasure Tour – Mount Vernon will be offering a special edition of its popular National Treasure tour from January 14 to January 23 at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. The National Treasure tour combines Hollywood and history, giving visitors stories about the filming of the movie and also information on how the locations were used during George Washington’s time. This special tour is limited to 25 visitors per time slot and costs $5 per tour in addition to Estate admission. For more information, visit www.mountvernon.org.

January 16


Nocturne – from Dusk to Dawn – The Del Ray Artisans presents the opening reception for “Nocturne – from Dusk to Dawn,” reviving a theme that emerged in the 1860s as a literary, musical, and artistic expression of the shimmering effects of light between dusk and dawn. The free exhibition runs through February 15 at Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Opening reception from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call 703-838-4827.

January 17

Rockin’ for the Red Concert – Two of the hottest local bands, My Favorite Highway and Crash Boom Bang, will perform in concert at T.C. Williams High School to benefit the Alexandria Red Cross Youth Leadership Program. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door with limited seating available. For concert details, visit www.alexandriaredcross.org/rockin.html or call Dana Brunson at 703-299-2524.

January 17 – 25

Disney’s Alladin Junior – Aldersgate Church Children’s Theater (ACCT2) presents Aladdin Jr., a 70-minute version of the popular story about a resourceful young hero, a wise-cracking genie, plus all of the favorite Aladdin characters. The award-winning score includes “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me.” Performance dates: January 17, 23, and 24 at 7:30 p.m., and January 18, 19, 24 and 25 at 3 p.m. Location: Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301 Collingwood Road. For ticket information visit www.acctonline.org or call 703-660-2611.

January 23 – February 8

Ira Levin’s Veronica’s Room – Port City Playhouse is pleased to announce the second production of its 2008-09 season, Veronica’s Room, a psychological thriller from the author of Rosemary’s Baby. Opening night is January 23, with performances through February 8. PCP performs at the Lee Center for the Performing Arts, 1108 Jefferson Street. For more information, visit www.portcityplayhouse.com or call 703-383-2880

January 24

Needlework Workshop – Needlework expert Nancy Williams discusses 18th-century samplers and leads a workshop where guests begin their own needlework project. A materials kit will be included in the admission price and visitors are welcome to complete their projects at home. After the workshop, participants can tour the 1753 home of John Carlyle, a merchant and town founder of Alexandria. Skill level: Beginners and intermediate. Reservations are required and space is limited. Carlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax Street, from 10 a.m. to noon. Admission: $20.

Through January 24

Childhood Memories in Miniature: African American Dollhouses – Take in memories of childhood and the spirit of the holidays with this joyful exhibition of miniature dollhouses by Sharon J. Frazier and Linwood M. Smith. The exhibit features more than a dozen buildings and rooms in 1:12 scale, including a log cabin, stone home, one room schoolhouse, and church, as well as buildings inspired by actual businesses in the Parker-Gray community. Open Tues – Sat. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street. Suggested admission: $2. For more information call 703-838-4356.

January 28

New Metropolis Lecture Series – Margaret Walls, Senior Fellow, Resources for the Future, will present Parks, Open Space, and Recreation Lands: A Report from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Virginia Tech Alexandria Center, 1021 Prince Street. Walls will discuss early findings of the Outdoor Resources Review Group, a 17-member bi-partisan panel, on the state of outdoor recreation resources. The presentation, free and open to the public, is the fifth in Virginia Tech’s New Metropolis Lecture Series. For more information, contact Kris Wernstedt at 703-706-8132 or krisw@vt.edu.

January 29 – February 12

18th-Century Dance Classes – Learn the dances of Jane Austen, George Washington, and Abigail Adams in Gadsby’s Tavern Museum’s historic ballroom. Dance master Corky Palmer will lead this fun and educational series of 18th-century dance classes in preparation for the Birthnight Ball on Feb. 14. Dance classes will be held at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street, on Thursdays, Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and Feb. 12, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Singles or couples are welcome at this beginner-level series. The cost for lesson is $30 for the series or $12 per class. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 703-838-4242.

January 29 – March 8

Cool Papa’s Party – A 20th century musical odyssey through the eyes of the “last great American hipster,” this musical is to Sammy Davis, Jr. and Nat King Cole what Dreamgirls was to the Supremes. Workshopped in Atlanta, this will be the world premiere by the same artistic team that brought Bricktop and Three Sistahs to MetroStage last year. At MetroStage, 1201 N. Royal Street. For tickets or more information, visit www.metrostage.org or call 703-548-9044.

February 1 – 29

Slave Life at Mount Vernon – In observance of Black History Month, Mount Vernon interpreters highlight the lives and contributions of the slaves who built and operated the plantation home of George and Martha Washington. A wreathlaying occurs daily at the Slave Memorial site at 12 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays throughout the month, visitors learn about life as a slave at the recently-opened slave cabin. For more information, visit www.mountvernon.org.

February 14

AWLA Black Tie&Tails Gala – The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria will hold its 5th Annual Black Tie & Tails Gala from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Holiday In Hotel and Suites, 625 First Street. With a theme that pays homage to James Bond spy thrillers, the event gathers dog fanciers and their canine friends for an elegant evening out on the town. Tickets are $150 per person/$275 per couple and each ticket includes one dog. Ticket dead
line is February 6. All proceeds from the event will benefit the programs and services of the AWLA. For more information, visit www.alexandriaanimals.org or call 703-838-4774 ext. 216.

February 22

George Washington’s 277th Birthday – Anyone named George, or whose birthday, like Washington’s, is February 22, is admitted FREE from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. upon presenting identification.

Through February 28

Jones Point Lighthouse Exhibition – This exhibition at Alexandria’s History Museum highlights the Jones Point Lighthouse, and the Fresnel lenses that guided vessels into Alexandria from the Potomac. A scale model of the building and interpretative panels discuss the history of the lighthouse from its construction in 1856 to recent restoration efforts. Also on view are two original Fresnel lenses, one of which was actually used in the lighthouse itself. Daily at the Lyceum, 210 South Washington Street. Suggested donation: $2. For more information, call 703-838-4994.

Through March 8

The Little Dog Laughed – Signature Theatre presents the Washington premiere of the Tony-nominated comedy The Little Dog Laughed, an outrageous satire of Hollywood ambition, truth, and illusion in America’s celebrity-obsessed culture. Three-time Helen Hayes Award-winner Holly Twyford portrays the brash, fast-talking agent Diane, whose client Mitchell (Matthew Montelongo) has a chance to make it big if he only stays in the closet. Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 703-573-7328 or visiting www.signature-theatre.org. The production includes mature themes, nudity, and explicit sexual content and is not recommended for children.

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