Last night I saw the Neofuturists perform 30 plays in 60 minutes at Woolly Mammoth Theatre here in D.C. Some made me laugh. Some made my eyes tear up. Some made me angry. And they all made me very happy that I spent the night with this talented group of 5 artists giving their hearts and minds to an audience that was both receptive to the work and more than willing to participate.
Their inventive style of storytelling is something I’ve admired from afar for many years, and I’m so glad that I got a chance to experience their work first-hand. A must see in D.C. this season, the show runs through January 3rd at Woolly. More details here: http://www.woollymammoth.net/
“This show has put my dreams to shame.” ~Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer of and lead actor in the Broadway show Hamilton, when interviewed by Charlie Rose
More than anything, we should take the success of Hamilton as a personal inspiration for our own dreams. Make them bigger, wilder, and even more outrageous. Imagine yourself without limits and blockers. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail. How far would you go? How high would you reach? Who would you aspire to be and what would you aspire to do? Do it. Be that person. You never know what might happen until you take the biggest shot you can take. So take it.
“What The Welders taught me is to keep walking toward the risk.” ~Caleen Sinnette Jennings, Playwright
I listened to a podcast of The Kojo Nnamdi Show entitled, “All For One: D.C.’s Collective Theater Scene” featuring Caleen Sinnette Jennings and Jojo Ruf, two prominent members of D.C.’s theater community who are enormously involved with The Welders, an organization whose mission is to establish an evolving, alternative platform for play development and production. Caleen’s quote above sums up the great honor and challenge of a creative life, especially one in theater. We have to move toward risk, fully embrace it with both arms, and realize that the risk is worth it even if there is little or no reward. The risk is the journey and the destination, the path and the goal.
The conversation with Kojo was spirited and uplifting, especially for me as a playwright and theater professional who is new to D.C. and getting to know the theater landscape here. There are so many passionate and creative people here in D.C. The vibrant and varied theater community is one of the main reasons I relocated to D.C. and The Welders is one of the most innovative movements here.
Hearing this podcast, I know I made the right choice to make D.C. my home. There’s so much to discover here, and I’m most excited to learn about the person and artist I have yet to become. The risk has already been so worth all of the effort!
Synetic Theater‘s production of Alice in Wonderland is stunning – in its energetic choreography and visually inventive direction. Even the sound of it inspires a sense of wonder and awe. I hold Alice near and dear to my heart as my favorite childhood book. The moment I walked into Synetic’s theater under the nondescript streets of Crystal City, Virginia I was enchanted by the color and geometric transformation of a space that is little more than a high school auditorium.
A few months ago, I saw Synetic’s adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities. I immediately took to its bold sense of storytelling and its confident portrayal of classic works staged in unconventional ways. Alice confirmed for me that Synetic is one of the best theater companies in the Washington D.C. area. I look forward to the remainder of its season that is sure to be mind-bending and full of inspiration.
Today I went to the H Street Festival, a celebration of art, food, and culture in one of DC’s most diverse and interesting neighborhoods. It felt like I was back on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It warmed my heart to be among every walk of life in a city bustling and buzzing with creativity and happiness. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day!
The awesome group of people who kept me laughing
Step Afrika
Bringing Chill to the Masses (in DC, it’s much needed!)
The dancing painter
Time for some trinkets and oddities
Reppin’
&pizza tosses out balloon balls
Art abounds!
Man in the Mirror karaoke
Dancing cupcakes – a staple at every street fair
Tim from Sediment Press screenprinters
Petworth proud! The latest addition to my art collection.
Screenprinted poster by moi with help from Sediment Press
For the past couple of months, I’ve been exploring D.C.’s cultural side. Through a wide variety of newsletters, blogs, Twitter feeds, Meetup groups, and random findings, I’ve managed to turn up some fantastic experiences and meet great people along the way. A few friends recently asked me how I learn about these events and places so I decided to try out a weekly feature on this blog on Fridays that captures cool things happening in D.C. in the week ahead. I’ve toyed with the idea of starting a Meetup group, too. Please join me at any of these activities and share with people whom you think might be interested!
The week ahead:
Labor Day weekend is a busy one as we try to squeeze out our last drops of summer fun!
Friday, 9/4/15 First Friday in Dupont
I’ve enjoyed First Fridays in many cities around the country and I’m excited to learn that D.C. has one, too. The art galleries in and around Dupont Circle have extended hours on the first Friday of every month. Get inspired by the event “Where Art Comes Alive in D.C.”
Saturday, 9/5/15 Kennedy Center Page-to-Stage
The Kennedy Center hosts more than 50 D.C.-area theater companies in a series of free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals being prepared for Washington premieres in the 2015–2016 theater season.
Free museums with Bank of America card
A lot of museums in D.C. are free but the ones that aren’t can be a little pricey. If you’re a BOA customer, your debit card can get you into some museums for free on the first full weekend of every month. Check with the museum just to make sure they’re honoring it when you want to go. This weekend I’ll be hitting the amazing Newseum!
Yoga at U.S. Botanic Garden
The US Botanical Garden has graciously invited WithLoveDC to continue our amazing community yoga classes through Setpember and October! Bring your mat, your water bottle, your smile, and an open heart as we join together every Saturday from 10:30-11:30am to flow, smile, and sweat (a little bit).
The National Book Festival
The 15th Library of Congress National Book Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, and feature more than 170 authors, poets, illustrators and special presenters. To mark this anniversary, as well as the the 200th anniversary of the Library’s acquisition of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library, the festival has as its theme Jefferson’s quote, “I Cannot Live Without Books.”
The Lamont Street Collective Bi-annual Salon de Libertad The Lamont Street Collective is hosting its bi-annual Salon de Libertad – an all day salon-style art show where every inch of our house is covered in the work of local artists. The events will feature live performance art, music, workshops, 2D/3D art, and activities for kids. We want to celebrate the wonders of our local artists here in DC, and open our home to communities across the District.
Sunday, 9/6/15 Paint Nite at Crios
You buy a ticket and create a work of art in a fun, vibrant atmosphere. Guided by a master painter, all participants leave with a beautiful work of art that they created themselves.
Monday, 9/7/15 Happy Hour at the Hirshhorn
The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is offering Happy Hour at the Hirshhorn, in collaboration with “SMITHSONIAN at 8,” every Monday, Aug. 10–Sept. 14, 5 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Galleries will be open late, so visitors can view exhibitions such as “Shirin Neshat: Facing History” and “At the Hub of Things: New Views of the Collection.” Admission is free, and there is a cash bar, operated by Tortoise and Hare Bar and Grille. Last call to enter the galleries and to order drinks is 8 p.m.
Woolly Mammoth Pay What You Can performance
Woolly offers Pay What You Can tickets for the first two performances (usually Monday and Tuesday) of every production. The season opens on Labor Day with a new play entitled Women Laughing Alone with Salad staring a D.C. favorite performer, Kimberly Gilbert. There is a second PWYC performance of this show on Tuesday, 9/8/15.
Tuesday, 9/8/15 Author Joyce Carol Oates at Politics and Prose
In A Widow’s Story Oates gave a powerful and moving account of her husband’s sudden death and how the loss led her to fresh perspectives on life. In her new memoir, the award-winning writer and Princeton professor of the humanities jumps farther back in time, chronicling her childhood and adolescence in rural western New York. An avid storyteller even then, Oates credits Alice in Wonderland with inspiring her to find adventures in everything, and she remains true to that spirit, bringing to life family and friends (which include a chicken) and reflecting on hard work.
Wednesday, 9/9/15 Glen’s Garden Market behind-the-scenes tour by Knowledge Commons
Go backstage at Glen’s Garden Market, an all-local grocery, deli, and craft-beer bar in Dupont Circle. You’ll see the kitchen and back-of-house operations, and talk with owner Danielle Vogel about opening and operating the mission-driven store, which launched more than 35 food vendors in its first two and a half years.
Mortified – A storytelling event at Town
Experience a night of adults sharing the embarrassing things they created as kids– in front of total strangers. Doors open 1 hour prior to showtime.
Thursday, 9/10/15 Rorschach Theatre presents Truth & Beauty Bombs: A Softer World at Atlas. Pay What You Can performance.
Somewhere, not far from here, there’s a place where we can touch the clouds and all the monsters are real. Based on the web comic by Emily Horne and Joey Comeau, this softer world explodes with brutal honesty and dark wit. As a photographer goes blind, he sets out to capture as much of the world as he can. Through his lens he discovers laundromats that eat hope, cameras that capture souls and a love that just won’t die. Created and directed by Jenny McConnell Frederick and written by Randy Baker, Norman Allen, Heather McDonald, Shawn Northip, and Alexandra Petri.
Whenever I feel the need to get away from it all, I lose myself in art. Photographs, paintings, books, theater, music, writing. Any or all of that transports me to somewhere new. It provides an escape that helps me find my way. Art lets me leave my troubles behind, at least for a while. It clears my head and my heart by opening my eyes and ears to a new world of possibilities.
Christa Avampato 