Even before our scatterbrained, ADHD world began over-prescribing Ritalin, we giggled at Steven Wright's one-liners on SNL during the ‘80s. If you're like us, maybe you even stayed up late into the night listening to albums like I Have a Pony. His brand of comedy, as something of an intellectual punster, appealed to us as kids just as much as it does today. Jokes like, "I was walking in the woods all by myself. A... more ›

>> Plácido Domingo conducts the orchestra and selected singers of the Washington National Opera in a special concert performance in the Music Center at Strathmore. A few tickets in the orchestra section remain at the box office, if you are looking for a last-minute luxury date. $68, 8 p.m. >> Time is running out to catch this year's Shakespeare Free For All, Love's Labor's Lost, at the Carter Barron Amphitheater. The final performance is... more ›

It was all the way back in November that we brought news — via The Upstate Life — that Sufjan Stevens would be playing a free show at the Kennedy Center. Unfortunately, that teaser was all we had to offer; ticket details weren't available, and the concert wasn't until February 5. Well, it's finally time. If you're keen to see Sufjan — or the NSO, or the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater — get yourself over to the Kennedy Center this Saturday, January 27. This is a rare chance to see Stevens, who relies heavily on an eclectic collection of instruments in his studio recordings, accompanied by the entire Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. The Opera House seats 2,300, so there should be plenty of opportunity for those interested to grab a ticket. We'll be there asking Stevens to consider adding the District to his 50 states project, in which he hopes to produce an album about every state. (We're a little sceptical of his timeline after two consecutive records regarding the Land of Lincoln.) Tickets are first come, first served, and you can only pick up two per person. After noon on Saturday, remaining tickets for all four shows will be available at the Box Office. Here's where and when to go:

9–10 a.m.: SUFJAN STEVENS (Hall of Nations, line forms to left of entrance)
10–11 a.m.: NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (River Terrace, follow signs)
11 a.m.–12 noon: ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER (Hall of States, line forms to right of entrance)

Chances are you probably don't get as many press releases emailed to you daily as we do (for the sake of your sanity, we certainly hope not), so you might not be as primed as we are for the announcement that tickets for the first ever Capital Fringe Festival are finally, finally on sale. We've only been excitedly waiting for the festival since oh, long about April of last year, and we've only been receiving... more ›

We don't normally include musical events in Baltimore in this agenda, for obvious reasons. However, we are leading off with a singular opportunity up in Charm City this week, the production of Jake Heggie's opera Dead Man Walking (premiered by San Francisco Opera in 2000) at Baltimore Opera. This new opera was a smash success at its premiere and has been revived in several more successful productions in the years since. Having just gone up... more ›