Catherine Andrews contributed to these picks FRIDAY:
>> Okay, so it’s not quite as groovy as the sing-along versions that swept the country over the last few years, but if you’re looking for something a little bit fun and a whole lot wholesome tonight, you could do worse than the National Symphony Orchestra accompanying “The Wizard of Oz” on the lawn at the Wolf Trap. 8:30 p.m., $18 to $38.
SATURDAY:
>> Chopteeth, a 14-member musical extravaganza of West African music American funk, and Afro-beat (pictured above), is at the Kennedy Millenium Stage this evening for a free performance. Afro-beat, a style of big-band funk invented by Fela Kuti of Nigeria in the 1970s, is an eclectic and upbeat mix of funk, ska, rumba, and more. You can check out some of Chopteeth’s tunes here. 6 p.m.
>> If you were smart enough to attend Unbuckled last month, then you were no doubt impressed by the sounds of Bicycle Thieves, a local group whose melodies and intelligent songcraft wowed the crowd. If you’ve been yearning to see them play live again, here’s your chance: they’re headlining a free show at Fairfax Corner tonight. 5 – 8 p.m.
>> Ah, this takes us back to our days on the high school literary magazine, editing poetry and waxing philosophical about our favorite authors. And wearing a lot of black. And being an enormous twat. But tonight’s event sounds so much better, and so much more fun: this evening, downstairs at the Big Hunt, you can catch Literary Karaoke, an event where several local lit mags get together, and the participants will read from a piece of work and sing one song. There are drinks specials, and attending will only cost you $5. All proceeds will be split between the publications, who certainly deserve your support. 7 – 9 p.m.
SUNDAY:
>> Get your tennis on with the second day of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, a popular tourney that draws some big names in the sport to D.C. every year – playing this year are Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Tim Henman, to name a few. Single session ticket prices range from $9-$70, and it all goes down at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center at 16th and Kennedy Streets, NW. Even better: a large chunk of the proceeds this year go to the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF). The WTEF seeks to improve prospects for low-income, D.C. area youth through tennis and community-based activites. The tournament schedule will be posted here tonight.
>> Normally we try to point our dear readers toward great events happening here in the District, but if you’re a theater lover, it would just be too much of shame if you missed out on the Contemporary American Theater Festival, currently in its last weekend at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. About an hour and 15 minute drive from D.C., the festival is a rare chance to see new work from modern theater marvels Sam Shephard, Melinda Lopez, Lydia Stryk, and Sheri Wilner. And as the WaPo points out, it’s especially worth it to see some actual ideas permeate some compelling new stories.
>> Destiny’s Child will be no more after this tour, and though their last album failed to blow us away, they’ll no doubt be playing all the hits off of Survivor and their eponymous first release. At the MCI Center, and last we checked tickets are still available. Visit Ticketmaster and expect to pay $52 to $77.
photo from www.chopteeth.com
