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Catalogue Blog

Category Archives: Culture

A Woolly Season

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For many of our performing arts nonprofits, next season is already in the works!

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (which was in our first Catalogue class back in 2003!) has announced its 33rd season. Right here, you can check out the footage from their live season announcement and get a glimpse into what 2012/2013 has in store:

According to Woolly Mammoth, the 33rd season (entitled My Roots, My Revolution) “is a heart-stopping excavation of our cultural souls, encompassing both the joy of cultural expression and the struggle of cultures in conflict. With a unique global perspective, these ambitious new plays will carry you to far flung destinations including Africa, North Korea, Disneyworld, Zucotti Park, and the world of professional wrestling. Each destination is a hot zone where human emotions are bombarded by the complex forces of religion, heritage, politics, and ethnicity.”

Around Town: June 8-11

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Have a great weekend (and start of next week), Greater Washington! Here are a few destination options:

Artland Temporium at Dance Place, 3500 12th Street NE

A 12-week public art celebration offering free cultural events and promoting creative expression, Artland events include exhibits, dance, concerts, poetry readings, and games and free to the public. Check out the full schedule for this weekend right here.

DADA Returns; Chinese Menu Improv at DCAC, 2438 18th Street NW

Two plays for the price of one! “Handkerchief of Clouds” by Tristan Tzara and “Manifestival” by the Dadaists come to DCAC on Friday & Saturday at 7:30 PM, followed on Saturday by Chinese Menu Comedy at 10 PM. Check out the full schedule this way!

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In The News …

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Public land deals give hot neighborhoods affordable housing (Greater Greater Washington): “While demand to live in DC rises, its stock of low-priced homes is shrinking. Projects on city-owned land have created many mixed-income housing opportunities throughout the city […] but the future direction for public land redevelopment is unclear […] While the District has completed many successful projects, many more opportunities remain to realize public benefits from public land.” Cheryl Cort, Policy Director for (Catalogue nonprofit) the Coalition for Smarter Growth, discusses the Coalition’s new paper on DC’s use of “public land to provide affordable housing and other community benefits.”

Nonprofit’s turnaround has brought it lots of attention (Washington Post: Business): “When David Snider inherited Young Playwrights’ Theater seven years ago, he knew he had to shake up an arts education organization that at the time was struggling […] By the end of his first year as executive director, Young Playwrights’ had turned its deficit into a $34,000 surplus and it has been operating in the black ever since.” YPT also became a Catalogue nonprofit the following year and was re-featured in 2009/2010. Learn more about their awesome residency and workshop programs right here.

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Around Town: June 1-3

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Greetings, Greater Washington! We’ve got an awesome array of events this weekend:

MUSIC …

The DC Jazz Festival starts now! Head to 6th & I Synagogue, The Hamilton, Howard Theatre, The Phillips Collection, The Kennedy Center, and Bohemian Caverns for incredible live music; full schedule right here. And on Sunday at 3:00 PM, the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras presents the “Grand Finale” concert, opening with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis; learn more this way.

NATURE…

On Saturday, celebrate National Trails Day with Potomac Conservancy from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM: restore the towpath and trails, prune back vegetation, and clean up the River Center area (and enjoy live music!). You can also celebrate with Rock Creek Conservancy, which will offer everything from Beginner Bird Walks to Trail Maintenance to an Historic Garden Trails Tour; check it out! Plus, help to control dangerous storm water runoff by planting native plants and flowers with Anacostia Watershed Society at 10:00 AM at Bladensburg Waterfront Park (NOW FULL). Take a Green Home & Garden Tour with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment on Sunday at 1:00 PM; and check out the tour booklet right here.

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Around Town: May 26-27

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Have a great Memorial Day weekend, Greater Washington! If you’re in town, consider spending your Saturday at …

Youth Media Festival (1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD)

From 1:00 to 8:30 PM, the Gandhi Brigade presents a celebration of youth voices through video, photography, and graphic design, plus a PSA contest, performances, and creative social justice workshops; and middle school students from Passion for Learning will showcase their digital media projects. More information right here.

Workshop: LinkedIn Basics for Career Success (Fairlington Presbyterian Church, 3846 King Street, Alexandria, VA)

LinkedIn is the premier networking site for the business world. At 1:00 PM, Computer CORE will offer an affordable, hands-on computer workshop to help students create an effective profile that draws hiring managers (or potential customers) to find you. For more information, call (703) 931-7346 x103.

Chinese Menu Improv (2438 18th Street NW, Washington, DC)

Big laughs are being served up as Chinese Menu Comedy comes back to DCAC! Peter Bergen gathers some of the best improv and stand-up taken from the District and beyond. Learn more about DCAC performances this way.

Around Town: May 19-20

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Hey, Greater Washington! Enjoy the weekend — and consider spending it with a Catalogue nonprofit:

Hands on DC: 18th Annual Work-a-thon
Join thousands of other volunteers from all around the city on Saturday to improve the physical learning environments in DC public schools; register right here.

Accokeek Foundation: Green Thumbs Volunteering
On the first and third Thursdays and third Saturdays, volunteers will have an opportunity to learn more about the history of heirloom vegetables and the practices behind organic gardening, from planting and harvesting to managing weeds; learn more right here.

Joseph’s House: Walk and Talk Tour
You are warmly invited to a free, one-hour “walk and talk” tour on Saturday at 10:30 AM; please RSVP to (202) 328-9161.

Our Daily Bread: Money Management Workshop
Topics include at this free Saturday 12:30 PM seminar include borrowing basics, understanding your credit report, paying yourself first, and grasping money maters.

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Around Town: May 12-13

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Happy Mother’s Day weekend, Greater Washington!

Plus spend some time with a Catalogue nonprofit:

DANCE …

On Friday & Saturday at 8PM, join Bowen McCauley Dance Company for a world premiere dance event following the original hit sensation, Lucy’s Playlist, at Synetic Theatre in Crystal City; tickets right here. And on Saturday at 7:30 PM, a powerful dance performance will feature choreographic works for Joy of Motion Youth Dance Ensemble members at American University’s Greenberg Theatre; tickets info this way.

NATURE ..

Discover the treasures in Piscataway Park with Accokeek Foundation on Saturday at 10AM; this annual Children’s Day event features a self-guided tour through the park for young explorers. And on Sunday at 9AM, join the Potomac Conservancy at River Center at Lock 8 for a Canal Stewards cleanup, followed by wildflower walk with expert Marijke Gate; learn more right here!

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Around Town: May 4-6

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Welcome to May, Greater Washington! What are you in the mood to experience this weekend?

VISUAL ARTS

On Friday at 7:00 PM, the DCAC opens “Zeitgeist III: Too Much Information?,” the third in a series of periodic group exhibitions of artists exploring contemporary cultural themes; learn more on Facebook. And on Saturday at 2:00 PM, students from the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design‘s Masters of Arts in New Media Photojournalism program will present a diverse selection of work at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Avenue SE.

TECHNOLOGY

From 1:00 to 5:00 PM on Saturday at Fairlington Presbyterian Church, Computer CORE will offer a 4-hour workshop, in which students will learn the basic functions and capabilities of Salesforce, plus get some hands-on experience! You can sign up .

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Life Stories

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Last night, at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts presented a unique new work, My Soul Look Back and Wonder: Life Stories from Women in Recovery — a production of its acclaimed Life Stories program. After the performance, R. Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, took part in a panel discussion about the play and the critical issues of substance abuse and homelessness.

According to the Theatre Lab, “The program began in early February on-site at the N Street Village facility, a recovery center for homeless and low-income women. Theatre Lab instructor Thomas Workman led a group of ten women in recovery for substance abuse through acting, storytelling, and drama therapy exercises. Participants shared details of their personal lives, including family issues, struggles with drugs, and homelessness. The stories were then crafted into theatre piece by Helen Hayes Award-winning playwright Jennifer L. Nelson. The women — none of whom are professionally trained actors — performed the play themselves under the direction of Theatre Lab founder and co-executive director Deb Gottesman.”

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That Swing

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It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing
It don’t mean a thing all you got to do is sing
It makes no difference
If it’s sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Every little thing you’ve got …

— music by Duke Ellington, born this past Sunday in 1899 in Washington, DC

You can learn about the Ellington Fund, which ensures a dynamic arts and academic experience for students at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, right here.