Out On the Town

BERNIE

Let's get one thing out of the way: Bernie is about much more than a real-life murder. Bernie, at its heart, is a dark comedy about small-town culture in East Texas, and how one man was so beloved within one of those rural communities that even his confession couldn't convince folk he could kill. Richard Linklater, best known for Dazed and Confused and Before Sunrise, had the genius idea to blend reality into his adaptation of a novel by Skip Hollandsworth by interviewing real-life gossips who live in Carthage, Tex. It's an incredibly risky move, and it pays off mightily. By cutting in those sound bites between scenes – mockumentary flair, as it were – Linklater lends Bernie the authority generally reserved for legitimate documentaries, all while the Hollywood likes of Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey parade around as Tiede, Nugent and Davidson, respectively. And it's the marriage between top-notch acting and real-life narration, ultimately, that lifts Bernie beyond its torn-from-the-headlines premise. Now playing. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com. (Chris Heller)

CHERNOBYL DIARIES
Oren Peli's building a strange horror empire of sorts. He's got all those Paranormal Activity movies, at least a few more episodes of ABC's The River, and now, with Bradley Parker, Chernobyl Diaries, which follows six young tourists on an ''extreme tour'' guide of the famous nuclear reactor. Don't expect anything new here – if you've seen Peli's found-footage tricks already, you know the drill – but don't be surprised to discover that it all still works. Opens Friday, May 25. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

HYSTERIA
Hugh Dancy plays Mortimer Granville -- or as history's kinkiest might remember him, the inventor of the first vibrator. Call it a hunch, but we'll bet Dancy doesn't have much trouble with that whole ''pleasure'' thing. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jonathan Pryce, Rupert Everett and Felicity Jones also star in this romantic comedy from director Tanya Wexler. Opens Friday, May 25. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

MEN IN BLACK 3
Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and all the alien-hunting boys in black return for a sequel that absolutely nobody is clamoring for. Other great signs for director Barry Sonnenfeld: The script wasn't finished when filming started, that very same script was re-written three times during production, and worst of all, Lady Gaga has a cameo. Opens Friday, May 25. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

THE AVENGERS

The Avengers is not an average superhero movie – it owes almost as much to ensemble action classics like The Dirty Dozen as it does its own comic-book characters – and that reason, more than any other, is the secret to its appeal. Where else could we watch Steve Rogers trade blows with Thor? Or see what happens when Tony Stark hangs out in a laboratory with Bruce Banner? Joss Whedon uses these geeky hypotheticals -- the traditional fodder for one-shot comics and fan fiction -- to weave a story that simultaneously plucks out the best aspects of Marvel's past movies and stands wholly recognizable as his own creation. While Whedon's passion for these comic-book icons holds The Avengers together, it's his style that shapes the movie into that rare kind of blockbuster that's both smart and fun. His Avengers snipe at each other, making quips and asides even in the heat of battle. They spend as much time fighting one another as they do Loki's horde of alien soldiers from planet MacGuffin. They're heroes amid debate, struggling to drop their headstrong, individualistic ways for a greater good. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Chris Heller)

THE HUNGER GAMES

The first thing worth mentioning about The Hunger Games is the silence. Few characters say much, and those that do don't repeat themselves. Their thoughts, feelings and schemes are rarely spelled out, but rather, punctuated by quiet. As someone who read Suzanne Collins's trilogy of young adult novels that inspired the movie, that quiet is fulfilling -- and frankly, more than I had prepared to see in a big-budget adaptation with massive box-office ambition. For those who are not familiar, though, I can't help but wonder if the silence will have the same effect. Can the story's intricacies hold up without an internal monologue? The Hunger Games allows for social commentary and the very kind of mindless bloodshed it's allegedly trying to decry. Under other circumstances, that relationship would seem hypocritical, but as it was in the book, the violence is a practical necessity. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Chris Heller)

WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
From the sounds of it, where we should go now is to Landmark's E Street Cinema to see young Lebanese director Nadine Labaki's funny feminist-tinged fable. The film, winner of the People's Choice Award at last year's Toronto film festival, focuses on a remote village checkered by past conflicts between Christians and Muslims but where the women, at least, all get along. So they team up to distract a new generation of men from interfaith violence. How? By faking miracles, baking hashish-laced pastries, even hiring Ukrainian strippers – these women pull out all the stops in a plea for peace. Now playing. Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema, 7235 Woodmont Ave. Call 301-652-7273 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

WINGS OF DESIRE
Has it really been 25 years since German director Wim Wenders' angelic Wings of Desire first graced the screen? The elegant, moving film focuses on an angel who decides to become a mortal being and falls in love. The film actually screens at the American Film Institute's Silver Theatre as part of a retrospective of the late actor Peter Falk, best known as TV detective Frank Columbo, but who played an angelic version of himself in the film. Friday, May 25, at 9:40 p.m., Saturday, May 26, at 10 p.m., Sunday, May 27, at 9:15 p.m., and Tuesday, May 29, at 9 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $12 general admission. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.

A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION
Public radio star Garrison Keillor makes his annual trek to Wolf Trap to offer D.C. another live trip to his fictional-but-oh-so-real Lake Wobegon, which will be broadcast over next weekend. This year's Wolf Trap stop brings special guests Heather Masse of the folk group The Wailin' Jennys and Sara Watkins of the bluegrass trio Nickel Creek, in association with Minnesota Public Radio and WAMU. Friday, May 25, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, May 26, at 5:45 p.m. Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Lawn seats are available for $25 to $55. Call 703-255-1900 or visit wolf-trap.org.

BACHELORETTE
Studio Theatre's David Muse directs Leslye Headland's play about three unhappy friends who show up not-quite-invited to their former high school classmate's luxe hotel room the night before her wedding. Chaos ensues. Eric Bryant, Laura C. Harris and Tracy Lynn Olivera are part of the cast. Now to July 1. Studio Theatre, 14th and P Streets NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS
Adventure Theatre's latest show is based on the series of children's books by Eileen Christelow and adapted for the stage by Ernie Nolan. Five Little Monkeys, told in cumulative verse, focuses on silly simian siblings insisting on doing things their own way. Karin Abromaitis directs the play starring Valerie Leonard. To June 3. Adventure Theater, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Tickets are $18. Call 301-634-2261 or visit adventuretheatre.org.

GOD OF CARNAGE

Though Yasmina Reza is a fine observer of the 21st century bourgeoisie, along with their general state of agitation, a greater insight into what ails eludes her. Though her characters in God of Carnage, at moments of clarity, may reflect gravely on their state of "unhappiness," if there is a "why" (beyond bad manners, crappy marriages and the neuroticism of the overeducated and under-engaged) it is far too deeply buried in the sparring and acting out. Still, timing is everything. Hence a Broadway run and a Polanski film. And, without doubt, Signature's production. It's a fast-paced, occasionally rowdy, occasionally grim, American-adapted version, something of an educated-crowd pleaser, if for nothing else but the premise. Set in a condo living room aspiring to good taste, two couples, the Novaks and the Raleighs, meet to discuss an incident in which the Raleigh's young son has hit the Novak's son while at a local park. As the couples awkwardly vie for what they want, tempers begin to flare, neuroticisms surface and, when the alcohol flows, volcanic emotions erupt. By afternoon's end, gender and parenting battles have raged and marital angers and disappointments have been aired. To June 24. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $65 to $70. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org. (Kate Wingfield)

HUM
Theater Alliance presents the world premiere of Nicholas Wardigo's Hum, an allegory of Orwellian proportions following a couple's journey to discover what life is like when the safety net is pulled down. The Alliance's Colin Hovde and Nathaniel Mendez direct the piece, which is also said to challenge expectations of storytelling. To June 2. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $35. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

I WANT THEM BOTH
Teatro de la Luna stages a production of Argentinian writer Ricardo Talesnik's play Las Quiero a las Dos. Mario Marcel directs this play, performed in Spanish with English surtitles, which presents a love triangle that unfolds as part of a clever theatrical game. To June 2. Gunston Theater II, 2700 South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are $30 to $35. Call 703-998-4555 or visit teatrodelaluna.org.

METAMORPHOSES
Constellation Theatre Company offers what is sure to be a magical show, a production of Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, which re-enacts Ovid's classic mythical tales – Poseidon's sea battle, Aphrodite's passion, Orpheus's music – all around a shimmering pool of water which Constellation raised thousands of dollars to construct. The company's Allison Arkell Stockman directs a an ensemble cast with live music by Tom Teasley and costumes by Kendra Rai, both Helen Hayes Award winners for their previous work with Constellation. To June 3. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $35. Call 202-204-7760 or visit constellationtheatre.org.

THE MUSIC MAN
Arena Stage's Molly Smith picks up where she left off with last year's revamp of Oklahoma!, this time reviving Meredith Wilson and Franklin Lacey's musical classic, featuring such timeless tunes as "76 Trombones" and "Ya Got Trouble" and "Shipoopi." Burke Moses (Broadway's Beauty and the Beast) stars as smooth-talking "professor" Harold Hill, out to swindle the citizens of River City. Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow) stars as Marian the Librarian. To July 22. Arena Stage -- Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $51 to $66. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

THE ILLUSION
Forum Theatre presents a play by Tony Kushner freely adapted from Pierre Corneille's L'illusion comique. Mitchell Hebert directs the show, featuring a cast including Aaron Bliden, Brian Hemmingsen, Nanna Ingvarsson and Scott McCormick, about an aging father who turns to a sorcerer for insight in reaching his long-lost son. Kushner weaves illusion with truth – and theater with real life. Opens in pay-what-you-can previews Thursday, May 24, and Friday, May 25, at 8 p.m. To June 16. Round House Theatre-Silver Spring, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.

THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS
Carlo Goldoni's magical comedia dell'arte masterpiece The Servant of Two Masters focuses on a servant whose crafty scheme to double his wages results in much slapstick and mistaken-identity humor. While a reworked Tony-nominated adaptation – renamed One Man, Two Guvnors – is currently on Broadway, the Shakespeare Theatre Company offers a local production of the play, filled to the brim with music, dance and laughter. Christopher Bayes directs. To June 24. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

AND ONE HALF The West is more mild than wild in Folger Theatre's new production of The Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare's so-called comedy that revels in male superiority and female submission. Director Aaron Posner has imposed a 19th century American West conceit for no discernibly compelling reason, creating an uneasy marriage between an Italian-set tale told in Elizabethan blank verse and actors twanging it up in an environment that evokes nothing so much as a Disney theme park Frontierland. Aggressive Petruchio takes on the headstrong Kate in Shakespeare's quintessential battle of the sexes. In this Folger Theatre production directed by Aaron Posner, the would-be couple is played by real-life couple Cody Nickell and Kate Eastwood Norris, and the action has been shifted to the Wild West circa 1880. Singer-songwriter Cliff Eberhardt will perform original music composed for the show. To June 10. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $39 to $65. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu. (Jonathan Padget)

WSC AVANT BARD SPRING REP
Euripides's The Bacchae and Sam Shepard's The Tooth of Crime run in repertory this month and next as part of the former Washington Shakespeare Company's annual Spring Repertory. Now WSC Avant Bard, the company transposes Euripides' classic tragedy to D.C. culture, and director Steven Scott Mazzola has worked with Joy of Motion's Aysha Upchurch and DC Youth Orchestra composer Mariano Vales to produce a spectacle full of music and dance. Meanwhile Kathleen Akerley directs Shepard's play, with music and words by T. Bone Burnett, about two rival rock stars, presented as an allegory of modern music and its commercialization. To July 1. Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington. Tickets are $25 to $35 each show. Call 703-418-4808 or visit wscavantbard.org

XANADU
Matthew Gardiner takes the helm of this zany send-up of the 1980 film starring Olivia Newton-John, which was a hit on Broadway a few years ago. Douglas Carter Beane wrote the book with music and lyrics by ELO's Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. To July 1. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $62 to $82. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.

NOVEMBER
Virginia's Dominion Stage offers a production of David Mamet's political satire, revolving around a Presidential incumbent's declining chances for reelection, who goes to great lengths to win back public support. Hopefully the production, directed by T.J. Keiter, won't be prescient in this year's real-life election. To June 9. Theatre On The Run, 3700 S. Four Mile Run Dr., Arlington. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Call 571-DS-SHOWS or visit dominionstage.org.

AFROJACK
Afrojack is the unusual moniker for the DJ/dance producer born Nick van de Wall in the Netherlands, who last year had huge hits with Dutch singer Eva Simons (''Take Over Control'') as well as with Pitbull, Ne-yo and Nayer (''Give Me Everything''). Even more unusual: He's now dating Paris Hilton. What do you think the odds are that the one-time dance singer comes with or even cameos at the Fillmore Silver Spring? Friday, June 1, at 8 p.m. Fillmore Silver Spring, 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $29.50 to $39.50. Call 301.960.9999 or visit fillmoresilverspring.com.

BOHEMIAN CAVERNS JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Every Monday night the 17-piece jazz orchestra performs a variety of music from the big band repertoire -- including pieces by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billy Strayhorn and Maria Schneider, plus originals from band members -- at its namesake venue. Founded by baritone saxophonist Brad Linde and club owner Omrao Brown, features some of D.C.'s best jazz musicians, including Linde and trumpeter Joe Herrera, who co-direct. Performances at 8 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. every Monday night. Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW. Tickets are $7. Call 202-299-0800 or visit bohemiancaverns.com.

CAPITAL JAZZ FEST
Anita Baker, Bill Cosby, George Benson, Stephanie Mills, Valerie Simpson's tribute to Nick Ashford, India Arie, Spyro Gyra, KC and the Sunshine Band and Anthony David are just some of the dozens of acts performing over the course of this three-day annual festival that merges the stylings of jazz and R&B to create smooth sounds. Will Downing hosts. Friday, June 1, to Sunday, June 3. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Tickets are $52.50 to $165. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit capitaljazz.com.

DAN TEPFER TRIO
A New York-based pianist and composer, Dan Tepfer is a formidable jazz musician on the international stage. He'll perform at the Atlas with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Ted Poor. Wednesday, May 30, at 8 p.m. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $15 to $25. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

DAWES, SARA WATKINS
Brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith lead California roots rock band Dawes, which also includes Wylie Weber and Alex Casnoff and draws inspiration from Crosby, Stills & Nash and Neil Young as well as the Band. Fiddle player and singer/songwriter Sara Watkins got her start with the bluegrass band Nickel Creek. Friday, June 1. Doors at 8 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

DRAKE
The hottest rapper at the moment, this half-Jewish/half-black Canadian takes over the Verizon Center this Friday, May 25, partly in support of last year's well-crafted album Take Care. Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. Tickets are $59.75 to $109.75. Call 202-628-3200 or visit verizoncenter.com.

DIANNE REEVES
Four-time Grammy winner Reeves offers a concert presenting her jazz virtuosity and improvisational prowess, a real treat for lovers. Sunday, June 3, at 8 p.m. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. Tickets are $45 to $65. Call 202-588-5595 or visit thehowardtheatre.com for more details.

ERIC ROBERSON
Last year, this Philadelphia-area native singer-songwriter performed twice at the Birchmere, including on a double-bill with Vivian Green under the title ''Soul Survivors.'' This Saturday, May 26, the Howard University alum, returns, in support of his latest album, Mister Nice Guy. Friday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $35. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.

FEUFOLLET
Feufollet is a band deeply rooted in the francophone soil of Louisiana, but pushing slightly beyond Zydeco to also explore other Cajun music styles. Wednesday, May 30, at 8 p.m. Artisphere Ballroom, 1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington. Tickets are $15. Call 703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT
Daughtry, Natalie Cole, Trace Adkins and this year's American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez will perform along with the National Symphony Orchestra as part of the National Memorial Day Concert on the U.S. Capitol grounds this Sunday, May 27. Colin L. Powell and actors Ellen Burstyn, Dennis Franz and Selma Blair will also appear at the concert, a tribute to military men and women and their families. Actors Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds) and Gary Sinise (CSI: New York) once again co-host the festivities, broadcast live on PBS. Sunday, May 27, at 8 p.m. U.S. Capitol Building - West Lawn. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit pbs.org/memorialdayconcert.

NIKKA COSTA
Anyone who favors rock informed by soul and the blues, and who appreciates a supple alto singer who doesn't get carried away, drunk with her own vocal prowess, will take to Nikka Costa. Actually, it's a puzzle why more people haven't taken to her, much less even heard of her by now. After all, Costa's been recording since she was a child – her dad was a notable music producer – and until just a few years ago she was managed by American Idol judge Randy Jackson. Lenny Kravitz has also been a frequent collaborator. Sunday, May 27, at 7:30 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $22.50. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

SPECIAL AGENT GALACTICA
Local drag phenom Special Agent Galactica, a.k.a. the "pink-haired diva," performs a free bi-monthly happy hour show at Black Fox Lounge, singing with her "Very-Sexy-Cute-Boy" combo and offering some lip-sync favorites. Galactica will also be joined by special guests. The next show is Friday, May 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. Black Fox Lounge, 1723 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are free. Call 202-483-1723 or visit blackfoxlounge.com.

TIMBALAND VS. THE NEPTUNES DANCE PARTY
Chances are, DJ Eskimo and John Jazz won't play any Madonna, though her 2008 set Hard Candy – half-produced by Timbaland, the other half by the Neptunes – is custom-made for this dance party featuring the hits of the two southern Virginia -based hip-pop producing giants – except for the fact that Hard Candy really only had one American hit, the Timbaland-produced ''4 Minutes.'' Anyway, expect loads of Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado and Britney Spears, as well as rappers including Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and Clipse. Friday, May 25. Doors at 9:30 p.m. Black Cat Backstage, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $5. Call 202-667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.

WASHINGTON MEN'S CAMARATA
''Guys and Dolls: Music for Men's Chorus by Women Composers'' offers compositions and arrangements by Alice Parker, Gwyneth Walker, Eleanor Daley and Jennifer Higdon, among others. Frank Albinder, a former Chanticleer, is the music director of the camarata, founded in 1984 and touted as ''America's preeminent large men's chorus.'' Saturday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are $30. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA: WERTHER
Considered one of Massenet's finest works, with a lush score of tragically beautiful music, Werther tells a tale of forbidden love that can only end tragically. Closes this Sunday, May 27. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $300. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

WOLF TRAP'S SUMMER OPENER WITH THE PRESIDENT'S OWN
Technically, Wolf Trap opens its large outdoor venue the Filene Center this weekend with a live taping of A Prairie Home Companion. But once the Lake Wobegon crew clears out, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band comes marching in to make it official, complete with concert band favorites and even fireworks. Sunday, May 27, at 8 p.m. Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Rd., Vienna. Event is free, but park will close once it reaches capacity, so arrive early. Call 703-255-1900 or visit wolf-trap.org.

BOLSHOI BALLET
Moscow's renowned Bolshoi Ballet returns with an evening-length production of Petipa and Enrico Cecchetti's Coppélia, the classic classical ballet's comedy about mistaken identity and a beautiful mechanical doll. The production is directed by the company's new artistic director Sergei Filin. Tuesday, May 29, through Saturday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. Also Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3, at 1:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $29 to $150. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

NATIONAL COLLEGE DANCE FESTIVAL
The National College Dance Festival features three different gala concerts, each performed twice. And each concert features 10 different dances, or what you could call dance sampler platters. ''There's this level of enthusiasm with the performers that is so inspiring,'' organizer Diana DeFries tells Metro Weekly. ''And the technical level is very high. The dancing is beautiful.'' For gay audiences, DeFries singles out two works in this year's festival by Keith Johnson, a professor at California State University, Long Beach, and a guest artist at California's Loyola Marymount University. ''Both of these works really look at same-sex relationships in a stunning way,'' she says. The concerts are Friday, May 25, through Sunday, May 27, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are $25 each. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

E.J. DIONNE
Our Divided Political Heart: The Battle for the American Idea in an Age of Discontent offers an incisive analysis of how hyper-individualism is poisoning the nation's political atmosphere by one of the nation's best liberal commentators and Washington Post columnist. Dionne takes on the Tea Party's distortions of American history and shows that the true American tradition points not to radical individualism, but to a balance between our love of individualism and our devotion to community. Friday, June 1, at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.

ARTISPHERE'S CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION
"An Artistic Discovery: The Congressional Art Competition" is a competition putting the spotlight on young artists in Northern Virginia and hosted by Congressman James Moran. The winning artist wins the honor of having artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. To June 17. Artisphere's Works in Progress Gallery, 1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington. Call 703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.

DC ARTS CENTER
"Zeitgeist III: Too Much Information?" is a group exhibition curated by Ellyn Weiss and Sondra Arkin and featuring works by 15 artists on the concept of information overload. The artists include Metro Weekly contributor Scott G. Brooks, Anna U. Davis, Pat Goslee, Ryan Hoover, Elizabeth Morisette, M.V. Jantzen and Ruth Trevarrow. Through June 10. District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

GALLERY PLAN B
"Works by Michael D. Crossett" features mixed-media collages of local gay artist Michael Crossett, whose focus is on cityscape symbols and icons, usually presented overlaid with graffiti-like washes of vivid colors and effects. To June 17. Gallery Plan B, 1530 14th St. NW. Call 202-234-2711 or visit galleryplanb.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MUSEUM
"Titanic: 100 Year Obsession" showcases the importance of the Titanic and its sinking on April 15, 1912, taking visitors through the history of the ship and especially the discovery of its wreckage in 1985 by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Robert Ballard – not to mention exploration by James Cameron, both before and after his blockbuster movie. Through July 8. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Free. Call 202-857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.

THE TEXTILE MUSEUM
"Dragons, Nagas and Creatures of the Deep" is a playful, colorful exhibition presenting a global selection of textiles depicting dragons and related fantastical creatures of legend, all in honor of 2012 being the Year of the Dragon on the East Asian calendar. Through Jan. 6, 2013. The Textile Museum, 2320 S St. NW. Suggested donation of $5. Call 202-667-0441 or visit textilemuseum.org.

DJ LIL'E'S DIVAS DANCE PARTY
DJ lil'e (nee Erin Myers) adds a new wrinkle to her popular divas dance party, now in its fourth iteration at the 9:30 Club. Instead of Lady Gaga "battling" Madonna, the two pop heavyweights are paired up to take on the welterweights Katy Perry and Britney Spears – obviously, the idea is that Madonna is to Gaga as Spears is to Perry. However true that may be, this isn't much of a contest. And of course, that's the point: It's all meant to be a fun night of girl pop, with all four divas given roughly equal time. Who can argue with those fireworks? Friday, May 25. Doors at 9 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

GAY MEN'S CHORUS'S HEART THROBS
The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington helps kick off Capital Pride with a fun and flirtatious homage to hit-making men in music, from teen idols to rock stars, from the '50s to today. You can expect performances to the tunes of Elvis, Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin and Maroon 5, among others. Fingers crossed, you'll be spared Bieber Fever. Saturday, June 2, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 3, at 3 p.m. Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $50. Call 202-293-1548 or visit gmcw.org.

JOEY ARIAS RETURNS TO L'ENFANT
L'Enfant Café and Bar's Speak Easy transforms the space into a Prohibition Era venue – complete with back door entrance, dim lighting and drawn shades – serving drinks, a three-course dinner and a live show that's very of this century, with singing drag queens, comedians and DJs spinning dance tunes. New York singing drag artist legend Joey Arias co-produces the show, and leads the shenanigans. Most late shows end in a DJ dance party. Sunday, May 27. L'Enfant Café and Bar, 2000 18th St. NW. Reservations are required; cost is $50 for the 7 p.m. dinner show, or $10 plus a two-drink minimum for the 10:30 p.m. late show. Call 202-319-1800 or visit lenfantcafe.com.

OPERA IN CINEMA: PETER GRIMES
Like the Ballet in Cinema program, Opera In Cinema offers opera lovers select screenings of some of the most notable current productions at venerable opera houses across Europe, with some of today's greatest stars. Next up: The rare English-language opera, British composer Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, in a production directed by Richard Jones and starring John Graham-Hall, Susan Gritton, Christopher Purves and Felicity Palmer. Live simulcast from Milan's Teatro alla Scala is Thursday, May 24, at 2 p.m. Encore screenings Friday, May 24, at 1 p.m., and Sunday, June 10, at 10 a.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $20. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.

BROADWAY: END OF THE RAINBOW

Maybe you don't love Judy Garland. Maybe you don't understand or – gasp! – respect her ties to the gay community, or why she still has a hold on so many gay men of a certain age. Myopia aside, if that's your deal, you're still not off the hook to see End of The Rainbow while it's on Broadway. To be sure, there are flaws in the story this British import by Peter Quilter tells about Garland in her twilight, in the months before she accidentally overdosed on barbiturates, as she worked to make yet another comeback. But there's nary a flaw in the actress in the spotlight: Tracie Bennett, who doesn't so much impersonate as embody Garland. Bennett's brutally honest portrayal, which has earned her a Tony nomination, is not a note-for-note impersonation, though she does have the voice, the look, the mannerisms and above all Garland's cutting wit and sensibility down pat. Bennett portrays a side to Garland that you know she had but one she hardly ever showed publicly: Her vulnerability, her insecurity and especially the toll that being all alone up on stage was taking on her. In this portrayal at least, she's incredibly lonely: She doesn't have any close friends, and she's not really connecting with the few people around her, chiefly her latest fiancé and her gay accompanist. Belasco Theatre, 111 West 44th St. New York. Tickets are $31.50 to $199.50. Call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com. (Doug Rule)

BROADWAY: NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT

They're no Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, but Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Broderick make quite the dancing pair in the sumptuous new Broadway musical Nice Work If You Can Get It. There's very little that anyone could find objectionable in Nice Work – unless you object to a show with no real edge, or one with nothing new to say. The show, which hauled in a season best 10 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, is only really ''new'' in the sense that it's not technically a revival. Joe DiPietro (Memphis) created a new book, but one that was ''inspired'' by earlier musicals from 90 years ago by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse. The shopworn story is built around pop standards and other tunes by George and Ira Gershwin (''Someone To Watch Over Me,'' ''Let's Call The Whole Thing Off,'' ''Lady Be Good''). Yep, Nice Work is the latest incarnation of the jukebox musical. We've moved from shows built around pop and rock songs from the latter half of the 20th Century (Mamma Mia, Rock of Ages, Jersey Boys) to those from nearly a century ago, or those considered part of the Great American Songbook. It just doesn't get much closer to a sure-fire hit than this. Imperial Theatre, 249 West 49th St. New York. Tickets are $46.50 to $250. Call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com. (Doug Rule)

BROADWAY: OTHER DESERT CITIES

AND ONE HALF Jon Robin Baitz's Tony-nominated Broadway play Other Desert Cities is stunning -- a trenchant examination of family life and the serious consequences a lack of communication and support can render upon it. Taking place over Christmas at a family's Palm Springs compound -- something of a private oasis in their scorched earth -- the dramatic play focuses on a daughter's plans to publish a tell-all memoir about a sordid part of the family's past that her mother, in particular, has assiduously worked to keep from seeing daylight. The gay playwright Baitz -- best known for creating the ABC series Brothers & Sisters -- has a wondrous way with words and language, and displays a sharp knack here for developing characters as authentically human as the person sitting next to you. And thanks to the actors' careful study of each character as well as obvious collective rapport, you come to understand -- even sympathize with -- all of them, flaws and all. Booth Theater, 222 West 45th St. New York. Tickets are $56.50 to $126.50. Call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com. (Doug Rule)

BROADWAY: PORGY AND BESS

Porgy and Bess has proven to have staying power because of its audacious spirit – and more significantly because of George Gerswhin's unparalleled achievement in creating fetching music mixing blues, jazz, gospel, Tin Pan Alley pop and opera into one timeless, cohesive package. Audra McDonald, as one would expect from a serial Tony Award winner – she's four for six to date – is extraordinary as Bess, and reason enough to see the current Broadway revival of the show, nominated for a whopping 10 Tony Awards. McDonald convincingly portrays Bess as both confident and conflicted, tough yet achingly vulnerable. David Alan Grier plays up the menace in his portrayal of the show's resident "low life," stepping into the shoes once inhabited by Sammy Davis, Jr., among others. And who knew Mr. Man on Film from In Living Color could sing? The now three-time Tony nominee may have established his acting bona fides, but he's best here when he sings: First, with a punchy take on "It Ain't Necessarily So," and later, the rousing "There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon," which he blows right out of the water. (He gets two snaps and a twist, all right.) To Sept. 30. Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th St. New York. Tickets are $55 to $150. Call 877-250-2929 or visit ticketmaster.com. (Doug Rule)

BROADWAY: PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT
The Broadway version of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, produced by Bette Midler, recently celebrated its one-year anniversary on the Great White Way. And if you haven't yet seen it, Metro Weekly's Doug Rule writes that the show is definitely worth it. "Priscilla will win you over in a big way," he wrote in a four-and-a-half star review last year. "It's not the best musical you'll ever see – neither the story nor the music is original, for starters. But it just may be the most endearing, and possibly the most fun you can currently have at a Broadway show. If nothing else, your smile muscles will be sore as you walk out of the large Palace Theatre." The Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway. Tickets from $43 via a special Spring Savings promotion. Call 877-250-2929 or visit priscillaonbroadway.com.