Calendar
Send calendar items by noon Friday to Lorin Buck at lbuck@fairfaxtimes.com. For more calendar listings, visit www.fairfaxtimes.com.
Thursday, Sept. 16
The Greater Reston Newcomers and Neighbors Club, a nonprofit social club for women living in and around Reston, hosts its first general meeting of the year with activities signup at 10 a.m. Admission is free. St. John Neumann Church, 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston. Call 703-437-6866.
"Pieces and Parts," an exhibit of experimental art forms by The Vienna Arts Society, is on display through Sept. 26. Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Art Center, 115 Peasant St. N.W., Vienna. Call 703-391-3971 or visit www.ViennaArtsSociety.org.
The Army Officers Wives Club of the Greater Washington Area hosts its annual Super Sign-Up Welcome Coffee from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $12; reservations can be made online through Pay Pal at www.aowcgwa.org. Koran Room, Fort Myer Officers Club, 214 Jackson Ave., Fort Myer. Call 717-422-4601.
"Art of Passion," an exhibit of paintings in encaustic, acrylics and oils by Maureen Wolford, Nancy Hannans and Julia Dzikiewicz, runs through Oct. 3. Gallery hours are Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The Workhouse, Studio 5, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. Visit www.workhousearts.org.
"Yield," a show by painter, illustrator and designer Norman Grandstaff, runs through Oct. 14. Gallery hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 2 to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Red Caboose Gallery, 138 Church St. N.E., Vienna. Call 703-349-7178 or visit www.joanmariegiampa.com/red_caboose_gallery/index.html.
Three exhibitions -- "Realism Now: Cityscapes," "Natural Inheritance - Sea Scans, Bee Helmuts and Anchors: Works by Joanna Axtmann," and "The Topography of Memory: New Works by Raye Leith" -- open with a reception and gallery talk from 7 to 9 p.m. The exhibits run through Oct. 30; gallery hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. McLean Project for the Arts, 1234 Ingleside Ave. Call 703-790-1953 or visit www.mpaart.org.
Bingo, sponsored by Springfield VFW Post 7327, features multiple games, multiple jackpots, Lucky Seven and Pull Tabs Thursdays and Fridays from 7 to 11 p.m. Admission is free; cost per game varies. Greater Springfield Volunteer Fire Co. Event Hall, 7011 Backlick Road. E-mail vfwinfo@vfwpost7327.org.
"Greater Tuna," a comedy about the third-smallest town in Texas where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies, is at 8 p.m. Final performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Doors open for a buffet dinner Thursday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets are $41.95 and $45.95 for adults, $35 for ages 11 to 15, $25 for ages 10 and under. Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre, Route 1, Woodbridge. Call 703-550-7384 or visit www.lazysusan.com.
Friday, Sept. 17
"A Study of Passing Events," contemporary work by J.J. Cromer, opens with a reception and artists' talk from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The show runs through Oct. 31; gallery hours are Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 1 to 4 pm. Admission is free. Athenaeum Gallery, 201 Prince St., Alexandria. Call 703-548-0035 or visit www.nvfaa.org.
"ABBA -- The Music," a tribute to the pop group known for such hits as "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia!" and "Fernando," takes the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $38. Filene Center, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Call 703-255-1900 or visit wolftrap@wolftrap.org.
"Frost/Nixon," a play by British screenwriter and dramatist Peter Morgan and presented by McLean Community Players, opens at 8 p.m. Performances are also scheduled for Sept. 18, 25 and Oct. 1, 2 at 8 p.m., and Sept. 19, 25 and 26 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Alden Theatre, 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean. Visit www.McLeanPlayers.org.
"Mauritius," a play by Theresa Rebeck about danger, betrayal, deceit and unimaginable wealth, opens at 8 p.m. Performances are also scheduled for Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. through Oct. 3. Tickets are $15 to $25. 1st Stage Theater, 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean. Visit www.1ststagetysons.org. Call 703-854-1856.
"Radio Drama," a show with three parts -- "The Death House Escape," "The White Legion" and "War of the Worlds" -- directed by Dan Devany and presented by Springfield Community Theatre, opens at 8 p.m. Performances are also scheduled for Sept. 18, 24, 25 and Oct. 1, 2 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 19, 26 and Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, $13 for groups of 10 or more. Immanuel United Methodist Church, 7901 Heritage Drive, Annandale. Call 703-323-5623,
Swing dance with the Soul Tones of Swing from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Come early for a beginner lesson from 8:30 to 9 p.m. and then dance until midnight. Admission is $15. Hilton Washington Dulles Hotel, 13869 Park Center Road, Herndon. Call 703-359-9882 or visit www.gottaswing.com.
Saturday, Sept. 18
Seed Saving teaches the basics -- seed harvest, drying, cleaning and storage -- with Mary Frogale, propagation horticulturist, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Cost is $22; register at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes, program code 290 487 4201. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Call 703-642-5173 or visit www.greenspring.org.
Gardening in Small Spaces, led by landscape designer Renatta Holt, shows how to use container gardens, small varieties of plants and garden accents to beautify outdoor spaces, at 10 a.m. Admission is free; sponsored by Merrifield Garden Center. Merrifield Community Hall, 8014 Lee Highway, Merrifield. Call 703-560-6222.
Create Gorgeous Combinations of Bulbs and Perennials, led by plant and design specialist Peg Bier, shows how to create long-lasting displays of color, at 10 a.m. Admission is free; sponsored by Merrifield Garden Center. Fair Oaks Meeting Room, 2nd floor, 12101 Lee Highway, Fairfax. Call 703-968-9600.
Fall Stream Cleanup invites all ages to haul away trash and improve local streams, the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration deadline is Sept. 16. Meet at one of these locations: Snakeden Branch, Upper - Hunters Woods Village Center; Snakeden Branch, Middle - Soapstone Road; Nature House - the pavilion; Colvin Run - Tall Oaks Pool; Stevenage Road - Reston North Park. Call 703-435-7986 or e-mail habrock@reston.org.
40th Annual International Children's Festival, with youth performers from Mexico and Poland, more than 400 local artists and a special appearance by Bob "from Sesame Street!" McGrath, takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-day passes, good for either day, are $9 for adults and teens, $5 for children and seniors; two-day passes are $15 for adults, $8 for seniors and ages 3 and up. Ages 2 and under are free. Produced by the Arts Council of Fairfax County. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Call 703-255-1868 or visit wolftrap@wolftrap.org.
Auditions for "The Drowsy Chaperone" to be presented by McLean Community Players Jan. 14-29, 2011, take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Auditions are also scheduled for Monday from 7 to 9:30 p.m., with callbacks Wednesday. Download and complete the MCP audition form, attach your resume and a small headshot, and bring them with you. Come prepared to dance and sing. McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave. Visit www.mcleanplayers.org.
"Art Out Loud," an evening of music and art, features artist Mary Gallagher Stout presenting pieces and discussing their meaning and inspiration, followed by original songs performed by Northern Virginia's own Alt-Rockers Big Green Cherry, from 7 to 11 p.m. Admission is free. Workhouse Art Center, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. Call 703-495-0001 or visit http://workhousearts.org/events/341/gallery-after-hours-art-out-loud...a-fusion-of-art-and-music.
Sunday, Sept. 19
Native American Woodlands Walk, led by docent Terry Lierke, tours the Potomac Valley Native Plant Collection with emphasis on the uses Native Americans made of plants for successful survival, at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna. Visit www.nvrpa.org/parks/meadowlark.
Jamey Long, author of the Possum's Holiday and History series, reads from his selection of children's books from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Admission is free; a Fall for the Book event. theSPACE, Old Town Plaza, 3955 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax. Visit www.fallforthebook.org.
"Poetic Art," collaborations between professional and amateur poets and artists, opens with a reception and poetry reading from 2 to 4 p.m. The exhibit runs through Oct. 10; gallery hours are Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Gallery W-16, Second Floor, Workhouse Art Center, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. Visit www.workhousearts.org.
All-Steinway School Celebration featuring George Mason University faculty and students, with a special memorial tribute to Mason flute professor Judith Lapple, begins at 3 p.m. Reception immediately following. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors; benefits the Jean Carrington Cook Memorial Piano Scholarship Fund. Center of the Arts Concert Hall, GMU, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Call 888-945-2468 or visit www.cfa.gmu.edu.
Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel investigates the lives and works of three of the most prolific composers of all time in "The Three Great 'Bs' -- Bach, Beethoven, and Barber," at 7 p.m. Tickets are $38, $30, $19; youth through grade 12 are half price when accompanied by an adult. Center for the Arts, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Call 888-945-2468 or visit www.cfa.gmu.edu.
Monday, Sept. 20
Mr. Knick Knack! entertains children with heart-centered music every Monday through October at 10:30 a.m. Admission is free. Reston Town Center Pavilion. Call 703-689-4699 or visit www.restontowncenter.com.
"Tunnel People," a gallery talk by award-winning photojournalist Teun Voeten, discusses the struggles and pleasures of homeless New Yorkers living in the city's tunnel systems in the mid-1990s -- part of an exhibition on view throughout the week, from 3 to 4:15 p.m. Admission is free; a Fall for the Book event. Johnson Center, Room 116, George Mason University campus, Fairfax. Visit www.fallforthebook.org.
Tuesday, Sept. 21
Folk Club of Reston-Herndon presents The Steel Wheels at 7:15 p.m. Requested donation is $12. Back room of The Tortilla Factory, 648 Elden St., Herndon. Visit www.restonherndonfolkclub.com or e-mail DAHurdSr@cs.com.
Jennifer Egan, celebrated author of "The Invisible Circus," reads from her new novel, "A Visit from the Goon Squad," and Rick Moody, best known for his novel "The Ice Storm," debuts his new book, "The Four Fingers of Death" from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Admission is free; a Fall for the Book event. Johnson Center Cinema, George Mason University campus, Fairfax. Visit www.fallforthebook.org.
Wakefield Chorale invites singers to join the group for its 29th musical year, with rehearsals every Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. No audition required. Cafeteria, North Springfield Elementary School, 7602 Heming Court, Springfield. Call 703-451-7917.
Wednesday, Sept. 22
Meet Me at the Movies welcomes ages 55 and older to a screening of a feature film at 9:30 a.m. Admission is free; refreshments and door prizes provided. Multiplex Cinema, Reston Town Center, 11940 Market St. Call 703-435-6530.
"Person and Place: The Spirituality of Locale," a talk given by local authors Michael Jawer ("The Spiritual Anatomy of Emotion") and Esther Sternberg ("Healing Spaces"), addresses the brain-body basis of feelings associated with "sense of place," from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Admission is free; a Fall for the Book event. Room 116, Robinson Center, George Mason University campus, Fairfax. Visit www.fallforthebook.org.
Circles of Support, a counselor- and thanatologist-led group open to anyone who is grieving or dealing with a life-changing loss, meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Cost per session is $30. United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Drive, Reston. Call 703-620-3065.
Chez Nous Reston Salon presents "Cultural Capitals: Envisioning the Future," an evening with Martin Moeller, curator at The National Building Museum, who discusses new cultural/museum buildings by "starchitects" at home and abroad, from 7 to 10 p.m. Cost is $35 in advance, $45 at the door; full buffet dinner included. Sunset Hills Montessori School, 11180 Ridge Heights Road, Reston. Call 571-235-3556 or e-mail ChezNousReston@gmail.com.