Attend a Playboi Carti concert, visit a German Expressionist exhibit at NGA, and more.
Want More Things to Do?
by Briana Thomas
Art and culture:
- Planet Word and MahoganyBooks celebrates the birthday of historic poet Langston Hughes with a poetry gathering (February 1, free, Downtown).
- Karaoke, cocktails, and art are spotlights of this month’s Phillips After 5 gathering (February 1, $20, Dupont).
- View photographer Keisuke Hirai’s joyful images from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake at the Japan Information & Culture Center (through March 13, free, Northwest DC).
- Bring a lawn chair or blanket to a movie screening of The Incredibles at National Building Museum (February 3, $15, Penn Quarter).
- Violist Jordan Bak, flutist Adam Sadberry, and harpist Ashley Jackson make a sold-out Phillips Collection debut (February 4, $15 virtual tickets still available).
- DC Artists discuss how art impacts the Civil Rights Movement (February 8, free, Southeast DC).
- Explore Black art and books at NMWA Nights after-hours party (February 21, $25, Northwest DC).
- A new record label launches in DC this month. Check out Outside Time, and music and art by Nate Scheible and Claire Alrich (February 23, $10+, Takoma).
Community and heritage:
- This film showing at AFI Silver Theatre deep-dives into the life of civil rights activist James Baldwin (February 1-4, $13, Silver Spring).
- Potomac Phil makes his Groundhog Day appearance; there’s polka music, and pastries to enjoy (February 2, free, Dupont).
- Walk through the “Ancestral Spaces” of historic site Tudor Place (February 6 through April 21, $10, Georgetown).
- DC Black History Film Festival features screenings of documentaries, films, shorts, and more (February 9-10, free, U Street, Northeast DC).
- Ethiopian-American musician and cultural strategist Meklit Hadero hosts Movement— a show about artistry and migration (February 15, $25, Silver Spring).
- Don’t miss a Black History Month choral tribute to freedom leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (February 18, $25+, Kennedy Center).
Theater:
- Watch a flashback film at Miracle Theatre on Groundhog Day (February 2, $8, Capitol Hill).
- Keegan Theatre takes on a revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along musical (February 3 through March 3, $60, Dupont).
- Follow The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes as the all-Black-women cast prepares for a big homecoming performance (February 4 through March 3, pay-what-you-will tickets available, Penn Quarter).
- Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Private Jones—an inspiring musical set in World War I (February 6 through March 10, $40+, Arlington).
- See a gender-swapped adaptation of Broadway comedy Lend Me A Soprano at Olney Theatre Center (February 7 through March 10, $25+, Olney).
- Experience the Shakespeare romance of Romeo & Juliet portrayed by Synetic Theater (February 9 through March 24, $35, Arlington).
- Ain’t Too Proud narrates the legacy and music of Motown’s The Temptations (February 13-18, $45+, Kennedy Center).
Shows and performance:
- Magician Justin Willman takes his Netflix special on tour (February 3, $35+, Tysons).
- Comedian Matteo Lane performs a stand-up show at Kennedy Center (February 4, February 10, $39+, Kennedy Center).
- Acclaimed Broadway actress Stephanie J. Block performs at Wolf Trap (February 9, $67+, Vienna).
- Local theater collective Story District wants to know if you’re a Sucker for Love (February 10, $39, U Street).
- Have A Date With John Waters for Valentine’s Day (February 14, $44+, Baltimore).
- The Washington Ballet blends jazz with dance to pay homage to icons such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Lena Horne, and many more (February 14-18, $30+, Kennedy Center).
- The first three shows of all-star comedian Hasan Minhaj’s stand-up are sold out, but one more show was just added to The Anthem lineup (February 17, $53+, Wharf).
- Laugh with comedian Michael Blackson at Warner Theatre (February 23, $102+, Downtown).
- DC entertainers Benny and Jasmine Burton host Young, Black and Funny at Union Stage (February 29, $20+, Wharf).
Music:
- A.J.—the son of ’70s rock singer Jim Croce—takes his father’s legendary music on tour (February 8, $38+, Warner Theatre).
- Major salsa artist Marc Anthony brings his Historia Tour to DC (February 9, $59+, Capital One Arena).
- Greensky Bluegrass teams up with Molly Tuttle and Melt for a two-day show at The Anthem (February 9-10, $45+, Wharf).
- Dance to Afrobeats at Reggae Fest (February 10, $20+, Howard Theatre).
- DC9 Nightclub features local punk quintet Loud Boyz for their 20th birthday celebration (February 12, $20, U Street Corridor).
- Award-winning songwriter Kevin Ross celebrates Valentine’s Day at The Birchmere (February 14, $65, Alexandria).
- Tony Sands sings Frank Sinatra tunes at The Hamilton (February 14, $15+, Downtown).
- Vocalist and poet Jamila Woods sings self-love melodies at Howard Theatre (February 16, $27+, Howard Theatre).
- Go-go group Rare Essence play an all-ages concert (February 17, free, limited tickets available at the door, virtual, Kennedy Center).
- Brittany Howard arrives in DC to promote her new album What Now (February 20-21, $56, Shaw).
- King George, Calvin Richardson, and several others headline Capital City Blues Festival (February 23, $108+, Downtown).
- More than 20 acts are on the Initialize lineup produced by rave party promoters Hast du Feuer (February 23, $30, Northeast DC).
- Expect to hear a mix of folk, rock, and reggae at Sara Curruchich’s Hill Center concert (February 23, $20+, Capitol Hill).
- Avant-garde pop artist Tkay Maidza makes a tour stop in DC (February 27, $22+, Howard Theatre).
- Mexican artist BRATTY rocks a Leap Day concert at Songbyrd (February 29, $18+, Northeast DC).
Things to do with kids:
- Younger audiences can see folktale The Girl Who Became Legend come to life on the Kennedy Center stage (February 2-11, $20, Kennedy Center).
- A bilingual Cinderella musical entertains kids at Imagination Stage (February 15 through April 7, $12+, Bethesda).
A version of this article appears in the January 2023 issue of Washingtonian.
