Entertainment

‘Look Around and See the Smiles’

Special-ed students enjoy Day Prom at the Waterford.

Last Thursday, May 8, some 400 students got all dressed up and went to their prom at the Waterford in Fair Oaks. Once there, they had professional photos taken, ate pizza, sang karaoke, laughed and hung out with their friends. And when the music played their favorite songs, they filled the dance floor and showed off their coolest moves.

Reston Association Holds May Yard Sale

Participants enjoy good weather at yard sale event.

“I heard about this yard sale from a co-worker,” said Alfred Carter, a resident of Alexandria. Carter was one of 95 participants in the May biannual yard sale hosted by the Reston Association. The yard sale was held at the parking lot near the organization’s office at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive the morning of Saturday, May 17. Shoppers and vendors mingled from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., enjoying the nice weather. “It is very nice and well organized,” said Carter, who brought an assortment of items to the yard sale.

Fine Arts Festival Brings Art to the Community

Signature local art event enriches community life.

“I think the opening night could not be better,” said Derryl Harris, a board member of Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE). Harris attended the Friday opening night event for the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival. The festival, an annual event produced by GRACE, is a competitive, juried, outdoor event showcasing some of the finest contemporary fine art and craft. Each year the Festival features over 200 skilled artisans who utilize both traditional and unconventional materials and techniques to create, hand-crafted, original works of art available for purchase. The diversity of fine art and fine craft at the Festival, now in its 23rd year, ensures there were many tastes. A highlight of the Festival is the opportunity to interact directly with the artists.

Reston Community Orchestra Holds Season Finale

Concert features two young pianists.

The afternoon of Sunday, May 18, at Reston Community Center CenterStage, the Reston Community Orchestra (RCO) preformed their final concert of the 2013-2014 with a performance featuring two young pianists. Pianists Mark Dang and Matthew Geier performed Haydn’s “Piano Concerto in D Major.” The program also included Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite #2” and selections from “Forest Gump.” Conducting the orchestra was Dingwall Fleary, a maestro who has directed Reston Community Orchestra for 16 years.

Creating a Community in Tysons

Plethora of events this year in Tysons Corner.

Michael Caplin is helping to turn Tysons Corner into a community.

McLean Day a Sunny Success

McLean Day is the town rite of passage for residents, and this year, they couldn’t be happier.

Friends, families, organizations, and businesses gathered festively for the 99th anniversary of the annual McLean Day, held in Lewinsville Park on Saturday, May 17. On the sunny afternoon, mazes of booths brimmed again with visitors, who collected free giveaways, entered in raffles, and learned about the opportunities and products available to them from their Northern Virginia neighbors. From the stage, each half hour was punctuated with a new performance: dog trainers, McLean High School jazz musicians, award ceremonies, and dance ensembles dazzled the crowds below.

Books for a Bargain at the Great Falls Sale

Literary pickings made their way from the shelves of Great Falls families’ homes to the tables of the Great Falls Book Sale last weekend, for a biannual fundraising event held by the Friends of the Great Falls Library.

GI Film Festival 2014

VMI story told in “Field of Lost Shoes.”

A standing room only crowd packed the Old Town Theatre May 19 for the GI Film Festival’s world premiere of “Field of Lost Shoes,”

Piloting Food Trucks

Most of controversial food truck proposal placed on back burner.

The food truck craze is coming to a city park or a farmer's market near you, part of a 16-month pilot program that will allow the mobile vendors to set up shop and see what happens. City Council members approved the pilot program in a four-to-two vote with Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg and Councilman Paul Smedberg voting no. Disgruntled restaurant owners across the city are talking about creating a new association specifically to fight expanding the program to hot spots in Old Town and Del Ray, a move city officials have been pushing for more than a year. The pilot is scheduled to begin in July and run through October 2015.

Volunteers Mosey Up for Hoedown

Scores honored for good deeds at Rising Hope.

Home on the range, it was a time for tall boots, cowboy hats and “no discouraging words” at the Rising Hope Hoedown which feted the church’s scores of volunteers from the Mount Vernon community and surrounding churches, Friday, May 2, at the South County Building. In fact, the words were most encouraging.

Reminiscences and Remembrances

Chantilly High celebrates its 40th birthday.

Chantilly High celebrated its 40th birthday, Friday evening, May 2, and alumni from several different graduating classes returned to participate in the festivities. They took SGA-guided school tours, viewed exhibits of current programs and learned Chantilly trivia. They also saw displays of Charger sports accomplishments while enjoying both chocolate and vanilla birthday cakes. The Robotics Team exhibited its award-winning technology and the SGA presented a Powerpoint of the school’s history.

Cappies Review

Mount Vernon Players presented a fascinating production of “Aida” School Edition on April 25. With simple but timely sets and an enthusiastic ensemble the Mount Vernon players created a memorable play. The cast’s energy in numbers and their exuberant facial expressions shine through to create a vivid story and make the musical come alive through the singing, the dancing and the acting.

Signature Stages “The Threepenny Opera”

Musical presents dark critique of capitalism in this updated translation.

“Life’s a bitch and then you die.” Signature Theatre in Shirlington is staging an updated version of “The Threepenny Opera” through June 1. While it was written in 1920s Germany (and based on John Gay’s 1728 “The Beggar’s Opera”), its themes are timeless: the brutality of humanity and the scathing critique of a capitalist society.

LTA Presents “Boeing, Boeing”

Comical farce stars a philandering architect engaged to three stewardesses.

The Little Theatre of Alexandria is presenting the non-stop comedy, “Boeing, Boeing,” now through May 24. Set in a 1965 Paris apartment on the same day, the classic farce written by French playwright Marc Camoletti is centered on Bernard, a swinging architect engaged to three flight attendants all at once. Bernard’s life goes haywire when his friend Robert comes to visit and a newer, speedier Boeing jet messes up all of his careful planning. Inevitably, all three stewardesses come to visit at the same time, but the ending’s not what you’d expect.

Enjoy Classic Clifton Experience

17th Annual Clifton Caboose Twilight Run is May 17.

Gary Anderson, chairman of the Clifton Caboose Twilight Run, isn’t entirely sure why the run was originally chosen to take place at twilight. It was already a twilight run when he became chairman in 2005, and he liked it that way.

The Connection