Theater
George Mason University’s Center for the Arts kicks off its 2016 season with Aquila Theatre‘s witty and thrilling rendition of “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes“; Vienna’s Britches and Hose takes on “Henry IV” while Castaways Repertory Theatre delves into “Raisin in the Sun” and The Little Theatre of Alexandria performs “Grey Gardens.” Creative Cauldron debuts a world premiere in the musical “Monsters of the Villa Diodati” based on Gothic literature demons. The Arlington Players present a comedic twisted tale, “Deathtrap,” a humorous murder mystery that will amuse and confuse. And Dominion Stage opens its season with a roaring performance of “The History Boys,” a rendition of the 2006 Tony Award-winning Best Play of the Season about an unruly bunch of British boarding school boys. Port City Playhouse goes medieval with tales from “Medieval Story Land,” a show for all ages, and Reston Players shifts to opera in January with Terrence McNally’s “Master Class.“
Art
Torpedo Factory opens “Birds of a Feather” by Potomac Fiber Arts, a culmination of things that go together. Workhouse Arts Center hosts Seattle-based ceramic artist Deborah Schwartzkopf; exhibits its Collectors Showcase, a fundraiser featuring works by the artists at the Workhouse; and shows “Foon Sham: Culture House.” On view at Arlington Art Center is “King of the Forest: Adventures in Bioperversity,” which explores the impact humans have on the planet through pieces from 14 artists; Rachel Schmidt’s “Daydream in the Anthropocene,” a futuristic daydream; and “Instructor Select,” an amalgamation of student and instructor works from the center’s adult classes. Del Ray Artisans showcase “True Colors: Like a Rainbow” with an opening reception on Jan. 8. The Waddell Art Gallery of Northern Virginia Community College displays Susan La Mont’s “Personified,” figurative paintings that explore the relationship between people and their environments.
