Stage & Screen Events: May 2017

RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 21
I Ought to Be in Pictures
Screenwriter Herb Tucker is quite surprised when he finds his abandoned daughter of 16 chilling on his front steps demanding a career in the movies for leaving her as a child. A fair trade, I’d say. It’s later revealed that Libby doesn’t long for a life of fame, but instead for a relationship with her estranged dad. Neil Simon lends his knack for warmth and comedy in this father/daughter tale, and translates the message that it’s never too late to start anew with family. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20-$30. Theatre on the Run: 3700 South Four Mile Run Dr. Arlington, VA; www.petersalley.com 

THURSDAY, MAY 4 – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7
Laura Bush Killed a Guy
Remember during Trump’s inauguration when we witnessed George W. Bush playing with a poncho, and collectively swooned and wished him and his wife back into the White House? This play might change our minds. Written by Ian Allen, DC theater collective The Klunch’s Laura Bush Killed a Guy shines a light on the first lady’s upbringing in Texas, her marriage to Bush and that one time she ran a stop sign and killed someone. Accident? Murder? Alternative facts? Various dates and showtimes. Tickets are $25. Caos on F: 923 F St. NW, DC; www.theklunch.com

FRIDAY, MAY 5 – SATURDAY, MAY 6
30th Annual Evening of Comedy
If you feel like spending an evening laughing, then the 30th Annual Evening of Comedy is for you! Three performances of back-to-back stand-up entertainment will be placed before your very eyes. Who will it be? We don’t know until we get there. Isn’t that the best part? Not knowing? Reminds me of all those times I never told a guy when I had a crush on them, and now they’ll never know. But you’ll know who is performing when you get to Wolf Trap, for sure. Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$28. The Barns at Wolf Trap: 1635 Trap Rd. Vienna, VA; www.wolftrap.org

SATURDAY, MAY 6 – MONDAY, MAY 22
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche
It’s the annual quiche brunch meeting in a small, quiet town in 1956. The women of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are meeting to discuss business. When the conversation turns to the possibility of an atomic bomb being dropped on their homes, tensions rise (and so do skirts). Trapped in a small space with what could be the very last quiche on Earth (a true tragedy), what happens next just might surprise you. Monday, and Thursday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30. Atlas Performing Arts Center: 1333 H St. NE, DC; www.monumentaltheatre.org

TUESDAY, MAY 9 – SUNDAY, JUNE 11
Timon of Athens
Timon is a popular and rich nobleman with one major flaw: his generosity. Surrounded by friends, fame and fortune, what could possible go wrong? It isn’t until one major happenstance halts Timon’s life forever that his money and friendships begin to fade away. Helen Hayes Award winner Ian Merrell Peakes, who has also portrayed title characters Othello and Macbeth, tackles the role of Timon in this gripping Shakespearean tragedy of a man undone by his goodness. Various dates and showtimes. Tickets are $35-$75. Folger Shakespeare Library: 201 E. Capitol St. SE, DC; www.folger.edu

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17
BrouHaHa
If you’re afraid of clowns, you might want to sit this one out. If not, it’s all you! BrouHaHa, described as a state of social agitation when a minor incident goes out of control, is a devised work comprised entirely of clowns. The existential escapade is inspired by Samuel Beckett, and for those familiar with the playwright, I’m sure you know what you’re in for. I hear there’s quite the ensemble to been seen here, as well as lots of comedy and even music! Wednesday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Reston Community Center Stage: 2310 Colts Neck Rd. Reston, VA; www.happenstancetheater.com 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17 – SUNDAY, JUNE 18
Proof
When children inherit their parents’ intelligence, we talk about it. We praise them and claim that our genes provided them with their smarts. But what happens when a child inherits their parents’ mental illness? Do we boast about it? Talk about it? Or push it under the rug? Join the players as they tackle the familial movements between sanity and brilliance in this spellbinding show. Wednesday through Saturday at 7:45 p.m., Sunday at 1:45 p.m. Tickets are $45-$50. Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab: 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. Olney, MD; www.olneytheatre.org

SATURDAY, MAY 27
Whoopi Goldberg
Do I really even need to elaborate on this or try to convince you to go? This is Whoopi freakin’ Goldberg. Ghost! Sister Act! Winner of a Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award! Want to get up close and personal with this hilarious and badass actress? Then you’ll be at this show. Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $65-$130. The Music Center at Strathmore: 5301 Tuckerman Ln. Bethesda, MD; www.strathmore.org