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City Guide - Washington, DC - Culture | ||
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Culture Perhaps the most famous theatre in Washington, although not necessarily for the performances there, is Ford's Theatre at 501 Tenth Street, NW (tel: (202) 347 4833). In 1863, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln dead in the theatre and it was subsequently closed until 1968, when it reopened with the assistance of the government. It now puts on musicals, multicultural and family plays. Visitors to the city are spoilt for choice when it comes to theatres. The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (tel: (202) 467 4600) at 2700 F Street, NW, has six theatres and is home to the Washington Ballet, Washington Opera, the Washington Performing Arts Society and the American Film Institute. Tickets for many performances are hard to come by and are therefore rarely discounted. However, it is worth ringing the theatre box office on the day to check the situation. The main outlet for discounted, day-of-show tickets is Ticketplace at the Old Post Office Pavilion, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (tel: (202) 842 5387), which is open Tuesday-Saturday 1100-1800. Tickets for individual performances can also be purchased from Ticketmaster (tel: (202) 432 7328or (800) 551 7328, toll free USA and Canada only; website: www.ticketmaster.com). During the summer, there are regular free outdoor concerts throughout the city, for example in Georgetown, near the Washington Monument and by the US Capitol. For up-to-date information on what is on each week, the free listings paper, Washington City Paper, is published on Fridays. Music: The Washington Opera (tel: (202) 295 2400) has its home at the prestigious John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (see above) and has the great tenor, Placido Domingo, as its Artistic Director. The National Symphony Orchestra (tel: (202) 467 4600) is an artistic affiliate of the Kennedy Center with a regular concert season. As the capital's orchestra, it performs at presidential inaugurations and leads the Independence Day and Memorial Day celebrations. Theatre: The National Theatre (tel: 202) 628 6161), at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, one of America's oldest continuously operating theatres, puts on pre-Broadway shows or Broadway hits that are on tour. The Shakespeare Theatre (tel: (202) 547 1122), at 450 Seventh Street, NW, presents mainly the works of Shakespeare, as its name suggests, but other classics as well. Alternative works are performed at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (tel: (703 218 6500), 1401 Church Street, NW. Touring Broadway shows and family entertainment, including comedy, dance and music concerts, can be found at the Warner Theatre (tel: (202) 628 1818), on 13 and E Streets, NW. Dance: The Washington Ballet has its home at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (see above) and has a vast repertoire of both classical and contemporary performances. International dance companies frequently give performances in Washington, DC, both at the Kennedy Center and at the Smithsonian Institution (tel: (202) 357 2700). Film: There are several cinemas around the city, mainly showing mainstream films, such as AMC Union Station at 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Cineplex Odeon Dupont Circle at 1350 19th Street, NW, General Cinema at Mazza Gallerie at 5300 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, and Cineplex Odeon at 4000 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. In addition, there are several places specialising in alternative works, such as the American Film Institute (tel: (202) 785 4600) at the Kennedy Center. With Washington, DC being the heart of American government, several films feature the city. One of the best known has to be All the President's Men directed by Alan J Pakula in 1976. More recent was Oliver Stone's 1995 film Nixon, Ivan Reigman's Dave (1993) and Rob Reiner's The American President (1995). Action films have also been set in the city including A Clear and Present Danger (1994), In the Line of Fire (1993) and Independence Day (1996). Even the horror film The Exorcist (1973) was set in Georgetown. Cultural events: The International Film Festival takes place every year from late April to early May at various theatres throughout the city,where the best in international cinema can be enjoyed including premieres and restored classics. The Independence Day celebrations take place on the National Mall with a day full of activities and concerts followed by a spectacular firework display. Literary Notes Washington, DC pops up in many novels, as befits the capital of a nation. It regularly appears in the novels of John Grisham, such as The Pelican Brief (1992), as well as the thrillers of Tom Clancy, most made into films, such as Clear and Present Danger (1985) and Patriot Games (1987). Washington, DC is home to the author Gore Vidal, who has set many of his novels here, but specifically chronicled the history of America from the Revolution through to the present day in five novels Washington, DC (1967), Burr (1974), 1876 (1976), Lincoln (1984) and Empire (1987). The Washington, DC reporters who exposed the Watergate break-in possibly changed the course of history. Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward's dogged investigations in All the President's Men eventually led to the indictment of President Richard Nixon in 1974. More recent presidential goings-on are covered in Monica's Story (1999) by Andrew Morton. |