From a lecture on the African-American experience in Paris to a drag rendition of "The Color Purple," there's plenty to enjoy in Washington this week ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Read on for a rundown of ideas for how to fill your calendar.
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Paris Noir: The African American History of Paris
First, Johns Hopkins University professor Tristan Cabello is set to discuss the history of African-American writers, artists and intellectuals who've self-exiled in Paris. Subjects of the talk will include Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Josephine Baker, as well as French counterparts Albert Camus, Jean Cocteau and Simone de Beauvoir. Hosted by the Alliance Française of Washington, D.C., the lecture will be given in English.
When: Thursday, Jan. 17, 7-9:30 p.m.
Where: Alliance Française de Washington DC, 2142 Wyoming Ave. NW
Admission: $15
Click here for more details, and to get your tickets
Murder Mystery Dinner at Maggiano's
Next, join fellow sleuths for a murder mystery show at Maggiano's Little Italy in Chevy Chase. Tickets include a three-course family-style dinner, beer and wine, and a good-humored homicide investigation.
When: Friday, Jan. 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Where: Maggiano's Little Italy Chevy Chase, 5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Admission: $75
Click here for more details, and to get your tickets
The Old-School Hip-Hop Bar Crawl: MLK Weekend
On the Sunday preceding Martin Luther King Jr. Day, join hip-hop heads for a bar crawl around U Street. Check-in begins at 3 p.m. at Ben's Next Door, and the crawl proceeds through six different bars with nine hip-hop DJs over eight hours. Red Lounge, Provision 14 and Amsterdam Lounge are among the stops.
When: Sunday, January 20, 3-11 p.m.
Where: Various U Street venues
Admission: $20
Click here for more details, and to get your tickets
Lip Synched Stage Play: 'The Color Purple Twisted'
Finally, check out "The Color Purple Twisted", a lip-synched, drag rendition of "The Color Purple." Watch Celie, a downtrodden drag queen (played by D.C.'s own Shi-Queeta-Lee), as she triumphs over adversity to discover her own voice in this fresh take on the film based on the Alice Walker novel.
Dinner tickets have already sold out, but tickets for just the show are still available.
When: Sunday, Jan. 20, 6-11 p.m.
Where: Queeta's Palace at Chateau Remix, 3439 Benning Road NE
Admission: $25
Click here for more details, and to get your tickets
