Arts Club of Washington upcoming events

Spilsbury Reception with Member Artists (Tue, September 15, 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:30:00 GMT

LIMITED TO CLUB MEMBERS

As part of The Spilsbury Committee's mission to cultivate a strong sense of community among the Club’s members, we are pleased to offer an invitation to attend the Spilsbury Members' Reception.

These monthly receptions are an additional way for Club members to connect, discuss current and future Spilsbury exhibits, talk to exhibiting Member artists, hear from the Spilsbury Featured Artists of the month, and to remind members of other activities and events we have planned.

Light refreshments will be offered.

5:30 p.m. - Reception

Xerox Transfer Magnet Workshop (Tue, September 15, 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Xerox Transfer Magnet Workshop

Create fun & personal usable art! ACW Member/Torpedo Factory Artist Samantha Lee Shelton leads a 1.5 hour session Students will create & take home four 2” x 2” mixed media magnets!

Please email 4 Jpeg images: sam.l.shelton@gmail.com by September 13. Images can be color, high contract black and white, and / or grey toned.

Images will be available on site also

Limit: 15

Tuesday, September 15, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

ACW Members: $50

Non-Members: $65

Registration & Cancellation Policy

Payment covers all materials. No makeups, refunds, or credits for missed classes.

The ACW Studio is located on the 3 rd floor via steep stairs. There is no other access.

The Art of Cave Exploration, The Final Frontier (Wed, September 16, 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The Art of Cave Exploration,

“The Final Frontier:

To Go Where No Humans Have Gone Before”

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

MEMBERS $30 - NON-MEMBERS $40

“Beer and wine, light hors d’oeuvres”

Join us for an exhilarating evening exploring the art and hidden wonders of caves through film and storytelling. The evening features an illustrated lecture on The Discovery and Exploration of Burntwood Cave, followed by a compilation of video shorts showcasing the project's highs and lows — both on the surface and deep underground

About the Program

In June 2012, after four years of digging through a bone-chilling, body-hugging crawl known as the Wormway, a team of cave explorers broke into Burntwood Cave — launching a project with the potential to become one of the longest cave systems in West Virginia. This talk follows the breakthrough and the surveys that came after, including a startling U-turn toward a massive trunk passage that may connect to the 55-mile-long Friars Hole system via Underground Spring Creek.

Along the way, the lecture touches on the art and science behind the discovery — including speleogenesis (how the passages were carved and where they can form), karst hydrogeology (the underground rivers and drainage that may connect Burntwood to Underground Spring Creek), and cave meteorology (the airflow and temperature patterns that first hinted at a connection), as well as the artistry of mapping and documenting a cave system as it unfolds passage by passage.

Part two of the evening turns to video shorts capturing the project’s highs and lows: white-knuckle off-road runs in the mighty K5 Chevy Blazer (anaconda-sized hitchhiker included), a hammer-and-explosives battle to clear a massive blocking rock, a fireline crew moving tons of mud and blasted rock, an ATF-approved Micro-Blaster opening access to cave passages never before seen by humans, the evacuation of a hypothermic caver through a partially flooded passage with 12” of air space, and a tense trailside standoff with an agitated timber rattlesnake.

Taken together, the evening is also a showcase of cave art in its many forms, including painting, cartography, photography, literature and videography that bring the underground to the surface.

Presented by: Arts Club of Washington member Bruce Fries. He's a member of the National Speleological Society (NSS) and the West Virginia Association for Cave Studies (WVACS). He’s organized more than a dozen projects that have discovered, mapped and documented geologically significant cave systems in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. A writer and entrepreneur as well as an explorer, Bruce brings his own persistence and a storyteller's eye to his footage, capturing the teamwork, ingenuity, and occasional chaos that come with pushing into the unknown.

Program starts at 7:00 PM

Evening Format

6:00 p.m. Doors Open / Social Hour

7:00 p.m. Illustrated Lecture

8:00 p.m. Video Presentation

8:30 p.m. Q&A and Informal Reception

Dress: Casual

Come witness the beauty, danger, and adventure of caving—both above and below ground!

Limited seating available. Reserve your spot today.

Discounted parking (free for members with membership card) at 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Visionary Evenings with Fashion Designer Patricia Michaels (Thu, September 17, 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

In conversation with world-renowned Fashion Designer Patricia Michaels

Thursday, September 17th, 2026, 6:00 pm

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

$20 Members - $30 Non-Members

The Visionary Committee presents Patricia Michaels of Taos Pueblo. Patricia is an acclaimed fashion designer who gained national fame as a contestant on season 11 of Project Runway; she won First Runner Up and was asked back to participate in All Star. Club member Dana Tai Soon Burgess interviews Patricia about her Native American inspired haute couture fashion which have been featured at the New York Fashion Week, Santa Fe Indian Market, Santa Fe Opera, and museums and fashion shows around the world. Recently, Patricia created a red carpet design for Tantoo Cardinal star of Martin Scorses's film “Killer of the Flower Moon”. Tantoo wore Patricia’s dress at the Cannes Film Festival for the movie premiere.

Cocktails - 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Program - 7:00–8:00 p.m.

Coffee & Dessert Reception - 8:00–9:00 p.m

Discounted parking after 6 pm at 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.

RSVP now online.

Members can also call (202) 331-7282 or email dining&artsclubofwashington.org.

This project is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Salon Concert featuring Robert Marcus and Chengcheng Yao (Fri, September 18, 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Robert Marcus, clarinet

Chengcheng Yao, piano

Program

Felix Mendelssohn

Five Songs Without Words

Clara Schumann

Three Romances

Johannes Brahms

Sonata for Clarinet and Piano Op 120 #2

Francis Poulenc

Sonata for Clarinet and Piano

Members and Guests

$40 Members

6:30 p.m. - Doors open

7:00 p.m. - Performance followed by reception with the artists

Clarinetist and Ingleside Resident Robert Marcus has played the clarinet for more than 75 years, having studied in Los Angeles with Mitchell Lurie and at the Music Academy of the West. He has enjoyed a long history of solo and chamber music performance including appearances with the Nova Vista Symphony, Redwood Symphony, and Los Alamos Symphony in concerti by Mozart, del Aguila, and John Adams, Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie, and Luciano Berio;s orchestral transcription of Brahms’ F-minor Clarinet sonata. Over a span of 60 years he has played frequentsolo and chamber music recitals. In addition to playing the standard clarinet repertoire, his chamber music performances include Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat, Milhaud’s Creation du Monde, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, and Golijov’s Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind.

Praised by Marin Alsop as an “amazing young pianist,” Chengcheng Yao is an emerging expressive artist whose highlights include Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra under Alsop and the Chautauqua Music School Festival Orchestra under Timothy Muffitt. Yao has performed across North America, Europe, and Asia at venues including Alice Tully Hall, Laeiszhalle, Steinway Hall Hamburg, the Mozarteum, Vienna’s Beethoven Center and University of Music and Performing Arts, Beijing’s National Center for the Performing Arts and Forbidden City Concert Hall, and the University of Toronto. Winner of Yale’s 2017 Elizabeth Parisot Prize, she has received numerous awards, to include First prize at the 71 st Steinway International Piano Competition. Yao holds a DMA from the Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University.

MEMBER AND GUEST EVENT

The Salon Concert Series is presented by the Classical Music Committee of The Arts Club of Washington, and offers chamber music in an historic atmosphere evocative of the period during which the music was written.

Basic Relief Printmaking (Sat, September 19, 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Basic Relief Printmaking

Discover the fundamentals of relief printmaking. In this 4 session series, taught by Karen La Du, participants will design, carve, ink and print an edition of hand pulled original prints while exploring the possibilities of this versatile medium. Limit: 15

Saturdays, 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM

September 19

September 26

October 3

October 10

ACW Members: $150

Non-Members: $180

Registration & Cancellation Policy

Payment covers all four classes. No makeups, refunds, or credits for missed classes.

Full refund through August 20; no refunds after.

Classical Arts Society of Washington: Furiant and Flamenco (Sat, September 19, 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Classical Arts Society of Washington

presents

Furiant and Flamenco

Saturday, September 19th, 2026, 6:30 pm

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Members $60 (use RSVP button for discount)

Non-Members $65 BUY TICKETS!

The opening concert of our third season of performances highlights the passionate folklore elements of Spain and Bohemia, fused within the classical forms and textures of Turina and Dvorak for piano, violin, and cello.

Turina’s work blends Andalusian folk elements with French impressionist styles, integrating fiery flamenco melodies with the smooth harmonies of Ravel and Debussy. “Circulo” consists of three miniatures depicting the gradual illumination of the textural landscape at dawn, the joyful dances of midday, and the calm embrace of twilight. Turina’s second piano trio likewise emphasizes colorful Spanish musical idioms within Classical structures, adorned by sweeping melodic lines.

Dvorak’s Dumky Trio is cast in six movements, each a heartfelt homage to the music of his homeland. Nostalgic longing and a specific Czech flavor of tranquility alternate with the “furiant” folk dance of the era, culminating in a bombastic display of virtuosity and passion.

Program

Turina Circulo, Op 91 (10-11 mins)

Amanecer (Dawn)

Mediodía (Midday)

Crepúsculo (Dusk)

Turina Trio No. 2, Op 76 (14-16 mins)

Allegro moderato

Tema con variaciones: Scherzo

Finale: Rondo

Intermission

Dvorak "Dumky" Trio Op. 90 (30-33 mins)

Lento maestoso — Allegro quasi doppio movimento

Poco Adagio — Vivace non troppo

Andante — Vivace non troppo

Andante moderato — Allegretto scherzando

Allegro — Meno mosso

Lento maestoso — Vivace

Christopher Schmitt, piano

cellist Loewi Lin of the NSO

violinist Zino Bogachek of the National Opera

pianist Christopher Schmitt

6:30 pm - Reception with wine and hors d'oeuvres

7:15 pm - Concert start

9:30 pm - Event ends

PLEASE NOTE

The price of your ticket includes hors d’oeuvres and drinks from the open wine and beer bar.

Classical Arts Society of Washington:https://classicalartssociety.org/

Watercolor (for all levels), with Instructor Vian Borchert (Tue, September 22, 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Watercolor (for all levels), with Vian Borchert

In this 6 week Watercolor painting course, designed for all levels, students will explore traditional watercolor and experimental watercolor techniques. Color theory and composition are emphasized through images based on varying subject matters such as landscape and still-life and studies of master artists’ artwork. Students are welcome to work from the images the instructor provides or bring their own images to work from.Students will be guided in creating a pleasing work of art.

Tuesdays, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

September 22

September 29

October 6

October 13

October 20

October 27 (No class)

November 3

ACW Members: $200

Non-Members: $250

*** RSVP by August 31 and receive a 5% discount ***

Supply list will be emailed before 1st class.

Class is limited to 12 participants.

Payment covers all six sessions. No makeups, refunds or credits for missed sessions.

Noir Movie Night - "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" (Tue, September 22, 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

NOIR MOVIE NIGHT

"The Strange Love of Martha Ivers"

Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 6:00 pm

6 p.m. - Light Buffet and Drinks

7 p.m. - Movie with popcorn, Cracker Jacks, and Milk Duds

Open to the Public

$35 members - $40 non-members

(reservations limited to 36 people)

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers follows a man who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his childhood friend, now a powerful heiress, and her district attorney husband, all bound by a dark secret from the past. Featuring stellar performances from Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott, and Kirk Douglas in his screen debut, this tense melodrama blends romance and crime in true film noir style. Praised for its complex characters, moral ambiguity, and strong visual style, critics highlight its gripping plot and enduring appeal for classic noir fans.

Dress Code: Casual

Reimagining an Architect of Modern Jazz: A Celebration of John Coltrane's Centennial (Thu, September 24, 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

REIMAGINING AN ARCHITECT OF MODERN JAZZ

A CELEBRATION OF JOHN COLTRANE'S CENTENNIAL

"REBOOTING JAZZ MUSIC" THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN

JOHN COLTRANE & JOHNNY HARTMAN

Starring

Steve Washington and Paul Carr

Produced by

Cliftine Jones

Thursday, September 24, 2026, 6 - 9 PM

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Members $55 - Non-Members $65

Price includes a reception with hors d'oeuvres and open bar

6:00 p.m. Reception

7:00 p.m. Performance

Dress code: business casual

Steve Washington has been performing for more than 40 years with earnest beginnings in Princeton University's singing and theater groups. After Princeton, Steve performed in numerous professional theatrical productions on land and sea. In the ‘90s, Steve fronted few of DC’s top bands sharing stages with the Marvelettes, the Drifters, the Supremes, the Village People, Peter Noon, and others. 1n 1999, Steve enjoyed a theatrical highlight working under the direction of world-renowned Broadway and West End producer Cameron Macintosh in a production of "Hey, Mr. Producer," which was the first genuine Broadway-at-sea collaboration in cruise ship entertainment industry. Shifting focus to music, Steve began cultivating a jazz-infused body of work, including standards, big band, blues, R&B, funk, Latin & Brazilian, and has been presenting at the area's most popular venues including Blues Alley, the Atlas Theater, the Carlyle Club, Mr. Henry's, the Katzen Arts Center, the Woman's National Democratic Club, the Arts Club of Washington, the Lyceum, and other notable establishments including the area’s most exclusive private social clubs. Along the way, Steve enjoyed more than a decade headlining on the world's finest cruise ships with his one-man shows: "Nat & Sammy Remembered" and "Rhythm, Blues & Broadway." In the last 10 years or so, Steve has sharpened his focus on jazz with the 2015 release of “Right to Love” featuring the Thad Wilson Jazz Orchestra. A full-house CD Release concert at the famed Metropolitan Room in NYC resulted in an invitation to present quarterly at the Metropolitan Room the following year. In 2018, appearances beyond the DMV, included month-long tours in Russia resulting in "Skylark," a 2018 CD recorded in Moscow. In 2020, Steve performed three live-stream concerts, courtesy of Blue House Studio's, "Covid Sessions" series. A CD featuring highlights from those live concerts is pending. In 2023, Steve enjoyed another highlight as the opening artist at the North Carolina Jazz Festival. Steve continues to share his music whenever and wherever possible in the DMV and beyond and looks forward to more discovery and adventure in music and entertainment.

Paul Carr, a Houston native and 1985 Howard University graduate, has dedicated his professional career to performing and promoting Jazz through education and community outreach. He carries on the Texas tenor tradition espoused by great heroes such as the late Houstonians Arnett Cobb and Don Wilkerson who served as his early idols and mentors. He grew up in inner-city Houston, Texas and was a member of the Kashmere High School Stage Band, whose director, the late Conrad Johnson, is the subject of a documentary, Thunder Soul, produced by actor, Jamie Foxx. Though never having had private music lessons, Paul has received several outstanding musician awards at high school and college jazz festivals.

Paul has recorded 8 CD’s, which have been well received by critics and jazz fans alike. His new CD “The Real Jazz Whisperer” features Allyn Johnson, Michael Bowie, Lewis Nash and will be released September, 2020. His CD “DC-NYC Organ Sessions” reached #9 on the Jazz Week radio play charts. His CD released in 2013, “Standard Domain,” reached #3 on the Jazz Week radio play chart and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks. Paul has toured Russia, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Central and South America and has shared the stage with many of the greatest names in jazz. Paul was a favorite of President Clinton during his term in office and Paul performed at many of the Clinton’s private events. He also did a special performance for the late King Hussein and Queen Noir of Jordan at their residence in Aqaba, Jordan.

Paul is passionately committed to the education of children and young adults, particularly as it relates to the preservation of jazz. In 2002, he founded the Jazz Academy of Music, which hosts summer camps and jazz ensembles for kids throughout the year. Paul also serves the Director of the Gettysburg College Jazz Ensemble. Paul has changed the lives of hundreds of his students by selflessly sharing his knowledge of music and life. Several of his students have been admitted and even received full scholarships to some of the top music schools and conservatories in the country. In fact, five of Paul students have been admitted to the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York. Many of his former students are touring and performing all over the world, sharing the stage with some of the top names in jazz music today. Paul’s work was acknowledged in 2012 by ABC Channel 7 News when he was selected as a “Harris Hero” for his amazing work with music students across the area. In March 2014, Paul received the prestigious, Howard University, “Benny Golson Jazz Master Award”, for his outstanding work as a performer, presenter and educator. He also served as a panelist at the 2014 Congressional Black Caucus where he spoke on the importance of jazz education and advocated for a Bill that was circulating in Congress that to offer federal support toward the advancement and preservation of traditional Jazz. In March, 2015 Paul received the County Executive’s “Education Award” for Montgomery County Maryland. Finally, in 2019, Paul was selected as a “Jazz Hero” by the Jazz Journalist Association.

In 2010, Paul re-established the East Coast Jazz Festival as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and serves as its Executive and Artistic Director. The festival enjoys over 3,000 attendees that travel from states across the U.S. and beyond. Held every Presidents Day weekend in Rockville, MD, the festival incorporates a strong educational component, with a high school band competition and free master classes for students as well as an entertainment component with performances by NEA Jazz Masters, such as Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Ellis Marsalis, Roy Haynes and Branford Marsalis, just to name of few.

In 2015, Paul presented his teaching technique for improvisation, “The Theoryless Approach to Jazz Improvisation”, at the JEN Conference in San Diego, to a standing room only audience. The presentation was well received by the audience with many questions and request for a copy of the presentation. Paul also present the techniques at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival to the high school band directors in attendance.

When you think of an ambassador for jazz music today, you have got to include Paul Carr in that grouping, as his work touches all fronts including jazz education, performance and presentation.

“Smokin pure magic baritone, power, and nuance, brilliant falsetto, joyful…. What a show!”

—The South Hampton Press (Montauk Community Notes)

Somewhere Over the Rose: A Tribute to Judy Garland & Bette Midler (Thu, October 01, 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

SOMEWHERE OVER THE ROSE

A Tribute to Judy Garland & Bette Midler

Featuring

Kathy Halenda & David Landrum

Produced by

Cliftine Jones

Thursday, October 1, 2026, 6 - 9 PM

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Members $55 - Non-Members $65

Price includes a reception with hors d'oeuvres and open bar

6:00 p.m. Reception

7:00 p.m. Performance

Dress code: business casual

A professional actor and singer for over thirty years, Ms. Halenda has performed in over 250 professional productions, including twenty national tours where her roles included Rita Marshall in Tootsie, Mama Rose in Gypsy, Mae West in Ziegfeld, Rafaela in Grand Hotel, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Nancy in Oliver and Maggie Jones in 42nd St. She has played New York City, Washington D.C., Boston, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Montreal, Atlantic City, Los Angeles, and a lot of towns in between. Her extensive regional credits include the title roles in Mame (twice), Hello Dolly (twice), Evita and Annie Get Your Gun, as well as Mae West/Jo in Dirty Blonde, Mama Rose in Gypsy (four times), Miss Mona in The Best Lil' Whorehouse in Texas (five times!), Nancy in Oliver (thrice), Miss Hannigan in Annie, and The Plant in Little Shop of Horrors.

Ms. Halenda has emceed for numerous benefits and fundraisers nationwide and she has several one-woman shows under her bedazzled belt...she has created and written or co-written three of them. Her one-woman tour de force, The Brassy Broads of Broadway, premiered in New York City thirty years ago at the famous Danny’s Skylight Room in Manhattan and has been presented nationwide, including at the Philharmonic Center in Naples, FL, the ArtStation in Atlanta, GA and the Mac-Haydn Theatre in upstate New York. Sophie Tucker: Last of the Red-Hot Mamas (co-written by her) was critically acclaimed in Florida, Atlanta, Philadelphia at the Walnut Street Theatre, upstate New York, and in 2009 was chosen and presented at the world-famous Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and at the Arts Festival in Charleston, WV. Her latest creation is Somewhere Over the Rose, a tribute to Judy Garland and Bette Midler. She has performed this one in Florida, Virgina, Georgia and upstate New York. She has also performed her cabarets right here in Richmond, at the Richmond Triangle Players, Center Stage, and Westminster Canterbury and Lakewood Retirement Homes. This buxom, brassy broad is comfortable in any room from opera hall to beer hall!

The New York Daily News calls her “a red-hot mama” and The New York Village Voice calls her “an Ethel Merman style diva”. The Los Angeles Times says she has “a magnificent belt voice and earthy charm.” The L.A. Stage says, “Kathy Halenda is a genuine powerhouse!”. The Reno Gazette call her “a knockout- a singer with a heart of gold.” And the Atlantic City Whoot says it all with, “Kathy Halenda is a winner!”

David Landrum (Pianist) - David is thrilled to be joining Kathy for this brilliant cabaret tribute. He has been the Music Director/Associate Music Director for several shows at Riverside Center of the Performing Arts. Favorite Credits include They’re Playing Our Song, The Sound of Music, and the Riverside Christmas Spectacular. He has even performed onstage at Riverside with Kathy in To Kill a Mockingbird (Boo Radley) and 42nd St. (Oscar). He has a degree in Musical Theater Accompanying from Shenandoah Conservatory and has done 5 years with Shenandoah Summer Music Theater. He was also an adjunct professor and resident music director for a few years at University of Mary Washington.

Thanks for coming to celebrate Judy and Bette. Enjoy the show.

October 2026 Exhibition Opening Reception (Fri, October 02, 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 21:00:00 GMT

In the Monroe Galleries

Opening Reception

Friday, October 2, 2026

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Exhibition Dates

October 2 - 31, 2026

in the Spilsbury Members' Gallery

Sheila Flanders & Samantha Lee Shelton

Club Rule: This is a business social event, the Arts Club reserves the right to refuse service or entry to anyone not dressed properly or to anyone who is not behaving according to normal social etiquette.

Club Hours

Tuesday – Friday: 10:00am to 5:00pm, Saturdays 10:00am to 2:00pm

Sunday & Monday: closed

Club galleries are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required during normal business hours. If you would like to purchase an artwork please contact Gallery Administrator, Christina Jin, at Gallery@ArtsClubOfWashington.org.

This project is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Cabaret Series Presents: Suzy Plays the Saxophone with Artist Earle Simpson (Tue, October 06, 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The George Fulginiti Series:

Cabaret, Cocktails, & Conversation

Co-Sponsorship between Alliance for New Music-Theatre

and

The Arts Club of Washington

SUZY PLAYS THE SAXOPHONE

with Artist Andrew Earle Simpson

Tuesday, October 6th, 2026, 7:00 p.m.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

$65 Members - $75 Non-Members

Prominent silent film musician and Company Member Andrew Earle Simpson. A screening of an exuberant 1928 French/German silent film, Saxophone Suzy, accompanied by a new live score including – you guessed it: saxophone! Also featuring a selection of songs from the Weimar cabaret.

What can you expect coming to our cabaret evenings? Sometimes familiar tunes, to be sure, but we specialize in original cabaret compositions, sometimes crossover genres, and we encourage artists to bend and push boundaries of the cabaret form and always speak to our current times, in the space and the place where we are. We come together for an intimate experience with artists who have something to say and engage in lively conversation with the artists following every performance.

The Arts Club of Washington venue is intimate, perfect for an optimal cabaret experience.

Includes a small bites buffet and a signature cocktail created for this performance. Following the show you will meet the artist and enjoy other fine company. For each performance, the bar opens at 6:30 pm, the show starts at 7:00 pm.

6:30 pm - Doors Open

7:00 pm - Program

8:30 pm - Reception with the Artists

Discounted parking is available after 5:30 pm (free for members with membership card)

Salon Concert featuring Dashiell Waterbury and James Sparks (Thu, October 08, 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Dashiell Waterbury, tenor

James Sparks, piano

Program

Franz Schubert’s Masterpiece: Die Winterreise, D911

Gute Nacht

Die Wetterfahne

Gefror’ne Tränen

Erstarrung

Der Lindenbaum

Wasserflut

Auf dem Flusse

Rückblick

Irrlicht

Rast

Intermission

Frühlingstraum

Einsamkeit

Die Post

Die Krähe

Letzte Hoffnung

Der stürmische Morgen

Der Wegweiser

Das Wirtshaus

Mut

Die Nebensonnen

Der Leiermann

Members and Guests

$40 Members

6:30 p.m. - Doors open

7:00 p.m. - Performance followed by reception with the artists

Dashiell John Waterbury has shared his rich, warm tenor voice with audiences in opera, musical theater, and art song for more than two decades. After earning a Master of Music in Voice Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he embarked on a successful career performing throughout the United States and Europe.

Driven by a passion for Shakespeare and storytelling, Waterbury later completed a second master's degree in Stage Directing at Florida State University. Since then, he has directed productions across a wide range of theatrical genres while continuing to perform on stage, particularly in Shakespearean roles.

His operatic credits include leading roles in Die Zauberflöte, La Bohème, Die Fledermaus, Pagliacci, The Rake's Progress, Gianni Schicchi, and Roméo et Juliette, as well as the title role in The Phantom of the Opera. On the dramatic stage, he has portrayed Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet.

Now based in Washington, D.C., Waterbury recently appeared as the tenor soloist Uriel in Haydn's The Creation, performing with the Washington City Choir and the National Symphony Orchestra.

James Sparks is a Kentucky-born collaborative pianist and vocal coach whose artistry, versatility, and collaborative spirit have made him a sought-after partner for singers and teachers alike. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Morehead State University and a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching and Piano Accompanying from Westminster Choir College.

Recognized for his expressive musicianship, sensitive accompaniment, and insightful coaching, Sparks has collaborated with vocal artists in recital, competition, and performance settings throughout the United States and abroad. His international engagements have taken him to France, Germany, and Switzerland, where he has worked with singers and audiences in a variety of musical traditions.

MEMBER AND GUEST EVENT

MEMBERSHIP MEETING (Wed, October 14, 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

MEMBERSHIP MEETING

OPEN TO MEMBERS ONLY

Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 6:30 pm

Membership Meeting

In-Person & Virtual Meeting 6:30 pm

All members are welcome, the meeting will be in-person at the club and live on Zoom for those who prefer to join the meeting virtually.

.Join the meeting to be informed. Your voice is important.

A link for the meeting will be sent to all members.

Reminders will be sent to members who register.

RSVP not required to attend.

Visionary Evenings with Paul Taylor’s muse, Laura Halzack (Thu, October 15, 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

An evening of modern dance performance and conversation with Paul Taylor’s muse, Laura Halzack

Thursday, October 15th, 2026 6:30 pm

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Members $30 - Non-Members $45

Join the Arts Club of Washington for an evening with acclaimed dancer and choreographer Laura Halzack, interviewed about her distinguished career by Arts Club member choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess. Ms.Halzack presents new dances by her New York City based company, LaHa Dance Group.

Regarded as one of the last muses of legendary choreographer Paul Taylor, Halzack joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 2006. During her 13-year career with the company, Taylor created 16 works on her, including the principal female role in his final masterpiece, “Beloved Renegade”. She also performed in 67 of his works, portraying more than 80 roles.

Halzack has performed with leading contemporary choreographers and companies and has been featured by Dance Magazine, including its “On the Rise” and “Behind the Curtain” series and its February 2018 cover.

Today, Halzack is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of LaHa Dance Group, which she founded in 2022. Her choreography has been presented at venues and festivals including the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and the Asbury Park Dance Festival, with commissions from Alma College, The George Washington University, and Towson University.

The Arts Club is delighted to welcome Laura Halzack and LaHa Dance Group for this special evening celebrating the legacy of Paul Taylor and the continuing evolution of contemporary dance.

Cocktail hour 6:30-7

Program 7-8

Dessert 8-9

Discounted parking after 6 pm at 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.

RSVP now online.

Members can also call (202) 331-7282 or email dining&artsclubofwashington.org.

This project is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Online payments are non-refundable. Paid tickets can be canceled online for an account credit up to 48 hours before the event. Members can canceled their reservation without a penalty until the day before the event.

Spilsbury Reception with Member Artists (Tue, October 20, 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 21:30:00 GMT

LIMITED TO CLUB MEMBERS

As part of The Spilsbury Committee's mission to cultivate a strong sense of community among the Club’s members, we are pleased to offer an invitation to attend the Spilsbury Members' Reception.

Light refreshments will be offered.

5:30 p.m. - Reception

"Emily," the new Conner & Smith Musical (Wed, October 21, 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

The Literary and Drama Committees

Invite You To Experience a New Musical

Work-In-Progress

“Emily” by Connor & Smith

Starring Susan Derry

Accompanied by Alex Tang

Wednesday, October 21st, 2026, 6:30pm

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

$30 Members - $40 Non-Members

Please join us at the historic Monroe House as the Arts Club of Washington proudly hosts, Matt Conner (Composer) and Stephen Gregory Smith (Libretto & Lyrics) as they preview a new work in development “Emily – A New Musical” inspired by the work of Emily Dickinson being written for Susan Derry (Broadway Artist, Singer, Actor and Professor). Susan will be accompanied by the incomparable pianist Alex Tang.

6:30pm - Beer/Wine Open Bar

7:00pm - Emily

8:00pm – Reception with the Creators

"Perhaps the most prolific writers of musicals in the Washington area who consistently get their work produced."

~ The Washington Post

About Conner & Smith Musicals

Discounted parking (parking is free to members with membership card) at 2001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW DC at the corner of I Street and 20^th Street (Colonial Garage).

The Keyboard Trust Concert: Chenyu Wang (Sun, October 25, 2026)

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

The Keyboard Charitable Trust

and

The Arts Club of Washington

present

Chenyu Wang, piano

Sunday, October 25th, 2026 at 6:30 pm

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

ACW Members $40 ~ Non-Members $50

Sponsored by the Keyboard Trust and

the Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation.

A meet-the-artist reception will follow the musical performance.

About the Event:

Price includes open bar and reception with hors d'oeuvres following the performance. Bar opens at 6:30 pm. Performance at 7:00 pm.

Spilsbury Reception with Member Artists (Tue, November 17, 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 22:30:00 GMT

LIMITED TO CLUB MEMBERS

As part of The Spilsbury Committee's mission to cultivate a strong sense of community among the Club’s members, we are pleased to offer an invitation to attend the Spilsbury Members' Reception.

Light refreshments will be offered.

5:30 p.m. - Reception

Distinguished Speaker: The Incomparable Renee Fleming (Tue, November 17, 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Classical Music Committee presents

Music and the Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

$30 Members - $40 Non-Members

Ms. Fleming will discuss the vast potential of the creative arts – music, dance, and synchronous movements – to sooth, comfort and connect us to each other, and thereby promote health and well-being across all cultures, religions, and races.

Deepak Chopra describes the anthology “Music and Mind,” edited by Renee Flemming, as the most comprehensive compilation of the role of music in every aspect of life, from biological evolution to our own mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. The meaning of life is in the music of life.

Soprano Renee Fleming - Renée Fleming is one of the most highly acclaimed singers of our time, performing on the stages of the world’s great opera houses and concert halls. Honored with five Grammy ® Awards and the U.S. National Medal of Arts, she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. In 2014, she brought her voice to a vast new audience when she became the first classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. In December 2023, she was one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors. Other notable honors have included the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur from the French government, Germany's Cross of the Order of Merit, Sweden's Polar Music Prize and honorary membership in England's Royal Academy of Music.

Fleming is a prominent advocate for awareness of the impact of music and the creative arts on health and neuroscience, winning a Research!America award for Impact on Public Opinion. In May 2023, Fleming was appointed by the World Health Organization as a Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health. In 2024, she launched the Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Awards in partnership with the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative at Johns Hopkins University and the Aspen Institute. Presented annually, the grants fund interdisciplinary research by early career scientists in collaboration with arts practitioners. In April 2024, Penguin Random House published Fleming's anthology Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness. In January 2025, Fleming was appointed as an inaugural member of the World Economic Forum Global Arts and Culture Council. Ms. Fleming has presented her program Music and the Mind in more than 50 cities around the world.

PROGRAM

6:30 p.m. - Beer/Wine Open Bar

7:00 p.m. - Program

7:45 p.m. – Book signing and reception with Renee Fleming

Ms. Fleming will sign copies of her book brought to the presentation. Copies of the book will not be on sale at the event

The Distinguished Speakers in Classical Music Series is a project of the Classical Music Committee of The Arts Club of Washington.

This project is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Arts Club of Washington is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. located at 2017 I Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20006