Annual touring artist series returns to Reston Community Center

Reston Community Center has announced its annual lineup of professional artists that will grace its stage for the 2022-2023 season.

Tickets will be available for Reston residents and employees on Aug. 1 and to the general public on Aug. 8.

This year’s series includes a special anniversary program by the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellows program and a talk by author and activist Heather McGhee. Theater artist Ping Chong will also take part in an artist-in-residence program this season.

RCC’s arts and culture director Douglas Michnewicz said he is thrilled to have a complete slate of performers this year.

“We have several special events, including performances by some of the best-loved National Heritage Fellows, and a residency by national Medal of Arts honoree Ping Chong,” Michnewicz said. “We also are excited to welcome back some of Reston’s favorite performers as we sing, dance, laugh, cry and think together at the CenterStage.”

This year’s Reston Multicultural Festival will feature the NEA’s nine fellows, as RCC marks the 10th year of having the fellowship in Reston and the overall program’s 40th anniversary. The festival is on Saturday, Sept. 17, and performances will take place at varying times between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

A complete line up of the schedule is below, after the jump.

All performances take place at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road), unless otherwise noted.

Lynda Barry, painter, cartoonist, commentator
Saturday, October 1, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Join cartoonist and writer Lynda Barry for commentary, humor and inspiration.

The Slow Hustle
Monday, October 17, 7:30 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
An HBO original documentary from director Sonja Sohn (HBO’s Baltimore Rising and The Wire) chronicles the still-unsolved death of Baltimore police detective Sean Suiter, fatally shot in 2017 while in the line of duty and explores the ongoing speculation about what really happened that day. This film is part of the Washington West Film Festival and will be followed by a live discussion with producer Mahrya MacIntire.

Josh Blue
As NOT Seen on TV
Wednesday, October 19, 8:00 p.m.
$25 Reston/$35 Non-Reston
Josh Blue, winner of Last Comic Standing in 2006 and a finalist on America’s Got Talent in 2021, has risen to become a well-established comedy headliner at venues throughout the world. His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution, and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are alike.

Trout Fishing in America
Sunday, November 13, 3:00 p.m.
$5 Reston/$10 Non-Reston
Trout Fishing in America is the longstanding, four-time Grammy-nominated musical partnership of Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet. A willingness to at once make fun of our most annoying daily habits, then to touch our hearts with tender and passionate images of family life, is what makes the connection between Trout Fishing in America and its audiences so compelling and poignant.

Youn Sun Nah, jazz vocalist
Saturday, November 19, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Renowned throughout Europe and Asia, Youn Sun Nah has built an impressive mainstream following by performing on some of the world’s greatest stages.

Lulu Fall
Between Two Worlds
Wednesday December 14, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Broadway singer, dancer and actress Lulu Fall infuses global perspective in her musical performance.

Lúnasa with guest artist MALINDA
Saturday, December 17, 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
$25 Reston/$35 Non-Reston
Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lúnasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. Its members have helped form the backbone of some of the greatest Irish groups of the decade. Rising star MALINDA will open for these Irish music giants, delighting with her effervescent voice and touching song writing.

Mark G. Meadows
Music and the Movement
Sunday, January 15, 2:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Join Mark G. Meadows & The Movement as they pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and create a unifying sound that breaks through social barriers using jazz, gospel, R&B, hip-hop and rock.

Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Keynote Address and Community Lunch
Heather McGhee, author of The Sum of Us
Monday, January 16, 11:00 a.m.
$5 Reston/ $20 Non-Reston
A renowned expert on the American economy, Heather McGhee is one of the most brilliant and influential thinkers exploring inequality today. Both her viral TED talk and her instant New York Times bestseller The Sum of Us reveal the devastating true cost of racism – not just for people of color, but for everyone. Deeply stirring, intelligent, and compassionate, McGhee’s talks offer us an actionable roadmap during one of the most critical – and most troubled – periods in history. Ticket price includes community lunch.

Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science
Wednesday, February 15, 8:00 p.m.
$25 Reston/$35 Non-Reston
Grammy Award-winning drummer, producer, educator and activist Terri Lyne Carrington debuts her new band, Social Science, to boldly confront social justice issues.

Trio Sefardi
Songs of Love & Loss, Heartbreak & Hope: Women in Sephardic Song
Sunday, March 5, 3:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Musicians Howard Bass, Tina Chancey and Susan Gaeta perform a collection of beautiful Sephardic music drawn from the rich heritage of Turkish, Balkan, Middle Eastern and North African traditions.

An Evening with Ping Chong
Wednesday, March 15, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Theatre artist and National Medal of Arts recipient Ping Chong will join Reston Community Center for a conversation about theatre and social transformation. Chong will share his visually astonishing and socially compelling body of work – ranging from puppet theater to large-scale, multidisciplinary projects to community-based programs – that have been presented at some of the most illustrious venues around the globe.

Generation Rise: Reston
Friday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 25, 8:00 p.m.
$10 Reston/ $15 Non-Reston
Acclaimed New York theatre group Ping Chong and Company will partner with Reston Community Center and local theatre artist Tuyet Pham to create Generation Rise: Reston, to uplift and share real-life stories of teens from Reston, VA, reflecting on the challenges and joys of growing up in Reston during a time of pandemic and global upheaval.

Reduced Shakespeare Company’s
The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)
by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
Sunday, April 1, 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
$25 Reston/ $35 Non-Reston
The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) covers comedy through the ages, from Aristophanes and Shakespeare and Moliere to Vaudeville and Charlie Chaplin to The Daily Show and Anthony Weiner.

Mr. Vaudeville and Friends presents: It’s Vaudeville!
Saturday, April 8, 3:00 p.m.
$5 Reston/ $10 Non-Reston
Join Buddy Silver, the self-proclaimed Mr. Vaudeville, in another hilarious predicament that will be fun for the whole family.

Suzanne Simard, author
Finding the Mother Tree
Saturday, April 15, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
Suzanne Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence and has been hailed as a scientist who conveys complex, technical ideas in a way that is dazzling and profound.

The Lost Art of Dreaming
Choreographed by Sean Dorsey
Wednesday, May 17, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
San Francisco’s Sean Dorsey Dance returns to Reston with The Lost Art of Dreamin’, which invites audiences into expansive thinking and dreaming about our futures … at a time when we need it most.

BETTY
Saturday, June 3, 8:00 p.m.
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
The indie pop trio BETTY, Alyson Palmer (vocals, bass, guitar) and sisters Elizabeth Ziff (vocals, guitar, electronic programming) and Amy Ziff (vocals and cello), use beguiling melodies, compelling lyrics and signature harmonies to create legendary live shows that mix music, performance art, politics and comedy. BETTY will appear at the Reston Pride Festival earlier that day.