Rep. Gerry Connolly will put his experience dealing with Scrooges on Capitol Hill to the test tomorrow when he takes the stage for a youth production of “Commedia Christmas Carol.”

The congressman and Providence District Supervisior Dalia Palchik will join student actors with the Traveling Players Ensemble for their take on the Charles Dickens holiday classic at 8 p.m., the Tysons-based theatrical company announced earlier this week.

Held at the Traveling Players Studio (DL01, 1961 Chain Bridge Road) in Tysons Corner Center, it will be the penultimate performance of the production, which launched on Dec. 2 and concludes at 3 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 11).

Aimed at audiences 8 and older, the show puts a comedic twist on “A Christmas Carol.” It runs 75 minutes with no intermission and features a cast of kids from across the D.C. area.

“I love that it’s a ghost story, swirling out of control, careening through Scrooge’s painful past, and foreseeing his isolated future,” Traveling Players Producing Artistic Director Jeanne Harrison said in a press release. “And then he does the thing that is so brave: he changes. He lets people laugh at his newfound zest for life. And he is so much happier. He is renewed.”

Harrison founded the nonprofit theater company as a summer camp with 18 students in 2002. She is also the director for “Christmas Carol.”

Now in its 20th year with students in grades 2-12, the Traveling Players says Connolly and Palchik will make cameos in tomorrow’s show to acknowledge the key roles they played in the group’s journey.

Congressman Connolly is a lifelong supporter of arts and education.  It was through his support that Traveling Players found their first long-time home in Fairfax County at The Madeira School, back in 2007 when he was still the Chairman of the Fairfax County Supervisors.  A thespian in his own right, this will not be the Congressman’s first time taking the stage in a local production, but it will be his first cameo appearance with Traveling Players.

In 2020, Supervisor Palchick celebrated with Traveling Players by cutting the ribbon when they moved into their new home, their Studio in Tysons Corner Center, inside her district.  Also an ardent supporter of the arts and education, Supervisor Palchick’s priorities overlap with those of Traveling Players: to expand artistic opportunities to every child in her district and the wider Fairfax County community.

There will also be an introduction by Jesse Benites, the general manager of Macerich, which owns and operates Tysons Corner Center. The mall has housed the Traveling Players Studio since February 2020 and hosted outdoor performances on its Plaza this summer.

Tickets to “Commedia Christmas Carol” cost $15 and can be purchased online.

CMX CinéBistro has now taken its Tysons Galleria premiere off the release calendar.

Initially set to launch in September, the dine-in movie theater later announced that its grand opening would be delayed to Oct. 14.

However, CMX Cinemas now says that timing won’t work either, and no new date has been established.

“They are facing supply chain issues that are delaying some of the finishing touches,” a public relations representative for the company said. “We are confident that the theatre will be ready to open in the coming weeks.”

Started in 2017 in Florida, CMX has 33 locations with 358 screens across the U.S., including traditional theaters and ones provide “grab-and-go” service, according to the company’s website.

The Tysons Galleria theater is 43,268 square feet in size with over 800 seats across eight screening rooms. It will double as a restaurant, providing full food and drink service to moviegoers with films that start after 8 p.m. limited to patrons 21 and older.

CMX CinéBistro was originally scheduled to open later this month, but the upscale theater chain has pushed its showtime back to October.

According to a release, the opening date is now Friday, Oct. 14. The theater/restaurant is opening at 2001 International Drive on the third level.

CinéBistro is a hybrid restaurant-theater, with meals presented alongside blockbuster films. The release said the Tysons Galleria CinéBistro menu features entrees like steak au poivre with duck fat fried truffled pommes frites along with a selection of wines.

“Another signature dish is the Artichoke Cakes with Old Bay Remoulade and Brazilian Tomato Slaw,” the release said, “an adventurous, vegetarian-friendly preparation that evokes all the rich flavors of Chesapeake Bay and pairs perfectly with a flute of bubbly or glass of chardonnay.”

“Classic movie theater snacks” will also be available, the release said, along with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic milkshakes.

Guests who want to dine-in at the theater are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to showtime.

The grand opening will launch alongside Olivia Wilde’s, director of Booksmart, new movie Don’t Worry Darling, starring Harry Styles and Florence Pugh. The release makes no mention of the extensive internal drama and feuding that’s dominated the headlines around the film’s release.

“It’s great to be able to open alongside the premiere of such a sophisticated film,” Guy Austin, vice president of film and operations, said in the release, “So we’re really looking forward to elevating the dinner and movie experience for our region.”

The McLean Community Players is taking another shot at a dramatic return from its pandemic-induced slumber.

The nonprofit theater group will stage “The Show Must Go On! A Musical Revue” at the McLean Community Center’s Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Avenue) on Sept. 23 and 24, delivering its first public, in-person performances since August 2019.

Blending past musical work with previews of future shows, the production had been scheduled to take the stage in July, but a spate of COVID-19 cases forced a last-minute cancellation.

“We are revisiting favorite MCP productions from the past and then moving on to exciting new productions currently available,” co-directors Jess Rawls and Michael Replogle said in a press release. “Hopefully audiences will be reminded of old favorites and get a taste of what MCP’s future might hold with their help.”

The two-act program features songs from both classic and more recent musical theater hits, from “Company” and “Oliver!” to “In the Heights” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” which coincidentally just started its run at the Kennedy Center.

The revue will be performed at 8 p.m. on both days with a 4 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Tickets cost $20 for adults with a $5 discount for MCC tax district residents, seniors, and older students. For kids 9 and under, the price drops to $10, and groups of 10 or more people pay $15 each.

Tickets are now on sale on MCP’s website, by phone at 866-811-4111, and at the Alden box office.

By this time next year, Anastasia, Aretha Franklin and Gloria Estefan will all have graced the stage at Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road).

As its inaugural season draws to a close, the Tysons performing arts venue is starting to fill in the schedule for year two. Among the highlights will be the return of its musical theater-focused “Broadway in Tysons” series, which kicked off last October.

Announced earlier this month, the series’ second iteration will have five visiting shows instead of three, beginning on Nov. 25 with the 2019 Tony Award-winning adaptation of “Tootsie”:

• Tootsie (Nov. 25-27)
• Hairspray (Jan. 20-22, 2023)
• Anastasia (Feb. 3-5, 2023)
• R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (March 22, 2023)
• On Your Feet! (April 21-23, 2023)

While individual tickets aren’t available yet, Capital One Hall started selling season subscriptions at 10 a.m. today (Monday). Perks include discounts on single tickets, priority access, and the ability to reserve the same seat throughout the season, though the one-night-only, Aretha Franklin-centered “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” has to be added on.

Capital One Hall first opened to the public with a Josh Groban concert on Oct. 1, 2021. Upcoming shows include a 1980s throwback with Men at Work on Wednesday (Aug. 18), “Wheel of Fortune Live!,” the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, and more.

The hall ceased requiring masks and proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for patrons on March 18, but masks are still encouraged, according to the website.

The Alden Theatre at the McLean Community Center is about to get busy, with a full slate of music, theater, inspirational speakers and other entertainment over the next year.

The upcoming 2022-2023 season will feature local groups like the Virginia Chamber Orchestra as well as more far-flung yet notable figures, such as gold medal-winning U.S. gymnast Laurie Hernandez and The Peking Acrobats.

Kicking off with a free concert by saxophonist Lil’ Maceo at McLean Central Park on Sept. 11, the lineup is guided by a core theme of “healing, both personally and societally,” MCC said in its announcement on Monday (Aug. 1).

Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through the theater’s website. Three of the musical performances are free, while the other shows have varying prices with discounts for seniors and students.

A full rundown of the schedule is below. All events are in the community center at 1234 Ingleside Avenue unless otherwise indicated.

Music

Lil’ Maceo

• Sunday, Sept. 11, 3 p.m. — McLean Central Park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd)
• Free admission

For all ages. Old-school funky, foot-stomping R&B saxophone. Lil’ Maceo’s musical roots in funk, pop, dance and contemporary jazz will get you off your butt and partying.

Sons of Mystro

• Saturday, Sept. 17, 5 p.m. — McLean Central Park
• Free admission

The Sons of Mystro are brothers who use their violins to interpret reggae classics and American pop songs by such artists as Al Green, LMFAO, Bob Marley and Dua Lipa. They are winners of the Emerging Artist Under 21 Years Old Award from the International Reggae and World Music Awards.

The Boy Band Project

• Friday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.
• $30/$20 MCC district residents/$25 seniors and students

The Boy Band Project transports you back to a time when the boy band phenom dominated pop culture and TRL was appointment television. Delivered with their own special mix of handsomeness, tongue-in-cheek humor and talent from Broadway’s “Wicked,” “Hairspray” and “Mamma Mia” (and more), these boys recreate the sounds and choreography of your favorite boy bands, from NKOTB to One Direction. Read More

The show will not go on for the McLean Community Players — at least not yet.

After a three-year hiatus, the nonprofit community theater group had been set for a comeback this weekend with “The Show Must Go On!,” a showcase of past musical performances that will also tease highlights yet to come.

However, MCP announced yesterday (Wednesday) that its three scheduled shows at the McLean Community Center have been canceled “due to several positive COVID tests in our cast and musical team.”

“We were honored to have amazing talent as we returned to the Alden Theater, yet everyone’s health and safety are paramount,” the group said. “The McLean Community Center is working with MCP to find another weekend so you can enjoy wonderful live entertainment. MCP is grateful for you as patrons of live performances and look forward to seeing you soon.”

Refunds will be made to the credit card used to purchase the tickets, MCP said.

The show had been scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) with additional performances on Saturday and Sunday.

Whenever it’s rescheduled, “The Show Must Go On!” will be MCP’s first in-person production since August 2019. The organization had been preparing to stage the musical “Carousel” when the McLean Community Center shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Carousel” was first postponed to summer 2021 and then canceled as the pandemic dragged on, though MCP organized some virtual events, like a Broadway karaoke night on Instagram.

The Logan Festival of Solo Performance is returning home this year.

After venturing outdoors to The Boro in 2021, 1st Stage will return to its theater at 1524 Spring Hill Road in Tysons for the sixth iteration of its annual festival celebrating one-person plays.

Running from July 28 to Aug. 7, the festival is expected to draw performers from across the U.S. who will stage a trio of plays, each centered on a single actor, and participate in workshops, discussions, and other events, according to a press release.

The lineup includes the world premiere of “Wanda’s Way,” a profile of a Black female police officer based on real interviews. Directed by Angelisa Gillyard, the play was written by Caleen Sinnette Jennings as  part of 1st Stage’s inaugural Commissions of Solo Work initiative, which helps individual artists develop new solo shows.

According to 1st Stage, “Wanda’s Way” will be the first work coming out of that project to make its debut. It’s being funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Here is the full schedule for this year’s Logan Festival:

Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life

Showtimes: July 29 at 8 p.m., July 30 and 31 at 2 p.m., and Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

In this award-winning one-man show, playwright Keith Alessi tells the story of his boyhood, meteoric rise in the boardroom, and the startling news that changed his life forever. He candidly reveals how he used that obstacle to find a new passion in music and a cathartic outlet in storytelling.

Spanking Machine

Showtimes: Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m., and Aug. 7 at 2 p.m.

Marga Gomez performs her by turns funny, intense, and heart-rending memoir of growing up brown and queer in Washington Heights. Devil Dogs, sadistic nuns on poppers, childhood pranks, assault, and suppressed memory play their parts in Marga’s shift across gender, latitudes, and generations.

Wanda’s Way

Showtimes: July 28 at 7:30 p.m., July 30 at 8 p.m., July 31 at 7 p.m., Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m., and Aug. 6 at 2 p.m.

Based on real interviews, Wanda’s Way explores the journey of a Black female police officer as she explains how and why she got into law enforcement. This intricately woven tale is one of corrupted dreams, seemingly impenetrable systems, and the extreme consequences of both acting and failing to act.

General admission tickets for the festival cost $20 per show with a $10 discount for students. Festival passes that cover all three shows are available for $50. All tickets can be purchased online or by calling 1st Stage’s box office at 703-854-1856.

Under its COVID-19 health policies, 1st Stage still requires face masks for all patrons, volunteers, and staff. Patrons must also present proof of full vaccination and a photo identification, or email proof of a negative PCR test result from the past two days within an hour of the show.

Launching with the Logan Festival, 1st Stage’s 2022-2023 season will feature multiple regional premieres, including a run of Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage’s “Mlima’s Tale” from Sept. 15 to Oct. 2. The full schedule can be found on the theater company’s website.

Underground Utilities Proposed for Route 1 — Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck has joined many residents, businesses, and state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36) as an advocate for moving power lines along Richmond Highway underground, though that isn’t in the current designs for widening the road. Advocates say undergrounding would limit storm damage and bring economic benefits. [On the MoVe]

Metro Plans for Budget Shortfall — “Metrorail has only recovered 42% of its ridership and Metrobus has recovered about 60%. This time, Metro officials are not banking on the cavalry — in the form of a federal bailout or additional local dollars — to arrive. Later this summer, board members and new Metro General Manager Randy Clarke will begin to calculate how to plug a $356 million operating budget gap.” [DCist]

Police Investigate Gunshot in Fair Oaks — “Fairfax County Police are investigating a shooting that occurred early Tuesday morning in the Fair Oaks area, according to the weekly crime report. Police responded around 3:18 a.m., for the report of a man firing a handgun into the air in the 12000 block of Thompson Road.” [Patch]

Bailey’s Crossroads Library Volunteer Honored — “Fairfax County officials gathered Saturday to honor Carmen Fernandez, a longtime pillar of the Culmore community. A conference room at the Woodrow Wilson Library in Falls Church now bears plaques in Fernandez’s honor.” [Fairfax County Public Library]

McLean Theater Group Retakes the Stage — “McLean Community Players is back after a three-year hiatus and will hit the Alden Theatre’s stage July 22 to 24 with ‘The Show Must Go On! A Musical Revue.’ The effort features an array of songs from past productions and shows the company hopes to perform in the future.” [Sun Gazette]

Local Hummingbird Photographers Get Focus — “I have been promised hummingbirds. I am, after all, at Green Spring Gardens, in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County, prime hummingbird territory…Jane [Gamble] takes me somewhere we’re guaranteed to find hummingbirds: inside the house, where 46 hummingbird photos hang on the walls.” [The Washington Post]

It’s Tuesday — Rain in the evening. High of 87 and low of 70. Sunrise at 5:55 am and sunset at 8:36 pm. [Weather.gov]

(Updated at 9:25 a.m.) Fire and Rescue Rejects Agreement in Sexual Harassment Complaint — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that a former Fairfax County firefighter was sexually harassed by a captain in 2017 and demoted after she reported it. But the county fire department has refused an agreement requiring improved efforts to address sexual harassment, new training, and a $150,000 award to the woman, raising the possibility of a federal lawsuit. [The Washington Post]

Pedestrian Killed in Lorton Crash Identified — The Fairfax County Police Department says Keith Thomas, 24, was walking in the southbound lanes of Richmond Highway when he was hit by the driver of a 2005 GMC Sierra at 1:28 a.m. Friday (July 8) at the I-95 interchange. The driver called for help, but Thomas was struck by other vehicles and ultimately died at the scene. [FCPD]

McLean Man Sentenced for Covid Relief Fraud — “A McLean businessman who bilked nearly $1.6 million from federal coronavirus relief programs and spent much of the money on a mansion with its own movie theater and cigar room was sentenced Friday to two years and nine months in prison.” [The Washington Post]

West Springfield House Fire Reported Yesterday — “House fire on 7/10 in 8500 block of Grigsby Drive in West Springfield area. Heavy fire on arrival. No occupants were home at time of fire. Five occupants were displaced. There were no reported injuries. Fire is under investigation. Damages: $594,825.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

Burke & Herbert to Consolidate in Kingstowne — “The bank will remain headquartered at 100 S. Fairfax St. in Old Town Alexandria, but a ‘large portion’ of its local workforce, currently dispersed across the area, will shift to 5680 King Centre Drive in Kingstowne. Burke & Herbert paid $22 million for that 113,000-square-foot building July 1, according to Fairfax County records.” [Washington Business Journal]

Virginia Workers Leave Over Telework Policy — “More than 300 employees from five state agencies have resigned since Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Virginia’s new telework policy in early May, according to records obtained by 8News. This includes 183 Virginia Department of Transportation employees, 28 of whom cited ‘telework options’ as the reason for leaving.” [ABC8]

Vienna Band Director Steps Away — “A long commute to and from Anne Arundel County, Md., has prompted Cornelius Young to give up his post as music director for the Vienna Community Band, but he leaves with good memories of the group and the town. Young, who has been with the band since October 2014, decided to try for the job after not being selected to lead Annandale High School’s band.” [Sun Gazette]

Reston Student on Performing “Newsies” — “Reston Community Players’ new apprentice program is designed to help students ages 13 to 18 interested in theater gain pre-professional performance and technical experience. That’s exactly what Anna Schoenborn, a rising junior at South Lakes High School in Reston is gaining this summer with RCP’s production of ‘Newsies.'” [Patch]

It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 82 and low of 66. Sunrise at 5:54 am and sunset at 8:37 pm. [Weather.gov]