I was at the Bethesda Theater on Friday, March 13, 2026, to see the Teena Marie tribute, and the…read moreshow was wonderful. I hadn't been in a while and was excited to return -- I'd even told my friend, who had never been, that the food was really good. I have Celiac's disease, and on my last visit, there were several gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu, which I really appreciated. I was disappointed to find that was no longer the case. Our waitress kindly suggested salmon, which wasn't listed on the menu, but unfortunately that's not something I enjoy. I ended up with only an $18 iceberg lettuce salad with tomatoes, shaved carrots, and one boiled egg and without the croutons. I had saved my appetite all day for a real meal out, and left the evening still hungry. I sent an email to the theater the next day asking that they consdier adding a gluten-free option or two and having them clearly marked -- both in the venue and on their online menu. I told them that simple additions like baked chicken, roasted potatoes, and green beans would make a world of difference for guests with dietary restrictions. I sent that email on March 14. Today is March 22 and I haven't heard anything back. I saw some upcoming acts that I'd be interested in and I'd love to go to the theater again, but won't until they've added some gluten-free options.

Got to see the playing of Brown Sugar Valentine's Day weekend. With a DJ playing Dangelo and slow…read morejams. Was a really nice event overall. Seating- no bad seats in the house. I personally like the ones near the center booth, looking straight ahead. No sharing with strangers and table in front. Viewing-stage is large and screen as well. Easy viewing. Food- the food was just all right. You can tell it was warmed up and fresh-ish. We had wings, fries, and ceased salad. Long wait times for other guests throughout the night. Catfish looked good. Drinks- we got a bottle of wine reasonably priced. Long wait times. Timing- getting food and drinks took waaay too long. It took over 30 mins to get a bottle of wine. We got our food bf that. Folks around us were frustrated too. Service-everyone we interacted with was friendly and professional. Staff was running around helping patrons and other staff. Price- the ticket price was fine. Tax and fees seemed high. And the %20 added gratuity was standard but then our server got awkward asking for an additional tip(several times). The host put on a really lovely event! Thanks for having us!

I just moved to the area recently, so I've slowly been exploring the local haunts, and not too long…read moreago, we went to the Greenbelt Arts Center for its production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. For being a tiny community black-box theater, I was pleasantly surprised. The venue itself has been well-kept, and while the accommodations were a little on the sparse side, it really didn't detract from the show. And speaking of, the show was high-quality, too! Overall, it was a great, fun night out supporting the local community!

After giving a lousy review to the Decoy Lounge - I must say that the event that took place there…read morewas excellent. The evening was themed "Arabian Nights" and was put on by a group called Belly Dance for Life. My friend is part of this - she has been engaged in this activity for about 6 months. http://www.bellydanceforlife.com/ It was very entertaining - you could tell the women who have been doing this for many years - they have a sort of a lean, muscular torso which is a signature look for these women. These women had amazing control of their bodies - from being able to vibrate their entire body without looking like they were doing anything - to twitching specific body parts effortlessly. There was an element of sensuality and eroticism to the dancing. It was very enjoyable! I think I need to marry a veteran Belly Dancer! I was asked to take a lot of photos to forward onto the woman who is their dance instructor. I must say it's damn hard to get a good photo of Belly Dancers - just when you think you are going to get a good shot - they whirl and move and so you try again. I think I took about 10 photos for each decent one I managed to snap.

My aunt invited my sister and me to see "Dracula .... a Comedy of Terrors" & OMG, I am so glad I…read morewent because it was hilarious & a bloody good show. The cast was amazing & kept everyone laughing. I have been to Colonial Players several times & it has not disappointed. it's a small cozy welcoming theatre of local enthusiasts who love the theatre & they do such a fabulous job every time. Ticket prices are very reasonable & some discounts are offered such as senior & military. Also, Colonial Players now offers Seat FlexTickets for Adults for $22.00 per seat ($110.00 total) and for Seniors, Students, and Active Military for $18.00 per seat ($90.00) total. They are transferable .... How cool is that? Parking can be a challenge so be sure to arrive with plenty of time before the start of the plays to allow time to get your ticket and get comfortable. I highly recommend you check it out & let's continue to support the creative minds of our locals who come together to showcase their talent and devotion to the arts and our community. And a quote from the Dracula program... "and remember: laughter is the best defense against the dark"

Went to see It's A Wonderful Life A Live Radio Play On Air. It was amazing! I've only seen the…read moremovie once so I was a bit worried I wouldn't remember the various scenes but the actors and actresses did an incredible job! Great theatre!

I finally got to come to this fair, and I couldn't help but compare it to the MoCo Fair, which I've…read morebeen to twice. Immediate comparisons... it's sooooo much smaller! They had more rides than meets the eye, but the space and food options were noticeably far less. But unlike MoCo's $20, parking is free. And they kept it PG and had a live go-go band... gotta love that! They are next to an equestrian center, so sometimes you can smell manure, but that's just nature haha. It was like $7 to get in as an adult, and the unlimited ride wristbands are better for individuals than tickets (if you like rides). It was only around for a weekend, so for anyone seeing this... well, you'll have to wait until next year haha. If you're around, definitely go. The free parking is a huge perk!

I have been going to the fair for about 30/40 years. I've had some very good times with my children…read moreand grandchildren. There were pony rides, dancers, contests and concerts. I hope it is back to its former state. I miss the fair!

My interest was piqued when my mom told me about a professional-quality performance here of…read more.. Chicago? Cabaret? something with a C?... The point is, my very own Tiger Mother called a performance at the Catholic University theatre by Catholic University students "professional-quality," and that's usually not something she'll say about actual professional productions. So when Madame Butterfly rolled around, I was eager to check it out. (Too bad for the husband that his buddies asked him to go to the bar to watch a game, and he had to respond, "I can't. I'm seeing 'Madame Butterfly.'") For what I believe were $10 tickets (discounted from already bottom-dollar prices because we were guests of an alumnus), we also enjoyed a pre-show champagne reception (an alumni perk again). And when I say enjoyed, I mean arrived about five minutes before it ended, chugged a couple glasses of champagne and choked down several sizeable hunks of cheese. Ideal! The show itself was excellent. The singers were indeed professional quality, with fantastic control, tone, projection and passion from all the leads. The best hint of it being a student production was the fact that Madame Butterfly seemed to loosen up by the second act - she was noticeably more expressive, in terms of her acting, during the second half, making for a much more engaging rest of the show. The seats were comfortable enough, the floor significantly sloped to give everyone a good view. My favorite attribute: the orchestra pit is higher than usual so you have almost a full view of the musicians. There was a violinist guy in the second row who was totally getting into it - at one point, as he pulled his bow through a crucial scene, he shook his head disapprovingly while frowning disgustedly at the jerkwad acts of B.F. Pinkerton he must have known were unfolding behind him. Right on. If you groove on the occasional opera - or play, or musical, or probably a bunch of other stuff - you should know about what they've got going here. It's the poor man's Kennedy Center.

My friend and I saw Merchant of Venice last Sunday's (27 Apr) matinee performance. What an amazing…read moreproduction, with exquisite costuming, angelic singing, and world-class acting. The main characters were incredible, "living" true and compelling commitments in their roles. The audience was in-the-moment during each and every scene. The stage set of the Rialto was perfect! Bravi tutti! The only comment I would like to add...meant constructively...is that the Italians kiss on the right cheek first vs the left cheek. This is unique to Italy, and one of the customs I absolutely embraced when I lived there. I look forward to attending another performance at the Hartke! Molto grazie!

This is my super delayed love letter to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. As a DND/role player, my…read moreSaturday in September at the Ren Faire was incredible. I went with my DND group and we had an amazing time. There is so much to do, eat, and see here. You can easily spend an entire day at the MD Ren Faire. INSIDER TIP: Come early and bring plenty of cash with you. The earlier you come, the less insane lines you have to fight. And if you already have cash on you, you don't need to wait in the never ending ATM line. I hadn't been since I was a child and the space was still magical. It's all in a forest with a bunch of unique buildings and stages to really bring the magic alive. The map is your friend. It shares where everything is and it also shares all the showtimes. We immediately met some charming acrobats and saw both of their shows that day. We learned that fire isn't allowed in shows here (probably because the forest), but all the performers impressed us with very sharp knife juggling. This ren faire has it all. You can get crab pretzels, beer, oysters, crepes, and more. You can buy corsets, masks, daggers, tapestries, and more. You can watch jousters, jugglers, acrobats, AND MORE. My favorite part of my visit this year the the miniature Venetian museum. If you're interested in attending, be sure to look at the correct dates to buy tickets in advance. They will put you in an online queue that can take up to hours to get through, but it's so worth it.

I've been to Renaissance festivals before, but nothing like the Maryland one. The festival grounds…read moreare well designed giving it a very immersive feel. It's also set back in the tree line a bit which really adds to the experience. There's a variety of entertainment options from Shakespeare to jousting and some very fine vendors. The best part though was definitely seeing all the attendees in costume, people really go all out! I tried to go last year but sadly missed out on getting tickets. I learned my lesson though and added the ticket release date to my calendar so I was ready! I bought my tickets the day they dropped, which was a good thing since they sold out quickly again this year. So my advice is plan on going and also get tickets asap!

Nice trip! The woman giving the tour was really good and knew a lot about the subject. A few years…read moreago a different person or organization was put in charge and they've definitely tried to give a more honest and full version of the history by acknowledging some of the ways that the history of the enslaved people living there were treated.

A tiny museum, but worth the stop if you're in the area. Open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m…read more to 4 p.m., tours are offered of the historic house and tavern every half hour. If it's closed when you arrive, park in the lot and read the plaques around the garden. You'll learn about its dark history and the house owner's involvement in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.