The Silver Spring Penguin

Signs of life are re-emerging around town, with great theater, stiff drinks and ass shaking for everyone!

It all started Wednesday night, which I declared to be the new Friday night. (Don’t worry, people. Friday night is still Friday night, though Thursday morning has also been dubbed the new Friday night.) A small crew gathered at Mayorga Coffee for the intergalactic premiere of “Ghost Painter”, a funny one-act play by local guy Brian Doyle.

Those who were there got a tasty sample of the fine work done at The Silver Spring Stage, just outside the Beltway in the Woodmoor shopping center. Those who weren’t there (you know who you are) missed out on the free gig. But don’t sweat it — you can still schlep to Woodmoor and see it and other one-acts during The Stage’s annual festival.

Cough up the cab fare and hit The Stage like a mofo, then check out some of Silver Spring’s other offerings:

Thursday

8:00 p.m. The Silver Spring Stage (10145 Colesville Rd) rolls on with week two of its one-act festival. This week’s pickings: “The Role of Della”, “Hush”, “What the Thunder Said”, and “Claire’s Departure”. Tickets are $15 to $18 for the whole shebangibang.

Friday

3:00 p.m. The Pyramid Atlantic community-arts store (924 Ellsworth Dr) toasts parenthood with a champagne tasting for mom and dad, and fingerpaint for the little kiddies. The gig is free until 4:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. The Pyramid Atlantic community-arts store (924 Ellsworth Dr) orders the kids to bed and pops open a couple more magnums of free champagne for the grownups. Happy hour rolls until 7:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m. Celtic band Peat and Barley kicks out a jig or two at South Silver Spring’s Arts Alley (8030 Georgia Ave). The gig is part of the weekly Arts Alley Fridays series of free performances.

8:00 p.m. The Open Circle theatre company present “Story Theatre”, a new take on Grimm’s fairy tales and Aesop’s fables, with a little sumpin-sumpin in the mix. The gig hits the Roundhouse Theater (8641 Colesville Rd) and costs $25 per seat. Discounts are there for members of the millitary, and those with convincing student or senior ID.

8:00 p.m. The Silver Spring Stage (10145 Colesville Rd) rolls on with week two of its one-act festival. This week’s pickings: “The Role of Della”, “Hush”, “What the Thunder Said”, and “Claire’s Departure”. Tickets are $15 to $18 for the whole shebangibang.

10:00 p.m. The crazy beats drop at Loda, South Silver Spring’s weekly music-and-multimedia gig. Hit it at Gallery lounge (1115 East-West Hwy) with $10 and convincing ID for the guy at the door.

Saturday

9:00 a.m. Freshfarm holds its weekly farmers market on Ellsworth Drive, between Fenton Street and Georgia Avenue. There is no admission fee.

10:00 a.m. For those who don’t know tomayto from tomahto, Washington Gardener magazine hosts a free tomato-tasting event during the weekly farmers market on Ellsworth Drive. Hit it until 1:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The Open Circle theatre company present “Story Theatre”, a new take on Grimm’s fairy tales and Aesop’s fables, with a little sumpin-sumpin in the mix. The gig hits the Roundhouse Theater (8641 Colesville Rd) and costs $30 per seat. Discounts are there for members of the millitary, and those with convincing student or senior ID.

5:00 p.m. The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave) hosts a closing reception for “Scratching the Surface”, a showcase of works by 23 collegiate print makers. The exhibit and nosh are free and open to the public until 7:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. Latin-inspired bar Ceviche (921 Ellsworth Dr) celebrates its third anniversary with cheap drinks, live booty-shaking beats and door prizes until 11:00 p.m. Ten bucks and convincing ID get you through the door.

8:00 p.m. The Silver Spring Stage (10145 Colesville Rd) rolls on with week two of its one-act festival. This week’s pickings: “The Role of Della”, “Hush”, “What the Thunder Said”, and “Claire’s Departure”. Tickets are $15 to $18 for the whole shebangibang.

Sunday

2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The Open Circle theatre company present “Story Theatre”, a new take on Grimm’s fairy tales and Aesop’s fables, with a little sumpin-sumpin in the mix. The gig hits the Roundhouse Theater (8641 Colesville Rd) and costs $15 per seat. Discounts are there for members of the millitary, and those with convincing student or senior ID.

2:00 p.m. The Silver Spring Stage (10145 Colesville Rd) rolls on with week two of its one-act festival. This week’s pickings: “The Role of Della”, “Hush”, “What the Thunder Said”, and “Claire’s Departure”. Tickets are $13 to $15 for the whole shebangibang.

7:00 p.m. The Sonic Circuits festival holds a benefit concert of experimental music at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave). Five bucks and a sense of punctuality get you through the door — no stragglers!

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Nicaro restaurant (8229 Georgia Ave) hits you with its brunch menu, with prices ranging from $6 to $15. The nosh rolls from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Lead image courtesy of Flickr user o205billege.