KC Spotlight: BLACK GIRLS ROCK FEST! this week w/ INDIA.ARIE

Plus: more seasons announced! BRAND-NEW COMEDY, JAZZ, NSO POPS, PERFORMANCES FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES & VOICES [View this email in your browser.]( [Kennedy Center]( [Kennedy Center]( [India.Arie]( India.Arie Celebrate Black Girl Magic this week! [National Symphony Orchestra]( & [Hip Hop Culture]( Present BLACK GIRLS ROCK! FEST ™ WITH India.Arie June 30 & July 1 | Concert Hall June 30 & July 1 | Concert Hall [Get Tickets]( BLACK GIRLS ROCK! FEST™ makes its highly anticipated return—collaborating with the National Symphony Orchestra for the very first time! Multi-Grammy Award-winning R&B icon India.Arie headlines this year’s must-see event conducted by Dr. Henry Panion, III. Don’t miss this full-spirited, empowering celebration of Black Girl Magic! For additional information on BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™, visit [www.blackgirlsrock.com](. Plus! Join us for an exhibition of Black women filmmakers and Black women-centered content: [ BLACK GIRLS ROCK® Film Fest]( July 2 | Family Theater [Get Tickets]( BGR! Film Fest is the ultimate destination for Black women filmmakers and black women-centered content. The film festival celebrates the innovation, vision, and voices of Black women storytellers and other filmmakers who elevate the BLACK GIRL EXPERIENCE in their works. The festival showcases short and long-form narratives, documentaries, series and episodic content, and emerging media—PLUS live talkbacks with select filmmakers and cast members. [But Tomorrow]( [Hargrove]( [Explore the full schedule of events.]( What’s On this weekend [Theater]( “This is a phenomenon.” —New York Magazine Emmy winner Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Now through July 10 | Opera House FINAL WEEKS! All rise for Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. [Get Tickets]( [Comedy]( ⏱️ 72-hour offer Tickets from $25 on select performances!* The Second City’s The Revolution Will Be Improvised Now through July 31 | Theater Lab [Get $25 Tickets Now]( [Get $25 Tickets Now]( 📣 JUSTICE NOW! BUT NO WORRIES IF NOT! The masters of wit are back to snap audiences out of their endless doomscrolling and binge-watching with this brand-new, totally original comedy show that lampoons our new normal—including the return to the office, the hidden heroes of American history, and our 24/7 news cycle. For everyone who’s felt isolated or powerless lately, Second City is here to remind you that it’s not too late (or too soon) to have the last laugh! Recommended for mature audiences. THE WAIT IS OVER! Announcing more of our 2022-2023 season [NSO POPS]( Experience exciting collaborations between the National Symphony Orchestra and top artists of today from musical theater, gospel, R&B, and beyond. [Renée Fleming VOICES]( From acclaimed vocalists to rising stars, Renee Fleming’s popular series brings you the best voices from around the world! [Jazz]( Celebrate America’s art form with living legends and rising stars in a daring new season of iconic music, annual favorites, and cutting-edge performances. [Comedy]( With stand-up stars, sketch comedy, podcasts, improv, music, and more, our lineup serves up hilarity in all of its shapes and sizes. [Performances for Young Audiences]( Ignite your imagination with exciting theater, music, and dance performances for little and big kids alike! [Explore the 2022–23 Seasons]( [Explore the 2022–23 Seasons]( Become a subscriber for exclusive savings & flexibility! ✓ Early access to the best seats each season ✓ Unlimited no-fee ticket exchanges ✓ Savings at the KC Café, Roof Terrace Restaurant, Gift Shop, and local partners ✓ FREE access to all [Digital Stage+]( events and more! [Explore Subscriptions by Genre >]( Coming soon to Kennedy Center Stages [Theater]( The Band’s Visit July 6–17Eisenhower Theater [Get Tickets]( In this beautiful, feel-good story, a band of musicians happens upon a small town by happy accident. Under the spell of the desert sky, the musicians breathe new life into the community as they bond over shared humanity and a love of music. This simple tale uncovers real human connection—even the briefest visit can stay with you forever.  In this critically acclaimed, joyously offbeat musical, a band of musicians arrive lost in a town that’s way off the beaten path. Under the spell of the desert sky, music brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. Blue Man Group July 19–31Eisenhower Theater [Get Tickets]( More than 35 million people around the world have experienced the smash hit phenomenon that is Blue Man Group, and now it’s your turn! Featuring pulsing, original music, custom-made instruments, surprise audience interaction, and hilarious absurdity, join the Blue Men in a joyful experience that unites audiences of all ages. Today at 4 p.m.! Join a free [virtual discussion on Youtube]( with the Grammy-winning creators of The Band’s Visit The Band’s Visit is one of four musicals in Broadway history to win the unofficial “Big Six” Tony Awards (Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical). Peter Marks, Theater Critic for The Washington Post, moderates a fascinating live conversation with the Tony-winning creators: director David Cromer, book writer Itmar Moses, Orin Wolf, and composer and lyricist David Yazbeck. [⏱️ REMIND ME >]( [National Symphony Orchestra Pops]( Steven Reineke, Principal Pops Conductor NSO at Wolf Trap: Pink Martini with China Forbes & Ari Shapiro July 8 | Wolf Trap [Get Tickets]( With an eclectic, whimsical repertoire spanning from jazz to classical to pop, the self-described “little orchestra” returns for its highly anticipated NSO reunion! The Telegraph raves: Pink Martini’s “songs swoosh past like fabulous gowns in a vintage fashion parade.” Barlow and Bear’s The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical Live in Concert July 26 | Concert Hall [Get Tickets]( WORLD PREMIERE! The comedy duo became a TikTok sensation worldwide after developing an unofficial musical inspired by the hit Netflix series... culminating in a full album that went on to win the 2021 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. [Active Hope. Headshots of Kamilah Forbes, Marc Bamuthi Joseph & Paola Prestini]( The acclaimed podcast returns! Active Hope: hosted by Kamilah Forbes, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and Paola Prestini The acclaimed podcast returns! Active Hope: hosted by Kamilah Forbes, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and Paola Prestini [LEARN MORE & LISTEN]( New season now streaming on [Spotify]( & [Apple Podcasts]( EPISODE 1:  International Work and Sense of Place Featuring [Final Bow for Yellowface]( Listen on [Spotify]( / [Apple]( --------------------------------------------------------------- ✨ NEW!✨ EPISODE 2: Stolen Land, Sovereign People Featuring [Natalie Hopkinson]( & [Lori Pourier]( Listen on [Spotify]( / [Apple]( Originally aired June 23, 2022 This episode is released in tandem with the [We The Peoples Before]( celebration happening at the Kennedy Center June 30–July 2. About Active Hope Presented as part of our [Social Impact Initiatives]( Active Hope explores how the country’s vanguard artists and arts leaders can shape this transformational, historical, and polarizing moment in history. After emerging from a global quarantine while still figuring out what the new normal is, the second season of our podcast orbits the theme of “Organizing Hope.” Our hosts and their guests of wide ranging backgrounds investigate the uncertainty of the post-pandemic world from the unique perch of executive leadership at some of our country’s foremost arts institutions. [Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Season >]( [Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Season >]( Explore special events, exhibits, and experiences commemorating our 50-year milestone! [🎉 Celebrate with us]( [The Kennedy Center Gift Shop]( [The Kennedy Center Gift Shop]( Commemorate our 50th Anniversary with limited-edition gifts! [Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Mug]( [Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Baseball Cap]( [Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary T-shirt]( [Shop the Kennedy Center Collection]( [Shop the Kennedy Center Collection]( Kennedy Center exclusive face masks Stock-up on our best-sellers! [Shop Face Masks]( [Shop All >]( *$7 Flat Rate Ground Shipping for orders $65+ * Applies to ground shipping in the continental U.S. Keeping you safe Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a recent negative COVID-19 test is no longer required to attend indoor performances and events at the Kennedy Center. Masks remain required at all times for all patrons inside the theaters. To learn more about our safety protocols, please visit our [website](. See you soon! There’s something for everyone at the Kennedy Center! See [what’s on now](. For tickets and information, call us at 202-467-4600. The Kennedy Center is open to the public Mon.–Sun., 10 a.m.–midnight. The Hall of States Box Office is open Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sun. 12–9 p.m. [Victura Park]( is open Thu.–Sun., 10 a.m.–9 p.m. *Offer subject to availability. Not valid in combination with any other offer. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Service fees may apply. 50% offer valid on all Second City performances 7/5, 7/6, 7/7, 7/9 at 9 p.m., and 7/10. [facebook]( [The Kennedy Center welcomes guests with disabilities.]( [View email in browser.]( | [Forward this email.]( You are receiving this email based on your preferences. [Edit preferences.]( | [Unsubscribe.]( Please do not reply to this email. Add info@kennedy-center.org to your address book or safe list to ensure delivery. We respect our patrons’ privacy. [Read our privacy policy.]( [Contact center & FAQs.]( The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20566 Instant Charge (202) 467-4600