The curtain rises on Reston Community Players’ production of “Superior Donuts” next week.

The comedy kicks off Reston Community Players’ first show of the year by taking audiences on a visit to a small donut shop in Chicago’s historic and diverse Uptown neighborhood.

What’s the show about? Reston Community Players gave this plot description:

Arthur Przybyszewski (Michael Kharfen), a burnt-out hippie owner of a fading Chicago donut shop, has lost interest in life because of guilt over avoiding military service and a failed marriage. When a charismatic young African-American man named Franco Wicks (Bryce Monroe) talks his way into a job, Arthur begins to recover his spark. He encourages Franco’s goal of publishing the next Great American novel. When the would-be novelist’s past catches up with him, Arthur finds more than his livelihood may be in danger. A comedy-drama from the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Letts of “August: Osage County,” “Superior Donuts” explores the challenges of accepting the past and the redemptive power of friendship.

Director Seth Ghitelman said he wants people to come away from the show with a better understanding of what it means to be a friend and to be an American.

“On the surface, it’s a funny play about a rundown donut shop in Chicago and the characters that pass through, but on a deeper level, it speaks about the people in a community that is going through changes,” he said.

Ghitelman says the play embodies the American Dream and the American experience. “We share a common dream that success is available to everyone, and I think it is the right time to remember what we Americans share in common and embrace, not repulse, the diversity of our people,” Ghitelman said.

The full cast is the following:

• Tel Monks as Max Tarasov
• Mattie Cohan as Officer Randy Osteen
• Matthew McCarthy as Officer James Bailey
• Sally Cusenza as Lady Boyle
• Michael Kharfen as Arthur Przybyszewski
• Bryce Monroe as Franco Wicks
• Ian Brown as Luther Flynn
• Michael King as Kevin Magee
• Tice Rust as Kiril Ivankin

Performances will be held at the Reston Community Center’s CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road) at 8 p.m. on Jan. 18, Jan. 19, Jan. 25, Jan, 26, Feb. 1 and Feb. 2. A matinee will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 27.

A champagne reception will follow the show on its opening night next Friday (Jan. 18).

Parents, be advised: the production is rated PG-13 for language and violence.

Photos via Reston Community Players 

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Shawna Caspi is coming to Herndon for a performance next Tuesday.

Caspi is set to perform on Jan. 15 as a part of The Folk Club of Reston/Herndon, a volunteer organization that meets on Tuesday evenings at 7:15 p.m. at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe (1151 Elden Street).

Classically trained, Caspi shifted to folk singing, which she pairs with a fingerpicking guitar style.

In September 2017, she released her fourth album, “Forest Fire,” which delves into “burning things down and building them up again” with bluegrass instrumentation.

Her song “Not So Silent” from her 2014 album “Apartments for Lovers” was selected for the Silver Award in the folk acoustic category of the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest presented by the Songwriters’ Association of Washington, she wrote on her website on Tuesday (Jan 8).

Her travels as a musician inspired Caspi to paint. “Shawna loves the landscapes of her travels, and while weaving them into her songs, she has also been portraying them on canvases, painting one-of-a-kind works of art inspired by the rich scenery she sees on tour,” according to her bio. So far, she has sold more than 100 original paintings.

The upcoming Herndon show has a suggested donation of $10 for members of the Folk Club and $11 for nonmembers.

Heading back on the road in just one week! #Teaneck NJ, #Bethesda MD, #Herndon VA, #Darlington MD pic.twitter.com/OgsSh9dS2j

— Shawna Caspi (@shawnacaspi) January 4, 2019

Image via World One Video on YouTube

Singer-songwriter Kevin Daniel will perform in January as part of the Deepwood Sessions, a series of house concerts hosted in Reston.

Based out of Brooklyn, Daniel’s music mixes Americana, country and blues. He released his second EP, “Myself Through You,” in early 2018.

The 7 p.m. show on Friday, Jan. 18, has a $10 suggested donation. Each concert for the Deepwood Sessions has a suggested minimum donation, which goes to directly to the artist.

The sessions help cultivate the Deepwood neighborhood community and provide a platform for independent artists to showcase their music.

According to the website, the series hosts its acoustic and unplugged concerts with a variety of styles and musical genres.

RSVP-ing in advance is strongly recommended since space fills on a first come first serve basis and also provides the location of each concert. The events are family-friendly and attendees may bring wine and beer.

Photo via Kevin Daniel/Facebook

Whether you want to stay cozy indoors or venture outside, there’s plenty to do around Reston this weekend ahead of Christmas.

Tomorrow (Dec. 22)

Teen Maker Boxes (all day event) — Head to the Herndon Fortnightly Library for some arts and crafts time. Locals can try out origami, 3D pen and sewing to make handmade ornaments. Participants can also try their hand at watercolor painting, Sharpie art, poetry boxes and Duct Tape creations.

Shrek The Musical (1-2:30 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.) — Tomorrow is the last day to catch the last two shows for Nextstop Theatre Company’s (269 Sunset Park Drive) production of Shrek The Musical. Tickets are available online.

Zee performance (1-3 p.m.) — Enjoy the final performance for Reston Town Center’s holiday entertainment lineup for December. Zee will sing and play the keyboard between Market Street and Democracy Drive across from the Starbucks.

“You’ve Got Mail” (2-4 p.m.) — Warm up with hot cocoa while watching the 1998 movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The movie screening is a part of Reston Regional Library’s Fantastic Film series.

Tour de Lights (5-7 p.m.) — Join the Reston Bicycle Club for a slower paced, 10-mile ride to enjoy the holiday scenery. Bicyclists will meet at Lake Anne Plaza at 4:45 p.m. The first ride with the club is free and the membership costs $25 per year. Riders are encouraged to “light up” their bikes with holiday lights and anything else that is festive and increases visibility. In case of rain, the makeup date will be at the same time and place on Dec. 23.

Sunday (Dec. 23)

Reston Runners (8 a.m.) — Join the running and walking group for either a 3-mile walk or a 5-mile run starting at the Lake Newport Tennis Courts.

Sleigh Bells (12:30-2:30 p.m.) — Join Belgian draft horses Jeff and Charlie for a decorated wagon ride around the woodland and rolling farmland at Frying Pan Farm Park. All ages are welcome. Tickets cost $6 per person.

Horse-drawn Carriage Rides (3-8 p.m.) — The Reston Town Center is holding festive horse-drawn carriage rides departing at Market Street near Clyde’s to benefit local nonprofit organizations. Rides cost $5 per person and are free for kids under the age of 5. Proceeds will go to The Reston Chorale.

Photo via Reston Town Center

Herndon resident Crys Matthews will perform her songs at the 34th annual Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration.

The Reston Community Center recently added the singer-songwriter to its lineup of artists for the three-day event, which takes place from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21.

Matthews has gained national acclaim for her music, which blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass and funk. In 2017, she was the grand-prize winner in the NewSong Music Competition and won the People’s Music Network’s Social Justice Songs contest at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance.

“Crys Matthews is an important voice of her generation and will be an excellent addition to our weekend lineup,” Paul Douglas Michnewicz, the arts and events director for Reston Community Center, said in a statement. “Her perspective reminds us that our similarities are far more important than our differences.”

Matthews is scheduled to perform at 2 p.m. on Jan. 20 at CenterStage. Tickets cost $15 for Reston residents.

She also plans to conduct a workshop for students at Langston Hughes Middle School and South Lakes High School as an artist-in-residence in Reston.

Photo via Fairfax County

A well-known mezzo-soprano, who resides in Reston, will take to the stage to perform a variety of songs.

Elizabeth Bishop, a long-time resident, will perform operatic songs and American folk standards, ranging from Gustav Mahler to Cole Porter.

She will be accompanied on the piano by Patrick O’Donnell, along with additional instrumental support from Salvatore Amadeo on the violin and Jihea Choi on the Cello, Paul Douglas Michnewicz, director of arts and events at Reston Community Center, told Reston Now.

“From Here to There” will take place at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16. Tickets are $15.

She has performed at The Metropolitan Opera and the Washington National Opera. In December, Bishop will travel to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the role of Madame de la Haltière in “Cendrillon” — an opera adapted from Cinderella.

Bishop is part of the Reston Community Center’s lineup of old and new professional touring artists, including singer Jazzmeia Horn and DeRay Mckesson, a civil rights activist. This is her first time performing in the Professional Touring Artist Series, Michnewicz said.

Photo via Madeleine Gray Divatography