What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play — “Come to the Cabaret!” at Lake Anne Plaza.

The performance will be held at the Washington Plaza Baptist Church (1615 N. Washington Plaza). The suggested $10 door donations will go toward the church’s upcoming 2019 annual Christmas concert.

Attendees can also snack on some light refreshments and food.

The show starts at 7 p.m.

Tomorrow (March 16)

• Family Art Day (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) — Join GRACE for a free celebration of Youth Art Month on St. Francis Street. Families can look at student artwork in the exhibit and participate in art-making activities.
• Herndon Library Board Games (1-3 p.m.) — Adults can play classic board games at the Herndon Fortnightly Library.
• Youth Arts Showcase Explosion (6 p.m.) — The Reston Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is set to perform for free at the Kennedy Center.
• Common Ground: Candice Bostwick & Friends (7-9 p.m.) — You can enjoy jazz and pop music at ArtSpace Herndon for $20.
• “Time Stands Still” (8 p.m.) — Saturday is the last evening to watch the Reston Community Players’ production of a play about a couple making a living out of documenting the horrors of war.

Sunday (March 17)

• History of World War II (2-4 p.m.) — Dr. Harry Butowsky from George Mason University will present the first part of his six-part lecture series on “World War II: On Our Way, USA 1939-1942” at the Reston Regional Library.
• Once Upon a Time–Princesses & Lollipops (4 p.m.) — The RCC Hunters Woods’ free annual concert will feature music from Disney movies and theater favorites played by the Reston Community Orchestra. Girls can go dressed up in gowns, crowns and tiaras. The afternoon will include singing, dancing, a parade of princesses, a raffle of two baskets and the presentation of the RCO Community Service award.

Sunday is also St. Patrick’s Day — Reston Now has a separate list of local events in Reston, Great Falls and Herndon.

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr 

Delayed school opening — FCPS will open two hours late today, due to the wintry weather. [Reston Now]

Open mic poetry — Head to ArtSpace Herndon from 7-9 p.m. to hear poetry from Eric Pankey and Jennifer Atkinson, followed by an open mic for an hour. [ArtSpace Herndon]

First day of March — Final payments for the Reston Association’s assessment are due today to avoid late fees. [Reston Association]

“Time Stands Still” — The Reston Community Players are back on the stage at 8 p.m. tonight with their new production. [Reston Community Players]

Photo courtesy @greatfallsva/Instagram 

The Reston Community Players are set to begin performances for “Times Stands Still” on Friday (March 1).

Donald Margulies’ play first hit the stage in 2009. Ten years later, Adam Konowe, the director of RCP’s production, says that the drama is still relevant. “This is truly a play that could have been ripped from today’s headlines, covering the full range of emotions from love to betrayal, pride to envy and commitment to dissolution.”

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

“Time Stands Still” examines the lives of one couple making a living out of documenting the horrors of war. When Sarah, a photojournalist returns from covering the Iraq War after being injured by a roadside bomb, her reporter boyfriend James is swamped by guilt after having left Sarah alone in Iraq. Physically bruised and emotionally beaten, Sarah and James explore whether it is possible for two people who are used to living in dangerous conditions to carve out a normal life.

“It demonstrates that what fulfills us in one sense can be destructive elsewhere,” Konowe said in a press release. “Most importantly, it reinforces that truth — portrayed here through journalism — is worth fighting for and serves society well, even when the news it conveys is difficult to comprehend or appreciate.”

The drama replaced RCP’s previously announced production of “Spring Awakening,” which was canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances,” according to RCP.

The full cast is the following:

• Jane Steffen as Sarah Goodwin
• Greg Lang as James Dodd
• Todd Huse as Richard Ehrlich
• Alex Sands as Mandy Bloom

Performances will be held at the Reston Community Center’s CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road) at 8 p.m. on March 1-2, March 8-9 and March 15-16. A matinee will be held at 2 p.m. on March 10.

A champagne reception will follow the show on its opening night.

After the March 9 performance, two war correspondents — Susan Katz Keating, a national security correspondent for the American Media Institute, and former Fox News Channel Iraq Correspondent Malini Wilkes — will share their experiences covering overseas conflicts as part of an audience talkback panel.

Photos courtesy of Reston Community Players

Great Falls road now open — A fallen tree closed Walker Road for most of yesterday. The road opened back up sometime before 10 p.m., according to a list tracking the status of road closures. [Fairfax County Police Department]

News for theatre fans — The Reston Community Players recently announced their 2019-2020 season, which includes “Mamma Mia” and “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love to Murder.” [Reston Community Players]

PJ party — Wear your pajamas and listen to bedtime stories while making crafts at the Herndon Fortnightly Library from 6:15-7:30 p.m. [Fairfax County]

Locals are encouraged to get outside and take part in a bird watch and count.

Participants can head to the National Wildlife Federation (11100 Wildlife Center Drive) for a free workshop with some tips and tricks ahead of the Great Backyard Bird Count next week.

Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online project for citizens to collect and display data on wild birds in near real-time, according to the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia.

Bird enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to take part in the four-day count each February.

Tomorrow (Feb. 2)

• Stuff the Bus (9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.) — Head to the Village Center at Dulles Giant (2425 Centreville Road) in Herndon to support LINK as a part of “Stuff the Bus,” which takes place at various locations around the county to benefit local nonprofit food pantries.
• Coffee and Conversation with DaMaris Hill (11 a.m.) — DaMaris Hill will discuss “A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing” at Scrawl Books (11777 N. Shore Drive). The book dives into how American women of color are burdened by incarceration by tackling issues of racial injustice, police brutality and mass incarceration, along with the historical legacy of incarcerated black women that precedes it.
• “Three Moves to Divine” (11 a.m.-4 p.m. ) — The exhibit, which provided photographic memory of Ghana by Randy Preston, closes at ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center Street).
• Great Backyard Bird Count Workshop (1-3 p.m.) — The free workshop at the National Wildlife Federation (11100 Wildlife Center Drive) will teach participants how to count and report the count for the Great Backyard Bird Watch, which will take place from Feb. 15-18. Registration is required.
• “Superior Donuts” (2 p.m.) — Reston Community Players’ production closes Saturday afternoon at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road).
• South Lakes HS 14th annual Broadway Night (2-4 p.m., 7-10 p.m.) — The South Lakes High School Choral Department will feature numbers from some of Broadway’s most popular revivals including “Pippin,” “Chicago,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Godspell” and more. The Broadway-style show is performed by more than 120 students from South Lakes High School and its pyramid schools. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $13 for students and seniors.

Sunday (Feb. 3)

• Sunday Cruise Ride (10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) — Join the Reston Bike Club for a ride. Three different routes are available. Participants are set to meet in the ArtSpace Herndon parking lot.
• Digital photography class (1-5 p.m.) — Photographer Mary Louise Ravese will show participants with a digital SLR (DSLR) or mirror-less camera the five most essential camera settings that have the most impact on the look of a photograph during the class at ArtSpace Herndon.

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr pool 

RA urges members to attend PRC meeting — In the latest Reston Today video, Reston Association’s Board President Andy Sigle urges RA members who are concerned about population density to attend a Jan. 23 meeting related to the county’s proposed amendment to the Planned Residential Community zoning ordinance. [YouTube]

Dense fog alert — This morning the National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory until noon today for portions of the region, including Fairfax County. Drivers are encouraged to slow down, use their headlights and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. [National Weather Service]

“Superior Donuts” opens tonight — Reston Community Players’ production opens tonight at RCC Hunters Woods at 8 p.m. Tickets are $28. [Reston Community Center]

Ed-tech merger — Herndon-based Real Time Cases merged with Delray Beach, Fla.-based Elearis. The Herndon startup’s ideo-based business case studies paired up with the technology platform from Elearis for a new Herndon-based firm. [Washington Business Journal]

Photo via Marjorie Copson

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 

Hairspray lives up to the hype — A theater critic writes that Reston Community Players’ latest production, Hairspray, lives up to the volunteer-based community theater’s reputation of presenting professional-quality theater. [DC Metro Theater Arts]

Halloween 101 — With the spooks just around the corner, the county offers several safety tips for trick-or-treating on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Kids are advised to generally visit houses with their porch lights on or with active Halloween decorations, for example. [Fairfax County Government]

Lake House open house — As efforts to increase revenue from The Lake House continue, Reston Association is continuing its tradition of holding an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Reston Association]

Meet me at the movies — Seniors can enjoy a free screening of Ocean’s 8 today from 9:15 a.m. to noon. Light refreshments will be provided. [Reston Association]

A tale of prison and privilege — This free screening set for tonight highlights the economic and social inequities that divide the country and offers solutions on how separated communities can learn from each other. The screening will be followed by a discussion by Signe Taylor and several formerly incarcerated women who appear in the film. [Reston Community Center]

Flickr pool photo of stream cleanup recyclables by vantagehill

Reston Community Players’ first show of their 52nd season kicks off tonight with a performance of Hairspray. The musical is presented in partnership with Music Theatre International.

Tonight’s show begins at 8 p.m. and performances are scheduled for Saturday and next weekend as well. Details about upcoming shows are available online. Tickets are $28 for adults and $24 for seniors and students.

(Editor’s Note: This is just a limited list of all the events taking place in the Reston area this weekend. If you have an event you would like to ensure is listed on the website, be sure to submit it to our Events Calendar.)

• If you’d rather see a show about South Africa’s fragile democracy, you can take part in a viewing and discussion on the topic at Reston Regional Library today from 2-4:15 p.m.
• Halloween is just around the corner and kids between the age of six months and 12 years can enjoy the first-ever “Boo at the Pool” at the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center from 1:45-2:30 p.m. Registration is $4 for Reston residents and $8 for all others. Treat will float for little ones and others will sink into the pool for a little more adventure.
• If you’d rather keep water out of Halloween fun, infant and kids up to 8 years old can take part in Halloween Family Fun Day at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. The event includes carnival games, a musical performance and a puppet show. The event is free.
• Keep Reston beautiful by taking part in a fall stream clean up on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will meet up at Hunters Woods Village Center to help restore Reston’s streams. All ages are welcome but kids under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Reston Association also needs help monitoring local streams on Saturday from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Volunteers will work with a small team to collect data and identify insects, with the ultimate goal of assessing the health of the stream.
• A book club about books and their movie adaptations is set for Sunday at 4 p.m. at Scrawl Books. This month’s book is Crazy Rich Asians.
• Reston Town Center will become the site of a 4K walk and run organized by Shatterproof, a national organization that aims to end the stigma against addiction. The event runs from 8 a.m. to noon.
• RA is also organizing a chartered bus trip to Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Reston’s sister city of Columbia, Md. Participants will enjoy a buffet lunch and see “Ain’t Misbehavin'”. The event will run from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. and tickets are $75 for RA members and $85 for all others.
• On Sunday, bestselling author and LGBTQ activist Armistead Maupin will speak at the RCC Hunters Woods at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for Reston residents and $30 for all others.
• Kids can test their opening tactics and ending strategies at Reston Regional Library’s chess club for kids on Sunday from 2-3 p.m.
• The 20th anniversary of Acoustic Jam is on for Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The event, which takes place at Frying Pan Farm Park, is free.
• And Professor Harry Butowsky’s six-part lecture series on the history of World War II continues on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. at Reston Regional Library.

Photo via Reston Community Players

Absentee voting begins today — Voting begins today at the Fairfax County government center and ends on Oct. 13 at nine additional locations. Absentee votes can also be cast by mail. The ballots for Town of Herndon residents will include options for mayor and town council members. [Fairfax County Government]

How about some hairspray — Reston Community Players will kick off its 52nd season with the musical Hairspray. It opens on October 19 and runs through November 10 at Reston Community Center. [Reston Community Players]

Missing endangered man found — Patrick Brown, 74, an endangered man who went missing yesterday, was found and is safe. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Photo by Kit Allgaier

(Updated 1:36 p.m. to remove an event that has already passed)

Warming up to solar? – Fairfax County is holding a free information session today, and will be offering real estate tax credits, solar energy systems discounts, and more to home and business owners. (WTOP)

The throwback comments section – A Reston resident had their Letter To The Editor published in The Washington Post. The topic? The split between Reston and the rest of Fairfax County about density and proposed growth. (The Washington Post)

That’s a lot of butts – Reston business Waitbusters hit 50,000 customers seated since launching their software about a year ago. (Restaurant News)

Everyone’s a critic – A theater review of Reston Community Player’s Thoroughly Modern Millie. Sounds like it was a good time. (Maryland Theatre Guide)

We’re taking a hiatus – Our morning newsletter will be taking a break through May 10, as the editor is away. ARLnow’s assistant managing editor, Bridget Reed Morawski, will be stepping in to cover Reston.

The photo in the morning newsletter was provided with a caption that it is a Great Blue Heron. Another reader has chimed in to say that it is actually a Great Green Heron. Additionally, the Reston editor will be returning May 10, not May 8.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user vantagehill.

Flood warning in effect — A warning is in effect for several areas in Northern Virginia through 11:45 a.m.. [Fairfax County Police Department]

A bridge to somewhere — State officials plan to replace the aging bridge on Hunter Mill Road over Colvin Run. A informational meeting is set for today at 6:30 p.m. in Reston. [Virginia department of Transportation]

A white knight — Reston-based SOSi acquired STG Inc. for $83 million, positioning the company to expand technology and cyber services in the national security and diplomacy arena. [Washington Technology]

Thoroughly awesome? — Reston Community Players’ new performance, Thoroughly Modern Millie, debuts this Friday. The show is based on the 1967 Academy Award-winning film. [DC Metro Theater Arts]

Flickr pool photo via vantagehill

Dive into the height of the jazz age in New York City with “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” Reston Community Players’ next play.

The performance, based on the 1967 award-winning film, will run from April 20 through May 12 at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage.

Throughly Modern Millie follows the story of Millie Dillmount, a girl from Kansas, who comes to New York to work a secretary for a wealthy man and marry him. But things don’t go exactly as she planned.

The owner of the hotel where she is staying kidnaps young girls and she falls in love with a man who is not her wealthy boss.

 “This is what I would describe as a ‘sing me, dance me, entertain me’ type of show,” says Duane Monahan, who serves as both director and choreographer for the production. “We hope to transport audiences to 1920’s New York City and immerse them in the story of Millie Dillmount and her search for love and adventure.”

Performance dates are set for April 20, 21, 27 and 29, as well as May 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12. The curtain time is 8 p.m. for all dates except April 29 and May 6, which are matinees with a 2 p.m. curtain time. 

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 703-476-4500. The price is $27 for adults and $23 for seniors and students.

Photo courtesy Reston Community Players

The healthiest county — Fairfax County was ranked the third healthiest county in Virginia, following Loudoun and Arlington counties. [WTOP]

Heads up for tomorrow’s Metro commute — Silver Line trains will operate every 24 minutes to due to concrete structural repairs. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]

‘Cat On a Hot Tin Roof’ hits the roof — The play by Reston Community Players is listed as the top show of the week by one online magazine. [Maryland Theatre Guide]

A generous donation — Brandon Guyer, a former member of the Reston Herndon Little League and a baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, donated bats to the league. [Reston Herndon Little League]

An oops moment — Good Morning America incorrectly stated a major walkout near a highway happened at South Lakes High School yesterday. Have doubts? Check out the tweet for yourself. [Good Morning America]

Flickr pool photo by vantagehill

Winning big – Reston Community Players won 13 awards over the weekend at the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors celebration. [Broadway World]

And losing big — This Reston-based government IT contractor is laying off around 100 employees due to a recent health care contract loss. [Washington Business Journal]

Bus connections to Wiehle-Reston East — Loudoun County Transit is requesting $1.7 million to expand bus service to the Metro station. But there are a lot of projects vying for funding. [NOVA Transit]

Attention, book lovers — Reston Regional Library is holding a book sale for children, teens and educators this Friday through Sunday. [Friends of the Reston Regional Library]

Unemployment rates flatline — Virginia’s unemployment rate rests at 3.6 percent, the same as December’s figure. [WTOP]

Flickr pool photo by vantagehill