Theater and Dance

THEATER

Animal Farm

n George Orwell’s satirical allegory about Soviet totalitarianism. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. Through May 20. Synetic Theater at Rosslyn Spectrum, 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington. $15-$25. 703/824-6200.

Coriolanus

n Coriolanus’ prideful isolation becomes his downfall as he plots to unleash a bloody crusade of vengeance. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Friday, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Through May 6. Royal Shakespeare Company at the Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater. $25-$78. 202/467-4600.

The Director: The Third Act of Elia Kazan

n A biographical account of the rise and fall of Academy Award-winning director Elia Kazan. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. Through May 13. Round House Theatre, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. $15-$35. 240/644-1100.

Either Or

n A true-life war time story of Kurt Gerstein, a young German caught on the wrong side of history. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. May 2-June 3. Theater J, 1529 16th St., NW. $15-$45. 800/494-8497.

Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue

n Elliot Ruiz returns from military duty in Iraq and soon realizes how his experiences unite him with his father and grandfather. In English with Spanish subtitles. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday. Through May 12. GALA Hispanic Theater at the Tivoli Theater, 3333 14th St., NW. $15-$34. 202/234-7174.

The Flu Season

n The story of burgeoning love in a psychiatric hospital. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Through May 13. Catalyst Theater Company at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St., SE. $10. 202/494-3776.

The Heidi Chronicles

n Wendy Wasserstein’s play tracks 30 years of feminism through the life of Heidi Holland, feminist art historian. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Through May 13. Arena Stage, Fichandler Theater, 1101 Sixth St. SW. $47-$66. 202/488-3300.

I Am My Own Wife

n A one-man show that follows Charlotte von Mahldorf and her triumph over the brutalities of both the Nazis and Communists. 7:45 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 1:45 and 7:45 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Through May 20. Olney Theatre Center at the 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney. $25-$46. 301/924-3400.

In On It

n Three men defy the laws of creation and destruction as they maneuver between three comedic realities. 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Through May 27. Theater Alliance at H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St., NW. $25. 202/396-0050

Little Red Riding Hood

n The fable is brought to life with large-scale puppets, live actors and marionettes. 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Through May 25. Classika Theatre, 4041 S. 28th St., Arlington. $12-$15. 703/824-6200.

A Man For All Seasons

n Robert Bolt’s play about Sir Thomas More, who faces down Henry VIII in his effort to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Through May 12. Keegan Theatre at the Church Street Theater, 1742 Church St., NW. $20-$25. 703/892-0202.

Mill Town Girls

n A play that navigates the unlikely friendship between a reluctant shutterbug and a heavy metal preacher’s child. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Through May 13. Quotidian Theatre Company at the Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda. $15-$20. 301/816-1023.

The Musical of Musicals, The Musical!

n One story becomes five different musicals in this comedic musical parody. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Through June 3. MetroStage, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria. $35-$40. 800/494-8497.

Nest

n The story of Susanna Cox, a Mennonite accused of infanticide in 1809, and the first woman to be hanged in the state of Pennsylvania. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Through June 24. Signature Theatre, 2800 S. Stafford St., Arlington. $35-$55. 703/820-7790.

Opus

n A string quartet must replace an unstable player, and the four men must adjust to the modulations produced by the addition of a young woman. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Through May 19. Washington Stage Guild, 1901 14th St. NW. $30-$40. 240/582-0050.

Peter & Wendy

n J.M. Barrie’s tale of “Peter Pan” is reimagined with Asian puppetry and a Celtic musical score. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Through June 24. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St., SW. $55-$74. 202/488-3300.

Renaissance

n Two survivors of the Holocaust struggle with forgiveness and retribution. 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. Through May 19. Landless Theatre Company at DCAC, 2438 18th St. NW. $15-$18. 301/515-4494.

Saving Aimee

n A play based on the life of Aimee Semple McPherson, a woman who went from a humble upbringing to the charismatic founder of the Four Square Gospel Church. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Through May 13. Signature Theatre, 2800 S. Stafford St., Arlington. $37-$63. 703/820-9771.

Shear Madness

n The long-running whodunit comedy continues indefinitely. 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 9 p.m. Friday, 6 and 9 p.m. Saturday, 3:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Kennedy Center Theater Lab, F Street and New Hampshire Avenue NW. $34. 202/467-4600.

Sleeping and Waking

n It’s 60 years in the future and it is now possible to attach a human head to a donor body and Professor Sullivan Daniels is the first to undego the procedure. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday. May 4-June 2. Charter Theatre at Theater on the Run, 3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington. $20-$25. 202/333-7009.

The Tempest

n Old enemies and new lovers find themselves cast ashore in a world they never imagined in Shakespeare’s final play. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. May 9-June 17. Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St., SE. $32-$50. 202/544-7077.

365 Days/365 Plays Festival

Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ tour de force, a play for each day of the year, presented by different arts organizations in weekly cycles of seven plays each. GALA Hispanic Theater will conduct a nightly reading on May 3, 4-5 at 7 p.m. at the Tivoli Theater, 3333 14th St., NW. www.studiotheatre.org/365.

Titus Andronicus

n When the Roman general Titus returns from his campaign against the Goths he sacrifices a prince in retaliation, setting in motion a cycle of violence. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Through May 20. Shakespeare Theatre Company, 450 Seventh St. NW. $19-$78.25. 202/547-1122.

STAGE

The Capitol Steps

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202/397-SEAT.

n The musical and political satire troupe. 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. $31.50.

Comedy Sportz D.C.

Ballston Common Mall

Old Vic Arena, 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703/294-LAFF

n Teams of comedians battle each other in competitive improvisational comedy sketches. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday. $8-$12.

DINNER THEATER

George M!

• Rags-to-riches story of George M. Cohan. Through June 10. 8:15 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 12:30 and 7:15 p.m. Sunday. $28.50-$47. Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road, Columbia, Md. 301/596-6161.

Murder Ahoy!

• A boisterous buccaneer mystery performed by Mystery Dinner Playhouse. Through April 28. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $42.95. Doubletree Hotel Crystal City, Arlington. 888/471-4802.

Murder Upon Request

• The Interactive comedy-mystery group performs plays at two locations: “A Deadly Private Party” at Alfio’s La Trattoria, 4515 Willard Ave., Chevy Chase, and “Just Killing Time” at the Arlington Hilton, 950 N. Stafford St., Arlington. 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday. $55. Both run indefinitely. 703/379-8108.

Mystery in Mo’ Town I

• Blair Mansion Mysteries performance. 7:30 p.m. May 4-5. Blair Mansion Inn Restaurant, 7711 Eastern Ave., Silver Spring. $52.95. 301/588-6646.

DANCE

Dance Place

3225 Eighth St. NE. 202/269-1600.

• Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh and Company. 8 p.m. May 5, 7 p.m. May 6. $7-$20.

George Mason Center for the Arts

4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 703/993-8650.

• GMU Dance Company. 8 p.m. May 3-5. $7-$10.

Joy of Motion Dance Center

Jack Guidone Theater, 5207 Wisconsin Ave., NW. 202/276-2599.

• Tehreema Mitha Dance Company. 8 p.m. May 5, 7 p.m. May 6. $15-$20.