For Christmas, I was thrilled to receive season tickets to the Woolly Mammoth, my favorite theater in Washington for outside-the-box productions that sometimes make you squirm, but always make you think. So, when writing my weekly column, I’m a little biased toward the Woolly’s shows, because they always make for an interesting evening. I’ve already reserved my tickets to see “Arguendo,” the theater’s latest production, which opens Tuesday. You can find the details in my Washington Times column this week, available in the print edition, in PDF format, and below.

The Washington Times

Get Out: The Week’s Pocket Picks for March 28, 2014

By Samantha Sault

Pick of the Pack: Arguendo

The newest theatrical presentation at the Woolly Mammoth tells the story of the 1991 First Amendment case Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc.—a timely production, opening just a few days after the Supreme Court heard arguments in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. “Arguendo” is the brainchild of the Elevator Repair Service, an acclaimed New York experimental theater company that combines physical comedy with the actual text of literature and other historical events. In the show, the actors perform verbatim the transcript of the oral arguments of the case, in which exotic dancers from the Kitty Kat Lounge in South Bend, Ind., challenged the state’s ban on public nudity. Naturally, hearing staid Supreme Court Justices discourse on pasties and g-strings is undoubtedly funny. The show opens Tuesday, and every performance will conclude with a discussion with noted Washington lawyers and journalists. Through April 27 at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202/393-3939. Web: woollymammoth.net. 

Cherry Blossoms: Blossom Kite Festival & Cherry Blast

It’s finally starting to feel like spring, so we recommend that you visit the Tidal Basin and see the first signs of the cherry blossoms, which Japan gave to Washington, D.C., 102 years ago. Though the peak blooms are still a couple of weeks away, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing with two special events this weekend. On Saturday, the Washington Monument grounds will host the fourth annual Blossom Kite Festival, where you can enjoy competitions and tricks by skilled fliers from around the world, or make and fly your own. In the evening, head to an old church in Southwest Washington that has been transformed into a dynamic arts venue for Cherry Blast, an interactive arts party. Enjoy live music and DJ sets, as well as multisensory visual and performance arts exhibits inspired by the blossoms. Blossom Kite Festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Washington Monument, Constitution Avenue and 17^th St. NW. Cherry Blast on Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight at Blind Whino, 734 1^st St. SW. The exhibits will be on display through April 20. 877/44-BLOOM. Web: nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. 

Exhibit: Red Bull Stratos: Mission to the Edge of Space

On October 14, 2012, 8 million people watched in awe as Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner flew 128,100 feet to the stratosphere in a balloon gondola for an 11-minute free fall back to Roswell, N.M. Sponsored by energy drink Red Bull, the daredevil broke numerous records, including the first human to break the sound barrier without engine power, the highest manned balloon flight, the highest altitude jump, and the most concurrent viewers of a live stream. On Wednesday, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum will debut an exhibit about the mission, featuring Mr. Baumgartner’s balloon gondola and a pressure suit he wore on a test flight. On opening night, Mr. Baumgartner will be there to discuss the mission, along with his mentor, Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger, who directed the jump and still holds the record for longest sky dive. After the lecture, head to the W for a party with specialty Red Bull cocktails and DJ sets. Lecture on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and exhibit through May 26 at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, Independence Ave. at 6^th St. SW. 202/633-2214. Web: airandspace.si.edu. 

Concert: The Psychedelic Furs

You may not know the English New Wave band the Psychedelic Furs by name, but if you were ever an angsty teenager, you surely know their 1981 hit, “Pretty in Pink,” featured in the John Hughes film of the same name starring Molly Ringwald. The band was popular in the post-punk music scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, but, for better or for worse, found mainstream fame when the movie was released in 1986. Though the band officially split up in the 1990s, they are now rocking together again almost 40 years after their debut studio album, “The Psychedelic Furs.” Their tour stops Thursday at the State Theatre in Falls Church, where you can expect to hear “Pretty in Pink,” along with “Heaven,” “The Ghost in You,” “Heartbreak Beat,” and other danceable songs. Thursday at the State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church, Va. 703/237-0300. Web: thestatetheatre.com or ticketalternative.com. 

Baseball: Nationals Home Opener

Though the weather remains uncertain, we should be in the clear—as far as snow and ice go. And even if the sun is barely peeking through the clouds, baseball fans will want to make plans to play hooky next Friday, April 4, for the Washington Nationals home opener against the Atlanta Braves, which starts at 1:05 p.m. rain or shine. Favorites like Ryan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, and Bryce Harper are returning for the season, which fans hope is a successful one following the team’s second-place finish in the National League East last year. The first 30,000 fans to arrive at Nationals Park—which features a new selection of local beers and farm-to-table food options this year—will receive a limited edition Opening Day cap. The Nationals will play the Braves through Sunday, then the Florida Marlins April 8-10 before heading to Atlanta. Next Friday, April 4 at 1:05 p.m. at Nationals Park, 1500 S. Capitol St. SE. 202/675-NATS. Web: nationals.com. 

© Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC and Samantha Sault