Jimmy's is holdings its annual Christmas Party for Kids from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The day will include souvenir photos, coloring and crafts, a holiday dance party, Christmas carol sing-a-longs, a choice of kids' meal and beverages and a visit from Santa. Reservations are encouraged and all children must bring a grown up. Elden Street Players' Theatre for Young Audiences continues its run of "Little Women" tonight and Saturday night. The play is about four teenage sisters who look for joy in their daily lives during the Civil War. ArtSpace's current exhibit, International Pen and …

The Elden Street Players' Theater for Young Audiences is presenting a special holiday production of "Little Women," by Louisa May Alcott and dramatized by Sara Spencer. The story is set in New England in 1863. Four teenage sisters, Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg, attempt to find joy in their lives where there is otherwise sadness. Their father, a chaplain in the military, is overseas serving in the Civil War. Their mother is trying to do all she can to hold things together and the girls use their creativity and courage to help their mom. The girls also pursue their own interests; Jo is a writer, Amy …

ArtSpace is currently hosting a new exhibit, International Pen and Brush, that spans the Atlantic Ocean. The exhibit includes paintings inspired by poetry and poetry inspired by paintings from artists from the United States and the United Kingdom. Thirty-two artists and poets are taking part in the exhibit and have been collaborating for the past year to create the works. International Pen and Brush, which opened Dec. 3, will run through Jan. 23, 2011 before it is shipped to Herndon's sister city, Runnymede, England for a May 2011 exhibit. The following videos are from the openening …

The Council for the Arts of Herndon promotes the exposure and appreciation of local artists and their work and the organization supports many Herndon events. In addition to holding activities at events, the organization hosts and organizes its own events and programs. Council for the Arts is a nonprofit group, receiving funding from private citizens, businesses, the town of Herndon and Fairfax County. Among the projects sponsored by Council for the Arts is "Art in Public Places." The program was created by the council to provide local businesses in support of the arts the opportunity to …

Thanksgiving weekend is unique in that after the actual holiday has passed there is still a three-day weekend to enjoy. While most people will no doubt try to take advantage of the major sales and ridiculous store hours, around town there are activities for everyone with several events geared toward the whole family. Glee Mania, a local group of performers, clowns, magicians and storytellers, will be presenting "The Thanksgiving Story" on Friday at 11 a.m. at Frying Pan Park. The event will feature an interactive telling of the Thanksgiving story, appropriate for all ages. Tickets are $4/$6 (…

As rehearsals begin for Elden Street Player's latest production "Frozen," the elements that have come to define the theater are all falling into place. Controversial subject matter, dark themes, and a passionate and fiercely independent approach to local theater have distinguished ESP as a force in the Washington D.C. area for over 20 years. What separates ESP from the pack is a consistent and unwavering dedication to quality plays and the actor's craft. Productions like "True West" and "Doubt" have garnered critical acclaim for the group and contributed to an ever growing reputation as one …

With Thanksgiving right around the corner the holiday movie season is picking up steam. This is the only time of year where you'll see a healthy mix of blockbusters and Oscar contenders from the major movie studios. In the coming weeks there will be releases of critic favorites including "The Fighter" and "Black Swan," as well as several sure-fire box office hits starring the likes of Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon and Jack Nicholson. This weekend features one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" opens Friday with …

Now that "Frozen" has been cast the rehearsals are set to begin for director Carla Scopeletis along with the rest of the crew and recently announced cast. The play's three characters will be portrayed by experienced local stage actors. Rebecca Lenehan will play Nancy, the grieving mother of an abducted child. Adam Downs is Ralph, the pedophile serial killer, and Cassandra Hodziewich will play Agnetha, the psychologist studying the nature of serial murderers. The cast and crew sat down together for their first read-through last night at the Herndon Public Works Facility, also known as the Town…

The weekend is almost here and throughout Herndon and northern Virginia there are entertainment options to suit all tastes. This weekend's live music schedule includes a pair of cover bands playing Ned Devine's. Regional cover band Hyjinx is set to perform Friday night while local group Klepto Radio takes the stage on Saturday.  Both shows start at 10 p.m. Call 703-793-7376 for further details. Fans of chamber music will want to check out Trio Cavatina Friday at Wolf Trap. The program will start at 8 p.m. and include selections from Clara Schumann and Gabriela Ortiz Torres. Call 703-255-1900 …

The first round of auditions for Elden Street Player's latest production "Frozen" wrapped up last night at the Industrial Strength Theatre. A number of local actors came out to read for three diverse roles which include an academic psychiatrist, a grieving parent and a pedophile serial killer. Director Carla Scopeletis oversaw the auditions. Actors came in to give a cold reading, meaning they didn't know which scenes they would be performing ahead of time. They were given sides (theater parlance for a photocopy of the scene being rehearsed) to look over for a few minutes before going up on …

Now that Halloween is over and the holiday season is just around the corner, movie theaters are set to usher in a barrage of high-profile films. For movie studios, this is the time when they start rolling out the heavy hitters, and it looks to start this week. Releases this weekend feature A-list actors and Academy Award winners, along with some early Oscar contenders. "Due Date" stars Robert Downey Jr. as a straight laced father-to-be who is forced to hitch a ride with the hilarious Zach Galifianakis on a road trip in order to witness the birth of his child. "Due Date" re-teams Galifianakis …

Fresh off the success of "Murder in Green Meadows," the Elden Street Players are set to bring another dark and complex production to Herndon. "Frozen" revolves around Rhona, a ten-year-old girl who one night goes missing, and the people impacted by her disappearance. The play follows Rhona's mother Nancy, who spends her days mired in grief, as well as Rhona's killer, a pedophile serial killer named Ralph. Linking these two characters is Agatha, a psychiatrist studying the nature serial murders. Their lives intersect as each deal with emotional turmoil, forgiveness, and the nature of the human…

Whenever Halloween falls on a weekend the entertainment options are bound to be more festive and thematic. This year is no different and throughout the area there is something for everyone. Locally, Ned Devine' s will be hosting their annual Halloween bash, "Hollapolooza," on Saturday featuring live music by cover band "Vinyl Headlights." There will also be a costume contest and various prizes given away throughout the night. The show starts at 10 p.m. and there is an $8 cover. Call 703-793-7376 for details. O'Sullivan's in downtown Herndon has live music this weekend. Tonight is Oren Polak …

Jessica L. Fenton has embodied the do-it-yourself approach to music for several years. Her live performances are primarily solo and acoustic, and she plays every instrument on her recordings. So far she's released three EP's herself and has steadily built a fan base playing live shows throughout Virginia and New York. For Fenton, she's looked at recording as a learning process. "My first EP ("Round One: Solo Like Whoa") was recorded in my Richmond, VA apartment," she said. "It was basically an experiment to see if I could write and record music." Though it was a successful attempt, she opted …

One look at some of this weekend's entertainment choices and you'll know (if somehow you didn't already) that we're close to Halloween. Included this week are paranormal movies, horror film festivals and suspenseful theater. In many respects this is a slow week for new releases at the movies. Most studios are waiting to premiere their big holiday films, and historically this is the time of year that most movies do not fare well at the box office. The major film release this weekend is "Hereafter," directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon. The supernatural drama revolves around three…

"Rock 'N' Roll" is the latest full length release from hard rock band "Super bob" (formerly "bob"). The group, whose northern Virginia roots include Herndon, fuses a hip-hop vocal styling with the crunch of heavy guitars very reminiscent of mid- to late-1990s bands Korn, Limp Bizkit and the Deftones. The album starts out with a high energy, straight ahead groove on "Pleased to Meet You," a likely live show opener where the band lets its audience know that they're for real and "not another played out radio song." It's a fast moving, guitar driven track that gets the album off to a good start. …

One of the benefits of living in a metropolitan area is there are always opportunities to go out and try something new. This weekend is no different, and throughout Herndon and Northern Virginia there is an extensive array of entertainment choices. Films opening this week range from the independent to the ridiculous. This is usually the time of year when the summer blockbusters fade away and a surge of smaller films gear up for awards season. The big studio films being released this week include "Red" and "Jackass 3D," while smaller films like "Buried" and "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger…

There's nothing like a little deceit and murder to really bring out the true nature of your neighbors. "Murder in Green Meadows," Douglas Post's suspense thriller about two suburban couples engaged in a web of deception and mind games, is the latest production from the Elden Street Players, and is making its regional premiere at the Industrial Strength Theatre. The play is being produced by Mary Ann Hall and directed by Adam Konowe. Konowe, whose credits include local productions of "The Alchemist" and "Lovers & Executioners," had been circling the project for a while. "This is something I've…

The weekend is almost here and throughout Herndon there is something to offer everyone seeking arts and entertainment. Whether your interest lies in movies, music, art or theater, there is no shortage of options this weekend. Starting Friday, Elden Street Players presents the regional premiere of "Murder in Green Meadows," Douglas Post's psychological thriller about two suburban couples who entangle themselves in a web of deceit, lies, and yes, murder. The production is being directed by Adam Konowe and produced by Mary Ann Hall. Parents take note: the play deals with mature subject matter …

Herndon Community Television (HCTV) is getting ready to take its first step into the digital age. Starting October 12, the non-profit, cable access station will broadcast in high definition (HD) on Cox Communication's digital channel 823. The move to HD started about a year ago when the station's board of directors first began discussions with the cable provider. "It didn't take very long," said HGTV Executive Director Jan Tirrell. "We knew it was an important step. The move to HD guarantees HCTV will be seen county wide." The switch to digital is just the latest in a long line of community …