Best of Arlington 2024: Best of the Rest
Passing Strange at Signature Theatre (Photo by Daniel Rader)
Reader Pick
Live Theater
Signature Theatre
Signature’s creative team had a lot of pent-up energy during Covid. Now they’re popping corks with a rollicking and ambitious lineup of musical theater productions, both classic and groundbreaking. The current production of Ragtime boasts a cast of 32—plus 16 in the orchestra—all for a theater of just 275 seats. In February, the Tony Award-winning venue will stage the world premiere of Private Jones, a musical based on a true story about a deaf World War I sniper—with deaf, hard of hearing and hearing actors and creative team members. “Who they’re for and who they’re about,” says managing director Maggie Boland. “It will raise those questions about musicals.” As to who they’re for, the answer is becoming increasingly clear for the theater helmed by artistic director Matthew Gardiner: more people than ever. Post pandemic, Signature has welcomed a wave of new audiences. For the season that ended last June, 50% of audience members were folks who had never attended before. –Susan Anspach
Other top vote-getters:
Capital One Hall, Creative Cauldron, Synetic Theater
Reader Pick
Live Music Venue
State Theatre
Other top vote-getters:
Ballston Local, The Birchmere, Capital One Hall, Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, The Renegade, Wolf Trap
“Reclining Liberty” by Zaq Landsberg (Photo courtesy of MoCA Arlington)
Editor Pick
Art Gallery
Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Arlington
Lady Liberty stretches out on her side, crowned head propped in one hand, in the installation called Reclining Liberty on the front lawn of MoCA Arlington. Visitors can sit on the sculpture and take photos. That’s exactly what artist Zaq Landsberg intended in “bringing Liberty’s ideals down to the viewer,” says the museum and gallery’s executive director, Catherine Anchin. The 25-foot-long public art piece, on display through July, is just the latest example of how the art space in Virginia Square is reaching out to bring the community in. MoCA Arlington also offers art classes for everyone from toddlers to adults, studio space for resident artists, and galleries showcasing a revolving range of works by artists both local and international. Formerly known as the Arlington Arts Center, the museum celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024 and is opening a second location in January at Amazon’s Metropolitan Park to house a museum store and more studios and classes. –Barbara Ruben
An event by Social Scene Events (Timmester Photo)
Reader Pick
Wedding/Event Planner
Sara Franklin, Social Scene Events
Other top vote-getters:
Margo Fischer, Bright Occasions; Anne Kelley Events & Design; Jeannette Tavares, Evoke Design & Creative
Collective (Photo by Meredith White)
Reader Pick
Local Band
Collective
Other top vote-getters:
Champagne Velvet, Curtis Knocking, Ladywood, Manther, Relaxed Fit
The rooftop at Bean, Kinney & Korman’s offices in Courthouse (Photo by J. Michael Whalen)
Reader Pick
Family Law Practice
Bean, Kinney & Korman
In the area of family law, Bean, Kinney & Korman is not a litigation-first firm—yet the percentage of family law cases going to trial has risen dramatically in recent years. Stress levels and instances of abuse escalated during the pandemic, and the after-effects have been palpable. “If someone was being unfaithful or physically violent, that didn’t not happen during Covid,” says Christian Lapham, one of the firm’s eight family-law attorneys. “It was at people’s doorsteps all the time.” So it’s understandable how an attorney like Lapham might come to view his job as 75% law, 25% psychology. This requires a delicate tap dance in Arlington, given that many of the firm’s lawyers live in the county and are personally acquainted with the schools and teachers who may be called as third-party witnesses in custody disputes. Tact and discretion are paramount. “There’s no other firm like it,” says Lapham, “in terms of being so deeply embedded in the community.” –Susan Anspach
Other top vote-getters:
Blankingship & Keith, Mullett Dove & Bradley Family Law, Schmergel & Mersberger, Surovell Isaacs & Levy
Reader Pick
Community Bank
Arlington Community Federal Credit Union
Other top vote-getters:
Burke & Herbert Bank, Chain Bridge Bank, EagleBank, John Marshall Bank, Main Street Bank, National Capital Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, United Bank
Reader Pick
Car Wash
Mr Wash Car Wash
Other top vote-getters:
Flagship Carwash, Sonic Soft Car Wash, Yates Car Wash
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