Thursday, August 07, 2008

Cheap Dates

“1776”
The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., launches its 75th Season with the musical “1776,“ which recreates the public events and personal struggles that lead the Continental Congress to forge a new nation, making audience members witnesses to history.

Shows run through Aug. 23. Show times are 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday and 3 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $18 to $21.

For more information, call 703-683-0496, or go to http://www.thelittletheatre.com.

Whiskey Rebellion
George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill celebrates the Whiskey Rebellion Saturday and Sunday with dramatic performances, a military encampment, militia drilling, music, open-hearth cooking and costumed demonstrations. When President George Washington ordered up militia forces in 1794 to enforce taxation on whiskey distillers in Pennsylvania, it was one of the first tests of federal authority in U.S. history. The defense of the constitutional powers of the federal government was at stake, and gristmills, which served as community centers in the 18th century, would have been the setting for debate when people took their grain to be ground.

The Whiskey Rebellion is included in regular admission to George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill, three miles from the Mount Vernon Estate: $4 for adults; $2 youth ages 6-11; free for children ages 5 and younger.

Visitors will see young men debating at the Gristmill whether to take up arms and see what happens when an irascible miller tries to convince them to stay home. Washington’s distiller reflects five years after the rebellion on how the Whiskey Rebellion solidified the laws of the country.

More information is available by calling 703-780-2000; or from MountVernon.org.

Little Builders
The Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach offers Little Builders through Sept. 14.

As they don child-size hard hats and construction vests, young children can create, play and learn as they explore the concepts of construction, motion and simple machines. Little Builders is also a learning laboratory for parents, teachers and childcare providers. 

The aquarium just completed $25 million in renovations.

Five themed areas in the Little Builders exhibit include the construction Site, Structures, Aerodynamics, Cranes and Simple Machines.

In addition to the exhibit’s hands-on elements, the aquarium has added live animals that demonstrate unique and superior building skills.  Beavers, alligators, finches and corals will reveal how they change the terrain by building dams, nests or reefs.

The museum is at 717 General Booth Blvd., just south of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach.

More information on exhibits, movies, boat rides and special events call is available by calling 757-385-FISH (3474) or from VirginiaAquarium.com.