Charlotte Sommers, the Executive Director of the BlackRock Center for the Arts, said ticket sales for shows haven't been stellar this year (or last year) as the country pulls itself out of the Great Recession.

"Nobody is breaking box office records, but we're doing OK," Sommers said. "One trend that we see is people are not committing ahead of time. People are not buying subscriptions. It's kind of hairy for us."

But despite economic hardship, there have been bright spots. Each of these sold-out shows sold more than 200 tickets at the arts center. These are the top 10 shows at BlackRock Center for the Arts this year in chronological order.

No. 1:
Mary Ann Redmond
Feb. 6
"A shining star of the greater D.C. blues scene, the fabulous Mary Ann Redmond has been awarded 16 Wammies over the years from the Washington Area Music Association. Blessed with a husky alto voice that soars effortlessly into soprano, the effervescent Redmond seduces audiences with a songbook ranging from steamy ballads to hard-charging funk." ***
 
No. 2:
The Seldom Scene
March 27
"Since forming in 1971 "just for the fun of it", the Seldom Scene has remained at the forefront of the progressive bluegrass movement, challenging musical boundaries and taking the form of new heights. Wowing audiences from the National Folk Festival to the White House, the Seldom Scene's musical virtuosity has earned them a well-deserved spot in the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame."
 
No. 3:
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
April 24
"TheaterworksUSA has combined the beloved children's books If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Diary of a Worm, Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores, How I Became a Pirate, Lilly's Big Day, Paper Bag Princess, and Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig into this bright and bouncy musical revue. A multi-talented, high energy cast has the little ones sitting on the edge of their seats."
 
No. 4:
A Tribute to Bob Dylan
May 20
"Ever since his trademark guitar riffs powered the Commander Cody hit Hot Rod Lincoln to the top of the charts, Grammy nominee Bill Kirchen has lived up to his reputation as a guitar wizard. Now Kirchen joins forces with a slew of folk/Americana/country music friends - his band Too Much Fun, Kevin James, the Grandsons, John Jennings, and the Kennedys - in a rollicking tribute to Bob Dylan, one of the giants of contemporary music."

No. 5:
Ailey II
October 23
"Ailey II is an exceptional company that merges the spirit and energy of the country's best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today's most outstanding emerging choreographers.  Started in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, Ailey II embodies Mr. Ailey's pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training and community programs for all people.  Today, it has become one of the most popular dance companies in the United States."
 
No. 6:
Brian Curry's Happy Halloween!
Oct. 30
"Brian Curry, a talented working magician known to BlackRock's summer campers for his awesome Wizard's Workshops, puts on a show so amazing and baffling that even the smartest kids (and parents) wonder 'How did he do that?'"
 
No. 7:
Aztec Two-Step: The Simon & Garfunkel Songbook
Nov. 13
"It's a match made in musical heaven: old friends Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman with the immortal music of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Performing classics like Mrs. Robinson, The Boxer, and America, this critically acclaimed duo promises not only a night of musical nostalgia, but also a personal retrospective on the music that influenced them - and an entire generation."
 
No. 8:
Trio Caliente
Nov. 20
"Comprised of longtime Washington musicians Deborah Benner, Michael Bard, and Amilcar Cruz, Trio Caliente produces music that seamlessly fuses elements of Bossa Nova, gypsy rhumba, jazz, and contemporary flamenco. A percussion section joins the trio for a big Latin sound that has you dancing in the aisles."
 
No. 9:
Metropolitan Klezmer
Dec. 5
"Led by drummer Eve Sicular, Metropolitan Klezmer is the collaborative adventure of eight exceptional New York musicians whose playlist includes rollicking wedding dances, soulful folk tunes, modal slapstick, postwar Yiddish poetry, klezmer traditionals, swing classics, tangos, love ballads, and originals."
 
No. 10:
It's a Wonderful Life: Live from WVL Radio Theatre
Dec. 9
"Inspired by the holiday film classic about George Bailey and the folks in Bedford Falls, It's a Wonderful Life: Live from WVL Radio Theatre comes to the BlackRock stage as a 1940s live radio broadcast performed in front of a studio audience. It's creative, nostalgic and full of fun and drama, with five actors performing the dozens of characters in the radio play and producing the sound effects. A truly unique evening of holiday theatre!"

To check out BlackRock Center for the Arts' current schedule of shows, visit blackrockcenter.org.

*** All show descriptions provided by BlackRock Center for the Arts.