Calendar of Events

In this screamingly hilarious farce, a young painter of genius is in debt to a villainous dealer who intends on marrying the artist's girlfriend unless the debt is paid. As an artist's work is of high value only after his death, the painter fakes his death and prospers, all while passing himself off as his own sister. Now a rich "widow," he must find a way to get out of a dress, return to life, and marry his beloved.

227 Broadway in Historic Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. For more information, call (865) 482-9999 or visit www.orplayhouse.com

Featuring "The Church Of Diminshing Marginal Returns", a World Premiere comedy by Jay Huling presented as the featured production in the 14th annual Tennessee Stage New Play Festival. When incorrigible entrepreneur Josh Pocket finds himself in severe financial trouble, he cons his evangelical brother Jon into starting their own church. Although Jon has a penchant for hermeneutical biblical exegesis and is quite sincere about the endeavor, Josh is only interested in collecting tithes and love offerings. Josh and Jon’s endeavor is so financially successful they’re able to pay off most of their debts. This doesn’t sit well with their banker, Gordon Hepworth, who has been making a handsome living off of the interest from their outstanding loans .And when Nancy Fairchild of the IRS uncovers the church’s activities, she launches a formal investigation/ Josh and Jon then must get their act together to qualify as a bona fide 401©(3) tax exempt church corporation.

At Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 N. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $15 for General Admission; $12 for Students and Senior Citizens.
Tennessee Stage Company: 865-546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com

Based on the series of novels by Beverly Cleary. Shows: Thursdays at 7:00 PM; Fridays at 7:00 PM; Saturdays at 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM; Sundays at 3:00 PM.

Unpredictable. Exasperating. Boisterous and independent. That’s Ramona Quimby for you. Always aggravating her older sister, Beezus, constantly getting into trouble and sometimes “making a big, noisy fuss” when things don’t go her way. As narrator, Beezus (Beatrice Quimby) introduces the Quimby family and friends and thereby sets the scene for the collection of vignettes that trace Ramona’s tumultuous passage through third grade and through her family relationships. At school, she throws a tantrum when provoked by a classmate and is sent home in disgrace. The teacher’s wrath, an important family wedding, persistent sibling bickering and Mr. Quimby’s attempts to give up smoking are part of the fabric that shape a humorous, loving family portrait.

Located at 800 Tyson Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-599-5284, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com, info@childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

Friday, March 12, at 8:00 pm and Sunday, March 14, at 2:30 pm. Gilbert and Sullivan's famous operetta with Carroll Freeman directing and Brian Salesky conducting. At the Tennessee Theatre, 608 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN. For information or to reserve tickets to opera performances: 865-524-0795 or www.knoxvilleopera.com.

JCA showcases some of the finest practitioners of mountain music across the generations, home grown in our own back yard. Friday and Saturday night we will have old time string bands and song and plenty of jamming in the basement. The festival concludes with Old Harp Singing and potluck on Sunday.

1538 Laurel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916. Information: 865-522-5851, www.KnoxTIX.com

ArtXtravaganza has rapidly grown to become one of the premier art shows in the Southeast, and has helped to further the careers of prominent Southern artists. ArtXtravaganza showcases the amazing range and diversity of artistic talent in the region and helps establish Knoxville as a community aligned with the arts. The three-day event is held on the Webb School of Knoxville campus in West Knoxville. ArtXtravaganza features original artworks by more than 60 notable local and regional artists and offers affordable works for everyone – from fine art, handcrafted jewelry and pottery to glass art, sculpture items and metal works. The art sale is open to the public, admission is free, and free parking is available on site. Hours: Friday, March 12, 2-9; Saturday, March 13, 10-6; Sunday, March 14, 12-5. For information: 865-291-3846, www.artxtravaganza.com.

Movies at the Bijou kicks off the season with two classic European films. Band of Outsiders is a 1964 film directed by Jean-Luc Godard. A très French take on the cops and robbers motif, told with exceptional style and shot in glorious black and white. The film belongs to the French New Wave movement, and Godard himself described it as "Alice in Wonderland meets Franz Kafka". The Seventh Seal, by Ingmar Bergman, is the story of a medieval knight (Max von Sydow) in a plague-ridden landscape, and his monumental game of chess with the personification of Death. The film is iconic, the chess scene, the silhouettes dancing on a hillside behind the cloaked guy carrying a sickle, we’ve all seen these images replicated and parodied endlessly in other films. The highest form of flattery to be sure. Friday screening order: Band of Outsiders > The Seventh Seal (order will be reversed on Saturday). Admission to the double-feature is just $5.
Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information: 865-522-0832, www.knoxbijou.com. For tickets: 865-684-1200, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

A Traumatic Brain Injury Workshop will be hosted each day at the Kingsport Center for Higher Education. This is a two-day workshop for service providers, teachers, mental health and vocational rehabilitation counselors, therapists; active and retired military and their families, employers, and individuals affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Timothy Urbin, Ph.D., MBA, Neuropsychologist, Quillen of Medicine will be one of the main guest speakers on both days of this workshop. This workshop is offered FREE through a grant from the Disability Law and Advocacy Center and in-kind support from the Kingsport Center for Higher Education. Lunch will be provided both days and registration is REQUIRED. To register or for more information, please call ETTAC at (865) 219-0130.

Knoxville Watercolor Society members will present recent works at the Art Gallery of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. An opening reception with refreshments will take place on Friday, March 12, 6-8 PM at the church. There will be a short gallery talk about the works and the public will have a chance to meet and talk with the artists. The event is free and open to the public.
2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5, Sunday, 9-12 noon. For more information, visit the Web site or call (865) 523-4176, (865) 966-4041.

The strange narrative paintings of Julie Armbruster return to Knoxville this Spring! On Saturday March 6th, Julie Armbruster will debut her newest work at The Tomato Head in downtown Knoxville located at 12 Market Square. Drawing from three separate narratives, Julie Armbruster’s work exhibited in Doomed Mammals illustrates selections from the Potato Boy, Frog-Monkey, and DuckLips sagas. The three stories deal with volatile friendship, scientific mutation, and how to accept responsibility. The show is a retrospective of the most recent events unfolding within these stories, revealing some interesting twists that are sure to peak your curiosity. The show will be on display at The Tomato Head in downtown Knoxville until April 3rd and will then move to the Maryville Tomato Head from April 4th- May 2nd. A closing reception will be held Saturday May 1st from 3-5pm at the Maryville Tomato Head restaurant. At the reception, Armbruster will have a limited edition book relating the story of Potato Boy and his pet duck Elmore entitled “Idealism Requires Patience.” Julie Armbruster’s work has evolved to include much more intricate compositions and details. Her work is often realized through automatic drawing and then refined through layered rendering and delicate outlining. The landscapes seem oddly familiar and often directly reflect her surroundings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. The world rendered in the paintings is set at a distance from the viewer with the addition of the resin surface and illustrative style. The shine and saturation of color give the work an inviting pull. The viewer is further entranced by the complexity of emotions conveyed by the characters that are often faced with some sort of weighty decision or traumatic occurrence. The narratives are realized through anthropomorphic characters that seem bewildered and internal. Her stories are both funny and dark and typically lack a straightforward resolution. Julie Armbruster’s work can be seen on her website www.JulieArmbruster.net and in her hometown of Asheville, NC at the Woolworth Walk and Honeypot Boutique.

Talented emerging artists nationwide apply annually for Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts’ Artist-in-Residence program, a coveted opportunity of creative discovery for early career artists. Arrowmont’s four current resident artists will open their annual exhibition that showcases their talent and work created during their 11-month residency. The current residents are metalsmith Victoria Altepeter, ceramic artist Thaddeus Erdahl, clay artist Martina Lantin and wood artist Kent Perdue. Arrowmont's Artist-in-Residence program is designed to provide early career, self-directed artists time and space to develop a major body of work in a creative community environment of students and visiting instructors. Each resident is provided their own studio space in the Resident Studios Complex, which is a short walking distance from their living quarters on campus. Residents supply their own equipment, but are otherwise afforded a private and spacious studio to work in for 11 months.
In the Sandra J. Blain Galleries. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. For information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

The Bijou Theatre hosts a First Friday reception to kick off a two-month exhibit featuring the works of East Tennessee artist Betty Bullen. The reception will be held Friday, March 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the upstairs gallery of the U.S. Cellular Stage at he Bijou Theatre. Betty Bullen has studied with an exclusive list of world-class artists including David Leffel, Robert Johnson and Tom Browning. Her paintings are recognized for entertaining composition, confident brushwork, and masterful use of color, but it is her passion and dedication to the work that have brought her success. She paints from life as much as possible, capturing a moment in time, painting the ordinary in an extraordinary way. She has earned a reputation as an artist to collect who excels in still life and figurative as well as landscape painting. Bullen's subjects are scenes "from the heart." Her work has been exhibited in solo and juried group exhibitions and has won many awards. The general public is invited to participate in this reception and First Friday event. The show will be on display throughout the months of March and April for Bijou patrons and visitors to enjoy when the theater is open for performances. Visit www.KnoxBijou.com for a schedule of upcoming events
at the Bijou.

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information: 865-522-0832, www.knoxbijou.com.