Calendar of Events

Reception April 9, 6:30-8:30 PM
213 Hotel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityart.com

The Fountain City Art Guild will be having its annual Spring Show at the Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Avenue in the heart of Fountain City. The Center is located in the old library building next to Fountain City Park just off of Broadway and is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 to 1 p.m. The show will run from April 9 until May 7 with reception and awards on Friday, April 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and light drinks will be served and musical entertainment will be provided by guitarist David Williams. Awards, including Best of Show, First, Second and Third places along with three Honorable Mentions, will be presented at 7:00 p.m. Also appearing in conjunction with the guild Show is artwork by students from Central High, Gresham Middle and Fountain City, Sterchi, Shannondale and Inskip Elementary schools. The public is encouraged to attend this free event.

The Fountain City Art Guild is celebrating its 26th year and currently has over 40 members, most of whom will be represented in this show. It is held in conjunction with the Dogwood Arts Festival “Studio Tours” and will be open on April 25 and 26 for viewing and demonstrations by many of our artists. The Fountain City Art Guild web site is www.fountaincityartguild.com and the web site for the Fountain City Art Center is www.fountaincityart.net

Featuring Parisian paintings
Opening Reception with the artist, Friday April 9 from 6-9:00pm
The French Market, 530 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For more information call 865-540-4372; www.thefrenchmarketknoxville.com. Open Mon-Wed 9am-4pm; Thu-Sat 9am-9pm.

An original production by Chris Grabenstein.
“Meet the Author” Reception at 5:30 on Opening Night

Shows: Fridays (4/9, 16 & 23) at 7 PM - Saturdays (4/ 10, 17 & 24) at 3 PM & 7 PM - Sundays (4/ 11 & 18) at 3 PM - Thursdays (4/15 & 22) at 7 PM

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

By Harper Lee. Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus Finch--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up. A beautiful and deeply affecting adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, the film and play retains a timeless quality that transcends its historically dated subject matter (racism in the Depression-era South) and remains powerfully resonant in present-day America with its advocacy of tolerance, justice, integrity, and loving, responsible parenthood. April 8-10, 15-17, 2010 at 7 pm; April 11 & 18 at 2 pm. All performances subject to change. Check website periodically for updated information. Information: 865-882-4567, www.roanestate.edu keyword: theatre.

Explore over 60 miles of trails, open gardens, camera sites and historic homes as you walk, bike ride, drive, or bus tour. Fountain City is the featured trail. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

April 3, 10, 19, 22, & 24
The cruise will board the Riverboat at Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville. Guest can enjoy a delicious lunch on the way to Crescent Bend. Upon arrival guest will have an hour to tour the house and gardens. Coffee and desert will be served on the return trip. Cost is $29.95 per person, or $16.95 for children, plus tax for the Luncheon Cruise and $19.95 per person, or $11.95 for children, plus tax for sightseeing only. Admission price to tour Crescent Bend is included. For more information and to make reservations call the Tennessee Riverboat Company at 865-525-7827.

Direct from a highly-acclaimed run on Broadway, the Tony-nominated Soul of Shaolin will premier at the Eastern Shanghai Theater in April. A Chinese martial arts spectacular, Soul of Shaolin features over 30 Chinese performers skilled in the art of Shaolin Kung Fu and tells the touching story of Hui Guang (pronounced “whey gwong”), an orphan boy who is discovered by the legendary monks of the Shaolin Temple and is raised among them. The show debuted at New York's Marquis Theatre in January 2009 as part of the China on Broadway series of productions. It received rave reviews from many American critics, with the New York Post describing the show as "a dazzling display of skill", while the Associated Press called it "astonishing and amazing".

In addition to a spectacular show, the Eastern Shanghai Theater will feature state-of-the-art sound and lighting and a spectacular 198-square foot LED backdrop. According to the show's executive producer, Lizhi Zhao: “The story of Shaolin is timeless and appeals to all audiences, young and old.” People coming to the Smoky Mountains this year may not want to miss limited engagement of Soul of Shaolin.
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. each night with matinee shows Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. For ticket prices and bookings call 865-453-8888 or visit www.EasternShanghaiTheater.com.

Unarmed Merchants Art Gallery will be featuring encaustic paintings from local artist Neranza Noel Blount. This show will be up for the month of April starting Friday the 2nd. She is interested in patterns in nature including land and atmospheric weather patterns and how they relate to each other. She also collages with found objects and uses her pen & ink renderings and photography images that have been cut, torn, and then fused onto wooden surfaces and painted over with encaustic wax. She started painting in oils at an early age and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Tennessee. She has received top awards for her works of art nationally and internationally. Her use of the medium of encaustic came out of her father’s profession as a beekeeper. Her husband has also since become a beekeeper. With her art she wants to help build awareness of the importance of honeybees and how the existence of man depends upon them.

Unarmed Merchants, 129 S. Gay Street, Knoxville TN 37902. (865) 549-5769; http://unarmedmerchants.com

The Dogwood Arts Festival Limited Edition Print is synonymous with the annual springtime event and this exhibit showcases the artistry, variety, and beauty that this East Tennessee tradition has recorded. Signing by Dogwood Arts 50th Anniversary Commemorative Print Artist Heather Whiteside on Friday, April 2, 5-8 p.m.
Museum of East Tennessee History, 601 S. Gay Street. Opening Reception: Friday, April 2, 5-9 p.m. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Admission: Free. 865.215.8830, www.eastTNhistory.org

Allows progressive, emerging and professional regional artists to exhibit their work in a variety of genres. The exhibit will show in the historic gallery space at 128 S. Gay Street. Opening Reception: Friday, April 2, 5-9 p.m. Hours: Wed.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. the 11th 12-5 p.m. Information: 865-637-4661, www.dogwoodarts.com.

A world-class exhibition of large-scale outdoor sculptures that enliven downtown Knoxville. Information: 865-637-4661, www.dogwoodarts.com.