Calendar of Events

Everybody loves surprises, that feeling of not knowing what might be around the next corner -- and that’s exactly the vibe that Widespread Panic gives off every time they unleash a new album. Sometimes that means taking listeners on a nice, smooth ride, and sometimes it means making ‘em hold on tight, but either way, it means the trip is gonna be worth it. Widespread Panic will be at the Tennessee Theatre for not one, not two, but THREE nights in a row! Along with the performances, a food drive will be held and canned donations will be accepted.

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com. For tickets: 865-684-1200, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

The first performance in the Athens Area Council for the Arts’ Big Time/Small Town Season of Performances is THE CAPITOL STEPS at the Athens City Middle School , 200 Keith Lane in Athens , Tennessee. The Capitol Steps performance is sponsored by The Sock Shop by Crescent.

The Capitol Steps are a troupe of Congressional staffers-turned-comedians who travel the country satirizing the very people and places that once employed them. Most cast members have worked on Capitol Hill; some for Democrats, some for Republicans, and others for politicians who firmly straddle the fence. No matter who holds office there’s never a shortage of material.

For more information and audio clips of The Capitol Steps, go to www.capsteps.com.

Individual tickets for The Capitol Steps are $25.00 for all seats. For more information on all performances of the Athens Area Council for the Arts and to purchase tickets, go to www.athensartscouncil.org, call (423) 745-8781, or visit The Arts Center, 320 North White Street in downtown Athens , Tennessee .

By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope & Jamie Wooten on September 23–October 1, 2011 in the Sue E. Trotter Theater at The Arts Center in Athens. The five cast members are Pam Thigpen, Sarah Maynard, Karen Siklosi, Kay Simmons, and Melonie Carideo, who portray five Southern women over two acts at four points in their lives - from their mid forties to mid seventies. Their friendships began many years ago on their college swim team, and they have set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina's Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other's lives. The Dixie Swim Club focuses on four of those weekends and spans a period of thirty-three years. Sheree, the spunky team captain, desperately tries to maintain her organized and "perfect" life, and continues to be the group's leader. Dinah, the wisecracking overachiever, is a career dynamo. But her victories in the courtroom are in stark contrast to the frustrations of her personal life. Lexie, pampered and outspoken, is determined to hold on to her looks and youth as long as possible. She enjoys being married—over and over and over again. The self-deprecating and acerbic Vernadette, acutely aware of the dark cloud that hovers over her life, has decided to just give in and embrace the chaos. And sweet, eager-to-please Jeri Neal experiences a late entry into motherhood that takes them all by surprise. As their lives unfold and the years pass, these women increasingly rely on one another, through advice and raucous repartee, to get through the challenges (men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, aging) that life flings at them. And when fate throws a wrench into one of their lives in the second act, these friends, proving the enduring power of "teamwork," rally 'round their own with the strength and love that takes this comedy in a poignant and surprising direction. The Dixie Swim Club is the story of these five unforgettable women—a hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that last forever.
The Dixie Swim Club opens with dinner theater on September 23rd – all seats $25.00 by reservation. Doors open at 6:00 PM with cash bar, dinner at 6:30, and show time at 7:30 PM. Other performances at 7:30 PM are September 24, 29, 30, and Oct. 1. There is one matinee on Sunday, September 25 at 2PM. Tickets for all performances are $12 for adults, $8 for students except for “BFF” NIGHT, Thursday, September 29, when best friends who purchase at least two tickets will be admitted for $10 each. Tickets are available by phone at (423)745-8781, at The Arts Center, 320 North White St., at www.athensartscouncil.org, and at the door as available. For more information, call The Arts Center at 745-8781.

The Guild of the Knoxville Museum of Art presents the 2011 Artscapes auction in two parts: a Preview and Silent Auction Opening Tuesday, September 20 6-9pm, and Live Auction and Gala Dinner Friday, September 30 6:30pm-9:30pm.

Approximately 75 works of art will be on view at the KMA beginning September 20. Silent or live auction bids may be submitted in person or by phone in the museum gift shop until 5pm Friday, September 30. Throughout the run of the Silent Auction, visitors can pay a "buy it now" price if they want to acquire any work immediately.

Art can be viewed at the KMA website www.knoxart.org and at the Artscapes 2011 Facebook page, beginning in September. The auctions offer selected glass, painting, photography, sculpture, and ceramic. A wearable art section highlights the art of jewelry.

Tickets for the Preview and Silent Auction Opening on September 20 are $25 per person with food and wine presented by Chez Liberty. Tickets for the Live Auction and Gala Dinner on September 30 are $150 per person with food presented by the Northshore Brasserie. For reservations, email rsvp@knoxart.org or visit www.knoxart.org.

The Oak Ridge Art Center announces their annual juried, mixed media exhibition. The exhibition is intended to showcase exceptional work produced throughout our region.

The opening reception is September 17 at 7 PM. A gallery talk will precede the opening at 6:30. Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9AM-5PM; Saturday-Monday, 1-4PM. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

Lucy Maud Montgomery's enduring classic of love, fun, friendship, and sacrifice on Prince Edward Island has all the story's famous characters: Marilla, Gilbert, Diana, Matthew, and more.

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

CTK will present “Anne of Green Gables,” a warmly funny
and touchingly dramatic play based on the classic novel by
Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are a lonely brother and sister,
who work tirelessly on their farm in rural Nova Scotia.
They decide to adopt a boy to help them, but Matthew
can’t resist an imaginative, headstrong girl he meets at
the orphanage. She is Anne Shirley, a fiercely independent
girl with red hair and freckles. Anne’s adventures with her
school friends, her on-again, off-again flirtation with
Gilbert Blythe, her struggles to fit into Canadian society,
and her triumphs as well as her failures are all brought
vividly to life by 18 remarkable young actors. In this
multi-layered, modern version, Anne’s story serves as
an escape for a young girl, reading the book, proving
the plot of “Anne of Green Gables” is as relevant today
than ever.

THE COMPLETE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE is:
Friday, September 16 at 7 PM
Saturday, September 17 at 1 PM and 5 PM
Sunday, September 18 at 3 PM
Thursday, September 22 at 7 PM
Friday, September 23 at 7 PM
Saturday, September 24 at 1 PM and 5 PM
Sunday, September 25 at 3 PM
Thursday, September 29 at 7 PM
Friday, September 30 at 7 PM
Saturday, October 1 at 1 PM and 5 PM.

Reservations are strongly recommended for all CTK
performances. To reserve tickets for the production,
e-mail the number of adult and child tickets needed,
along with your requested performance date and time, to
tickets@childrenstheatreknoxville.com at any time. Or
you may call us at (865) 599-5284 between the hours
of 1 PM and 5 PM.
Tickets are $12 per person. CTK is continuing our special
Adult & Child Combination rate for this production: If an
adult and a child enter together, these two may be admitted
for $10 each.

Traveling Exhibition: "Common People in Uncommon Times: The Civil War Experience in Tennessee"

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, Townsend, TN 37882.
Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday
Closed on Sunday
For Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

Exhibit by Hispanic artists that live and work in the U.S., particularly in the Southeast region and the Knoxville area.

Opening: October 14, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Exhibit: Sept. 15 through Nov. 5, 2011

Reception: Sun. Sept. 11, 2-4:30pm

Public Lecture: Thurs. October 27, 7:30pm

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

"Windows to Heaven: Treasures from the Museum of Russian Icons, Clifton, MA" brings together historically significant works from the collection, dating from 1590 AD to present day. This spectacular exhibition helps demonstrate how religious structures and organizations are created by civilizations to reflect their own spiritual, social and political needs.

Frank H. McClung Museum, 1327 Circle Park on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN
Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

The 13th Biennial International Juried Enamel Exhibition and the 8th International Juried Student Exhibition are hosted at Arrowmont in conjunction with The Enamelist Society conference 2011; Transformation in Contemporary Enamels, Alchemy. The exhibition premiers at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts then travels to the Knoxville Museum of Art and on to the National Ornament Metal Museum. 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