Calendar of Events

Two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel is one of Australia's most respected musicians. The legendary guitarist has a professional career that spans almost five decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. Tommy's unique style - he calls it simply "finger style" - is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Rather than using a whole band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, Tommy plays all that - and more - on one guitar.

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

TCDE will host emerging young artists in music, dance, and entertainment. This one hour concert will surprise you with creativity and artistry! Tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

At the Tennessee Ampitheatre on the World's Fair Site, Knoxville TN. Information: 865-584-9636, www.tcdedance.org

Featuring 10+ local nurseries specializing in:

Herbs, native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and trees
Garden related items, herbal soaps, artwork
Food from local vendors
Children's activities in Jo's Grove Nature Playscape
Music by Chris Durman & Friends

Plus a special Author Event and Book Signing with Pat Fitzhugh (see above).

Remember!
Ijams' Members receive 10% discount on plants!

Pat Fitzhugh, author of The Bell Witch and Ghostly Cries from Dixie presents a special chilling discussion about Tennessee's Bell Witch legend. Q & A session and book signing to follow.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

In observance of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is hosting an exhibition from the Tennessee State Museum, Common People in Uncommon Times: The Civil War in Tennessee. The exhibition focuses on how the war affected the lives of Tennesseans through personal stories of participants whose sagas illustrate a land divided.

The narrative of personal struggle and endurance during the Civil War is presented on 10 graphic panels taken from the State Museum’s collection of photographs and artifacts from the era, as well as from other collections across the state. Each panel portrays a different theme: Confederate leaders, Union leaders, African-Americans, civilian home front, common soldiers, war on the water, reconstruction and commemoration.

Admission to the special exhibition is included in the museum admission price, and free for Heritage Center members. For current hours and admission rates, visit www.gsmheritagecenter.org

At the Palace Theatre, 72 South Main Street in Crossville.

www.isiksonmez.com

Isik Sonmez, whose oil paintings are done with a palette knife, is exhibiting at the Palace Theatre in Crossville during the month of October.

Born in Turkey of a noted military family, he went to Military High School and became a soldier in the Turkish Army and became an apprentice to Professor Dr. Gulbin Yalim and began his study of abstract art. Later he was mentored for a year under the instruction of Nesin Us, a well known abstract artist.
He has been accepted and won prizes in prestigious exhibits both in Turkey and the U.S. In Tennessee, this includes the Oak Ridge Art Center Open Show and 1st in the landscape category in the Art Guild’s juried show.

Sonmez described his work as his own versatile blend of impressionism and surrealism. The exhibit theme at the Palace consists of horses, clients at a café, and Turkish peasants, great fields, storm clouds, and a piece that comments on both joy and pain.

The Palace Theater, 113 West Broadway, Maryville TN 37801. Information: 865-983-3330, www.palacetheater.com

Photographer Molly Harrell is exhibiting her photography series "The Nudes" at URBhana. This recent collection of nudes, photographed over a period of several months, will be on display throughout the month of October.

A graduate of The University of Tennessee 1986, and The Art Institute of Atlanta 2002, Molly currently resides in Columbia, SC, as a commercial photographer specializing in portraits. Her fascination with the beauty of the human body has led to a continued love of photographing people in the nude.

For this show, Molly works primarily with black and white images. A mix of framed works, images printed on canvas, and mixed media will be featured.

.The Festival will be held in the 500-seat covered amphitheater and other buildings located on the grounds. Admission to the Center and the Festival is only $3.00 for adults.

For information about the Woodcarving Festival, email Mac Proffitt at mac@woodcarvers.com or call 800-541-5994. For complete information about the center, visit the Heritage Center’s website

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

String quartets from the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will travel to local libraries during the months of September and October to read stories and play music for pre-school aged children as part of the orchestra’s Story Time Program: Music Is All Around Us. Musicians will read books that explore music that children may hear throughout their day from breakfast to bath time. Violet’s Music tells the story of a born musician who searches to find a band of friends to play along. Fiddle-I-Fee, based on Aaron Copland’s I Bought Me a Cat, will explore in song items that may be purchased on a daily trip to the store. These performances will help to highlight the connections between music and literacy and introduce string instruments to young audience members as well as prepare children for the KSO’s Family Concert on Sunday, October 9 featuring the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and animated character Picardy Penguin.

KSO Library Story Times are made possible by support from the Tennessee Arts Commission, Knox County , the City of Knoxville and Aqua-Chem. All Story Time performances are FREE and open to the public.

September 27 10:30 AM Murphy Library

September 28 11:00 AM Karns Library

September 29 11:00 AM Smart Toys and Books

September 29 4:00 PM Farragut Library

September 30 10:15 AM Fountain City Library

October 4 10:30 AM Sequoyah Library

October 5 10:15 AM Bearden Library

October 7 4:00 PM Cedar Bluff Library

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

Fall, at Cumberland County Playhouse, will be a “Colorful” Delight in more ways than one! Opening September 16th at 7:30pm and running through October 14th, Cumberland County Playhouse launches their most ambition project yet! “DREAMGIRLS” - Starring Knoxville’s very own “Knoxville Dreams”, Lar’Juanette Williams, LaKeta Booker, and Kelle Jolly! DREAMGIRLS is directed and choreographed by Harry Bryce with co-choreography by Donald Frison, scenic design by John Fionte, costume design by Renee Lutrell, and special lighting design by Tonry Lanthrom! This ambitious undertaking has captured nationwide attention and will be featuring talent from all over the USA! Jim Crabtree stops at nothing to bring the Best to Tennessee!

DREAMGIRLS features music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is the story of an up-and-coming, 1960s Motown Style girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune.

Cumberland County Playhouse brings nothing but the best! “DREAMGIRLS”, beginning September 16th – October 14th for selected dates and times. Also currently running are Chicago, Oklahoma, Dearly Departed, and the ever popular Smoke On The Mountain! For ticket information and group discounts, call the box office at 931-484-5000.