Calendar of Events

Curated by Professor and Distinguished Scientist Robert D. Hatcher, Jr. and Assistant Professor Micah Jessup, both from UT's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, the exhibition focuses on the formation of mountain ranges and the forces that continually alter them. Our own beautiful landscapes of East Tennessee and western North Carolina, part of the Appalachian Mountains, whose genesis was more than 250 million years ago, is one focus of the exhibit; the other is the striking and rugged Himalaya Mountains, the much younger and still rising result of tectonic movements, the global effects of which we learn about often in the news.

Introducing the subject in the gallery will be a fifteen minute video, created by award-winning producer Steve Dean (the Heartland Series) and featuring views of a number of sites in the Blue Ridge and Smokies sections of the Appalachians as well as original images of Himalayan locales and the Tibetan plateau. The dynamics of plate tectonics and processes of erosion are explained in animated segments.

Breathtaking as the surface topography may be, the exhibit will also delve into the structure of the respective ranges, as that is where the keys to the how and the why may be found. Three-dimensional maps, video animations, and of course, rocks will show visitors how we know what we know, and perhaps give viewers a new way to look at the world as well as the landscape around them. The past, the present, and the tectonic future await.

Frank H. McClung Museum, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM; Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

A return engagement after rave reviews from last year’s performance. Their mission is to keep the American Negro spiritual alive.

In the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre at Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Tickets are available at the Clayton Center Box Office M-F 10AM-6PM or by phone or online: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

With smooth vocals, smart song-writing, ferocious instrumentals and jaw-dropping harmony, the Rangers are bringing Bluegrass to music lovers across the USA and around the world. They’ll be in Knoxville on January 14, 2012. Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 11 at 10 a.m.
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

American Spiritual Ensemble returns!
Clayton Center for the Arts

JANUARY 14, 2012 8:00 PM
TICKETS: ADULTS $25/$20
SENIORS/STUDENTS $20/$12
GROUP RATES AVAILABLE

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 8 P.M.
Presenting traditional blues and folk repertoires from Civil War days to the present, Sparky Rucker is a highly accomplished banjoist, guitarist, story teller, historian and humorist. Having learned his craft from master musicians John Shines, Rev. Pearly Brown and Homer Walker, Sparky is proficient in Delta, Piedmont and Mountain acoustic traditions. Harmonica player and vocalist Rhonda Rucker joins Sparky.
$10 JCA Members, Students, Seniors • $11 General Advance
$12 General Day of Show • $6 Children 12 & under
Tickets are available through KnoxTix at http://www.knoxtix.com, (865) 523-7521, and at the door.

The Laurel Theater is located on the corner of 16th and Laurel Avenue in the historic Fort Sanders neighborhood of Knoxville near the UT campus.

Children’s Theatre of Knoxville will hold auditions for our February production of “Rapunzel,” a retelling of the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, on Saturday,
January 14.

Auditions are by appointment only.

To make an audition appointment: Send an email to Caroline King at caroline@childrenstheatreknoxville.com Include your name, your age and your gender,
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Tennessee Mountain Writers January Jumpstart workshops - January 13-15, 2013
Tennessee Mountain Writers will present "January Jumpstart XIII" featuring a fiction workshop led by Darnell Arnoult, Writer-in-Residence at Lincoln Memorial University, and a poetry workshop led by Nashville poet Bill Brown. The event, to be held at the Magnuson Hotel in Sweetwater, will open with an informal social hour on Friday evening; workshop sessions will run from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Participation is limited to 20 per workshop. The registration fee of $110 includes lunch on Saturday; there will be an optional catered dinner at the hotel Saturday night for an additional $16. For registration information, see www.tmwi.org, or email theorrs@usit.net.

Opening Reception: Friday, January 13, 2012 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Open Monday - Saturday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

You are cordially invited to attend the opening reception for Central High’s 2nd Annual National Art Honor Society Exhibit to be held at the Fountain City Art Center at 213 Hotel Avenue . The reception will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. The Art Honor Society members and their instructors, Peggy Leland and Phyllis Ball, will be designing and distributing their own invitations, hanging their own show, bringing their reception food, and providing judges for the artwork. If you came to their show last year, you know that it was very impressive. After that show, the Art Center decided to offer them an opportunity to exhibit every year as a featured show. Be sure to mark your calendars!

by Tom Stoppard, directed by Zack Allen
Adapted from Gerald Sibleyras's Le Vent Des Peupliers
Heroes is set in August 1959 in a home somewhere in France for retired military men. The play takes place outside on a terrace in the garden of a convent hospital where Philippe and Henri are hatching a plan to escape. The three characters are all veterans of the French army in the First World War.

Winner of the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for best new comedy (London).

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 $10 plus fees for Thursday & Sunday; $15 plus fees for Friday & Saturday. For information: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com. For tickets: 865-523-7521, www.KnoxTIX.com

Children’s Theatre of Knoxville will present a live stage version of the thrilling adventure “The Neverending Story,” for 13 performances, Thursdays through Sundays from January 13 through 28.

“The Neverending Story” is one of the most acclaimed modern adventure stories for children. Bastian loves his books, but he is always disappointed when his
books always have to end. From a mysterious book-seller comes a blessing and a curse: a neverending story! The story which stirs Bastian’s soul is of Atreyu,
a native boy on a great crusading adventure to rescue the world of Fantastica from the clutches of The Nothing. As the story grows, Bastian discovers this book begins to blend with reality in unforgettable ways.
First published in 1983, and made into a beloved film in 1984, “The Neverending Story” is a tale that all ages can enjoy.

The COMPLETE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE is:
Friday, Jan. 13 at 7 PM
Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1 PM and 5 PM
Sunday, Jan. 15 at 3 PM
Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 PM
Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 PM
Saturday, Jan. 21 at 1 PM and 5 PM
Sunday, Jan. 22 at 3 PM
Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 PM
Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 PM
and Saturday, Jan. 28 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 10 AM 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. 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 10 AM and 5 PM.

The play is being performed at CTK’s theatre in downtown Knoxville, located at
800 Tyson Street.

Friday, January 13

6 pm PUBLIC PROGRAM: Owl Prowl
Did you know that owls are the first birds to begin nesting each year? Join us for this owl prowl and we'll listen for the sounds of owls as they search for partners and nesting locations. Free to members, $5 for non-members. To register, please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110. Leader: Peg Beute

Saturday, January 14

10 am ELEMENTARY EXPLORERS: Animal Tracks and Signs
(Ages 6-8) Can you follow the clues? Even if you don't notice all the wildlife around you, a true nature detective can find signs that animals leave behind! Free to members, $15 for non-members. To register, please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110. Leader: Kara Remington

11 am LIVING CLEAN & GREEN: Winter Gardening Series
With a little planning, it is possible to harvest garden-fresh produce all year long! In the Winter Gardening Series, participants will learn tips and tricks to growing in the cold weather months. This program will be an introduction to winter gardening in East Tennessee. Free. To register, please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110. Leader: Peg Beute

2 pm PUBLIC PROGRAM: Animal Program
Join us every Saturday for a live animal encounter with one of our non-releasable education animals. Free to members, $2 for non-members. No registration required.

3 pm PUBLIC PROGRAM: Explore the Park
Even in winter signs of nature are all around us. Whether it is the chatter of winter birds, or the rustle of fallen leaves, there is always something new to discover around each bend of the trail. Free to members, $5 for non-members. To register, please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110. Leader: Kara Remington