Calendar of Events

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, a live mystery play for teens and families. The play is performed by 8 of Knoxville’s most talented young actors, from October 25 to November 9, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM.

Agatha Christie’s name has been synonymous with mystery for the last 90 years. And her masterwork, The Mousetrap, is one of the most enduring plays of all time. Its original production in London’s West End has been playing non-stop since 1952 and recently celebrated its 25,000 performance. The show is also one of the most-produced plays in middle schools and high schools. The Mousetrap also has one of the most surprising twist endings of any mystery play in the history of the theatre.

Giles and Mollie Ralston are embarking on a new business, opening a guest house in the English countryside. But the opening is marred by a sudden snowstorm, which strands the Ralstons in the mansion, along with their five guests. As night falls, the police call and tell the new hotelkeepers that a suspect in a London murder may be one of the strangers seeking shelter there. Detective Sergeant Trotter skis to the mansion on an urgent quest: to unmask the criminal before he or she attempts to kill again.

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-599-5284, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com. Reservations: tickets@childrenstheatreknoxville.com

Friday, October 25, 2013 at 8:00pm | Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 2:30pm
Knoxville Opera will open its 36th Season with a stunning production of Offenbach’s popular The Tales of Hoffmann. The production stars Talise Trevigne, performing all four soprano roles, a rare feat tackled by very few artists in history. “We are especially excited to welcome back Talise Trevigne who scored triumphs in our productions of Rigoletto and Manon,” said Executive Director and Conductor Brian Salesky. “Her vocal and physical beauty are only matched by her superb acting, and we are all looking forward to a riveting performance.” Ms. Trevigne will be making her debut on PBS’s Great Performances series on November 1st in San Francisco Opera’s production of Moby-Dick.

The intriguing production is a thrilling Halloween appetizer regarding the poet Hoffmann, who, in his world of fantasy and demons, pursues four mesmerizing women: a life-sized mechanical doll, an aspiring chanteuse, a Venetian courtesan, and an opera diva; only to be thwarted at every turn by four diabolical villains. Knoxville Opera welcomes internationally renowned tenor Evan Bowers as Hoffmann, and baritone Markus Beam as the devils, each in his company debut.

Opera preview hosted by Maestro Salesky begins 45 minutes prior to each performance

Highlights include:
◊ the Barcarolle
◊ the Diamond Aria
◊ Olympia’s Doll Song
Performed in French with projected English translations.

At the Tennessee Theatre, 601 S. Gay Street. Information and tickets: 865-524-0795, http://www.knoxvilleopera.com/schedule/tales-of-hoffmann/

Pre-registration required.

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 3/4 mile east of traffic light at the Highway 321 and 73 intersection towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, TN. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM. Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

THE EVENT HAS TURNED INTO AN ANNUAL KNOXVILLE FALL CULTURAL EVENT INCLUDING ART, MUSIC, DEMONSTRATIONS AND REALLY GOOD FOOD! THE SHOW AND OPENING RECEPTION ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND ALL ART LOVERS ARE INVITED TO COME TO THE SHOW.

Featuring pottery, paintings, wearable art, wood, metal, hooked rugs, leather, sculpture, glass, photographs, garden art, gourd art, mosaics and more!

Friday, October 25: 10am-8pm (Wine & Cheese Reception: 5-8pm)
Saturday, October 26: 10am-6pm
Sunday, October 27: 11am-4pm
Location: Whittington Creek Clubhouse, 1800 Whittington Creek Boulevard (off of Northshore Drive in West Knoxville)

MUSIC FOR 2013 SHOW
WINE & CHEESE RECEPTION: 5-9PM, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25TH - THE ACCIDENTALS:
“PAUL, TINA, CAROLYN, JOHN, LAURIE AND BILL”
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26: 2-4PM: PETER BLAU ON KEYBOARD
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY: 1-4PM FREE KIDS ACTIVITIES: MAKE A POT & FACE PAINTING!

Arthur Kipps, a middle-aged solicitor, hires a theatre and the services of a professional actor to help him re-enact – and thereby exorcise – a ghostly event that befell him many years previously with horrifyingly tragic results. From the cluttered stage, Kipps begins to read his story: painfully, self-consciously and hesitantly at first, but, coached by the actor and aided by theatrical artifice, he grows in confidence and ability as he assumes a variety of roles and the play moves from narration to enactment. The actor portrays the young Kipps, sent north by his London firm to settle the estate of an elderly recluse, the late Mrs. Drablow, in whose isolated marshland house Kipps encounters the Woman in Black. This spectre unleashes a macabre sequence of events which culminate in a truly chilling twist in the play’s final moments. Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of the original novel by Susan Hill enjoyed an extended run in London’s West End, and The Woman In Black was most recently seen on the big screen starring Daniel Radcliffe.

For more information: contact The Arts Center at 423-745-8781 or visit our website at www.athensartscouncil.org

A Howling Good Time, with Food, Entertainment, A Silent Auction and Loads of Scary Fun! This event is in its 3rd year and is a Major Fundraiser for the Fort.

Music by the Chillbillies; Appetizer buffet, spooky decorations, Silent Auction, and assorted Halloween hi-jinks. Wear your costume and join the fun – we are planning a “howling” good party”! All proceeds benefit James White’s Fort and its preservation and educational programs

James White's Fort, 205 E. Hill Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915. Information: 865-525-6514, www.jameswhitefort.org

Some artists are able to articulate a vision at the very beginning of their career, while others hone their craft over time, growing into their vision as they mature. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors’ hard work has paid off with the band’s sixth album Good Light, showcasing Holcomb’s signature brand of singer/songwriter Americana in its finest form yet.

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-522-0832, www.knoxbijou.com. For tickets: 865-684-1200, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

Please join Mayor Tom Beehan and Mayor Madeline Rogero for the screening of a new documentary that reveals the challenges, assets, and opportunities East Tennesseans will face as our region grows over the next 30 years.
TELL OUR STORY : OUR LEGACY MATTERS

October 25, 2013, 5:15 p.m. - 7 p.m.
The Square Room, 4 Market Square, Downtown Knoxville
Festive attire! Heavy hors d'oeuvres provided, cash bar.

For more information, please visit the Plan East Tennesee website: planeasttn.org
RSVP-- Let us know you're coming! Contact Emily Saunders at ESaunders@cityofknoxville.org.

On Friday, October 25, 2013 at 2 PM the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum (KBGA) will host a ceremonial planting of two potentially blight-resistant American chestnuts. The seedlings, called Restoration Chestnuts 1.0, are part of a unique breeding program led by The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) to restore the American chestnut to the eastern forests of America. The public is invited to attend the planting. “American chestnut ceremonial tree plantings such as this one at the KBGA are vital to its restoration to the forests of Tennessee,” said Tom Saielli, TACF Southern Regional
Science Coordinator. “They allow us to share the fascinating story of the American chestnut and generate interest among local citizens to join in our efforts.”

“The Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum is proud to be working with TACF to help restore the American Chestnut to its former glory,” said Keyes Williamson, Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum Executive Director. “We look forward to watching these seedlings grow to become mighty giants over the next few decades and feel confident that they will once again be an important part of the southern Appalachian forests.” Once the mighty giants of the eastern forests, American chestnuts stood up to 100 feet tall, and numbered in the billions. They were a vital part of the forest ecology, a key food source for wildlife, and an essential component of the human economy. In the beginning of the 20th century an Asian fungus, known as the chestnut blight, spread rapidly through The linked image cannot be displayed. The file may have been moved, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the correct file and location. the American chestnut population, and by 1950 it had killed an estimated four billion mature trees from Maine to Georgia. Several attempts to breed blight-resistant trees in the mid-1900s were unsuccessful. In 1983, a dedicated group of scientists formed The American Chestnut Foundation with a mission to develop blight-resistant American chestnut trees. Now assisted by nearly 6,000 members, volunteers, and partners, the organization is undertaking the planting of potentially blight-resistant trees in select locations throughout the eastern US. The Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum (KBGA) is located on 47 acres of former Howell Nurseries, featuring walking trails, display gardens, unique and historic horticulture, and over two miles of distinctive stone walls and timeless buildings, just five minutes from downtown Knoxville. KBGA is a privately owned and operated garden supported through donations and membership. Visit www.knoxgarden.org for more information.

The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is a 501 (c) 3 conservation organization headquartered in Asheville, NC, that has nearly 6,000 members and volunteers in 16 state chapters. For more information on TACF and their work to restore the American chestnut tree, contact TACF Director of Communications Mila Kirkland at (828) 281-0047, email: mila@acf.org. Or visit www.acf.org.

by Anthony Clarvoe
Eddie Fisker is the dubious mastermind of the “gizmo” – an all-in-one hand held device that revolutionizes communication. Sound familiar? Anthony Clarvoe’s CTRL+ALT+DELETE eavesdrops on the hot-wired world of high-pressure scheming and the manipulation that accompanies a breakthrough in technology. The production runs October 24 – November 10, 2013 in the Clarence Brown’s Lab Theatre. Very popular at the Box Office, several performances have already sold out. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $12 for non-UT students and $5 for UT students with ID.
“The play is a satire of the corporate market place. Pitting idealism against the harsh realities of the business world creates a suspenseful and "telling tale" about youthful dreams, ambition, disillusion, and greed in the often cutthroat corporate environment. What ultimately happens in the play offers a glimmer of hope that there is real humanity within the seemingly unforgiving competitive world of big business,” said Director Terry Silver-Alford.

Clarence Brown Theatre / Carousel Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com. For tickets: 865-974-5161, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

By Calhoun's On The River
On Thursday October 24th at 3:00pm, the ‘Pinta’ and ‘The Niña', replicas of Columbus’ Ships, will arrive in Knoxville. The ships will be docked at Calhoun’s Restaurant, 400 Neyland Drive, until their departure early Wednesday morning November 6. The ships open to the general public on Friday October 25.
For more information visit: www.TheNina.com

October 24, 29, and 30 (7:00 pm)
(Ages 10 and Up) Did you know that ghost hunters believe that both water and limestone can increase paranormal activity? If that’s true, then the quarries at Ijams are the perfect place for a haunting- especially when you consider the area’s grisly and checkered past. So if you’re brave enough, join us for our Haunted Lantern Tours… a frighteningly fun adventure! The fee for this program is $7 for Ijams members and $10 for non-members. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register.

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