Calendar of Events

Roane State Community College’s Karen Brunner and Bruce Borin will star in “Love Letters,” a unique two-person play at the historic Princess Theatre in downtown Harriman. Admission is free.

Written by A.R. Gurney, “Love Letters” traces the lifelong correspondence of the dutiful lawyer Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and the lively, unstable artist Melissa Gardner. The two actors read the letters and, using nothing but inflections in their voices, take the audience on a journey through the characters’ lives. For more information, visit www.princessharriman.org or contact the Princess at (865) 882-4633.

East Tennessee PBS will host six screenings of films from the Emmy Award-winning series Independent Lens as a new participant in Community Cinema, a groundbreaking public education and civic engagement initiative by The Independent Television Service (ITVS), producer of Independent Lens and other documentary film programs.

More than 95 cities participate in Community Cinema, a film series that brings together leading organizations and community members to learn about, discuss, and get involved in key social issues of our time.
After each screening, community leaders will hold a panel discussion addressing the issues broached in the films. Participating panelists will be announced in advance of each screening.
All screenings will be held at the East Tennessee PBS studio, at 1611 East Magnolia Avenue in Knoxville. Screenings are free and open to the public. Doors open an hour before screenings begin.
For additional information, visit www.EastTennesseePBS.org/news-and-events/community-cinema/ or call Amy Hubbard at 865-595-0230 or email ahubbard@easttennesseepbs.org.

The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Thursday, February 6, 7 p.m.

The Trials of Muhammad Ali is a feature-length documentary film covering Ali’s toughest bout, his battle to overturn the five-year prison sentence he received for refusing U.S. military service. Trials is not a boxing film. It is a fight film tracing a formative period in Ali’s life, one that is remarkably unknown to young people today and tragically neglected by those who remember him as a boxer, but overlook how controversial he was when he first took center stage.

The enduring poetry of African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar will be the topic of two Faculty Lecture Series presentations at Pellissippi State Community College in February.

Robert Boyd presents “A Salute to Dunbar,” reading selections from “The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar,” on Thursday, Feb. 6, and Thursday, Feb. 20.

“Dunbar was a ‘griot’ [an African tribal storyteller] who told his tales in verse,” said Boyd, an associate professor of English. “Words, rhythms, rhymes and voices became verse, verse that flowed from his imagination and his life on to those of us who read.”

The Feb. 6 presentation is at 12:30 p.m. in the Goins Building Auditorium of the Hardin Valley Campus, 10915 Hardin Valley Road. The Feb. 20 presentation takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Magnolia Avenue Campus, 1610 E. Magnolia Ave.

Both events are free. The community is invited.

Boyd’s presentations will include a discussion of Dunbar’s life and selected readings from his works.

Dunbar was an African-American poet, novelist and playwright of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Ohio to parents who had been slaves in Kentucky, he was one of the first black writers to establish a national reputation.

“He wanted to be known for his more traditional poetry, but most of his better-known works are written in dialect,” Boyd said.

The Faculty Lecture Series is part of The Arts at Pellissippi State, which brings to the community cultural activities ranging from music and theatre to international celebrations, lectures, and the fine arts.

Pellissippi State: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932. Information: 865-694-6405, www.pstcc.edu/arts

Thursday, February 6, 2013 in the Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall ukulele virtuoso, Jake Shimabukuro, returns to the stage with his brand new tour "2014 Uke Nations Tour." As a follow up to the successful year long, multi-nation "Grand Ukulele Tour," Jake is set to take the ukulele to the world and bring people together as one "Uke Nation." Shimabukuro has already redefined a heretofore under-the-radar instrument, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone, won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder, Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed audiences on TV (Jimmy Kimmel, Conan), earned comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, and even played in front of the Queen of England.

Reserved Seat tickets are $35
A limited number of VIP Meet & Greet Experiences will be available for $60
For more information please visit www.claytonartscenter.com
Call the Clayton Center Box Office for ticket information (865) 981-8590

The Knoxville Writers' Guild will host a panel of writers who will discuss their work in online journalism.

The event, which will be open to the public, takes place at the Laurel Theater, at the corner of Laurel Avenue and 16th Street in Fort Sanders. A $2 donation is requested at the door. The building is handicapped accessible. Additional parking is available at Redeemer Church of Knoxville, 1642 Highland Ave.

"This will be a panel discussion on online journalism in a changing media landscape," Terry Shaw, KWG education committee chairman, said. Panelists include Alan Sims of "Inside Knoxville;" Debra Dylan, editor and writer for "Knoxzine;" Laura Long, owner of "Celebrate Knoxville;" and Jack McElroy, editor of the "Knoxville News Sentinel." Dylan said, "I will discuss the technical difficulties of managing a Website, resources for creating content for Websites and trends in online publishing." Dylan's writing has also appeared in PBS.org, EvaMag, Twisted Hillbilly, and Knoxville520.com. She is also a producer with Nolichucky Pictures (Nolpix), an award winning cinematic media company, specializing in documentaries, industrial films, book trailers and video advertising. Sims began writing "Inside of Knoxville" on an impulse late one night in June of 2010. He said it "grew in ways he never anticipated" and it won the Metro Pulse Best of Knoxville Reader's Poll. It also became and the most rewarding writing experience of his life.

The Knoxville Writers Guild exists to facilitate a broad and inclusive community for area writers, provide a forum for information, support and sharing among writers, help members improve and market their writing skills and promote writing and creativity. Additional information about the Knoxville Writers’ Guild can be found at www.knoxvillewritersguild.org.

Mark Rudoff, cello, and Steve Glaser, piano
Guest artists; Music faculty at Ohio State University performing the Poulenc Cello Sonata

Performance Hall 32, Alumni Memorial Bldg. on the UT campus. Unless otherwise noted, concerts are FREE and open to the public. *For individual or small group performances, please check the web site or call the day of the event for updates or cancellations: 865-974-5678, www.music.utk.edu/events. View additional UT Music concerts and events including all student recitals on the website.

Free preview screening of The Trials of Muhammad Ali, followed by a moderated panel discussion with Rev. Chris Buice of Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and Dr. Amadou Sall, professor of African Studies at the University of Tennessee

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

As part of its ongoing Community Cinema series, East Tennessee PBS invites the public to an advance screening of The Trials of Muhammad Ali, a 92-minute documentary film covering Ali’s toughest bout: his battle to overturn the five-year prison sentence he received for refusing U.S. military service. The Trials of Muhammad Ali explores the extraordinary and complex life of the legendary athlete outside the boxing ring. From joining the controversial Nation of Islam and changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, from his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War in the name of protesting racial inequality to his global humanitarian work, Muhammad Ali remains an inspiring and controversial figure. Outspoken and passionate in his beliefs, Ali found himself in the crosshairs of conflicts concerning race, religion, and wartime dissent. Directed by Academy Award-nominated director Bill Siegel, The Trials of Muhammad Ali examines how one of the most celebrated sports champions of the 20th century risked fame and fortune to follow his faith and conscience.

The 2013 film from the producers of Hoop Dreams, was recently nominated for awards by the NAACP Image Awards and the Black Reel Awards. The film will air on Independent Lens, on Monday, April 14, 10 p.m. on PBS and East Tennessee PBS.

East Tennessee PBS studio, located at 1611 East Magnolia Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917
Free and open to the public. No RSVP required. Parking is available behind the studio.
Info: 865.595.0220 ext. 250, www.easttennesseepbs.org/news-and-events/community-cinema

Announcing the District Gallery's upcoming exhibition, It was a good time… Photography by Judge Harold Wimberly, Jr. This is Judge Wimberly’s second show at The District Gallery, showcasing a new collection of offbeat documentary photography.

Wimberly’s photos are printed by Thompson Photo using traditional film and wet process photo paper. His imagery often conveys a sense of surrealism through unusual subject matter coupled with shimmering effects of metallic photo paper.
An opening reception will be held on Friday, March 7 from 5:30-9 p.m. The show continues through March 22.

The District Gallery
5113 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919
(865) 200-4452
TheDistrictGallery.com

Pellissippi State Community College is celebrating Black History Month with numerous events at its five campuses throughout February. Activities are free and the community is invited.

The Magnolia Avenue Campus starts the month-long activities with “Healthy Pelli: Campus Health Fair,” Wednesday, Feb. 5. Each Friday in February, the site hosts an African Jazz Cafe in the Lobby.

The Division Street Campus offers two films in February: Disney’s “Ruby Bridges” on the 11th and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” on the 20th. Both are at 12:15 p.m. in the Student Lounge.

The Magnolia Avenue Campus hosts a “History of African-American Music: Freedom Songs, Blues and Jazz” 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, in the Community Room. The presentation features local jazz artist Kelle Jolly.

The Blount County Campus presents the documentary “The Underground Railroad” Tuesday, Feb. 18, in the Educational Resources Center.

At the Hardin Valley Campus, Feb. 21 brings “A Celebration of African-American Art, Music and Literature.” The event is in the Goins Building College Center, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. It features an art display, performance by the Vine Middle School African Dancers and Drummers, poetry reading by Oak Ridge poet Rose Weaver, and “Taste of Soul Food.”

Also at the Hardin Valley site, Feb. 27 the community is invited to a Faculty Lecture Series presentation: “John Brown: Maniacal Egotist or Moral Crusader?” by Joy Ingram, an associate professor. The talk is at 2 p.m. in the Goins Building Auditorium.

Throughout the month, African-American history exhibits will be on display in the Community Room of the Magnolia Avenue Campus, the Lobby of the Strawberry Plains Campus, the Student Lounge of the Division Street Campus, and the Educational Resources centers of the Blount County and Hardin Valley campuses.

The theme of the display at the Magnolia Avenue Campus is “All About That Jazz”; Division Street, “Embrace African-American Heritage Board of Fame”; and Strawberry Plains, “African-Americans of Influence.”

Other ongoing events include African tea and coffee tastings:
· Hardin Valley, Goins Building Rotunda, 8:30-10 a.m. Wednesdays
· Division Street, Student Lounge, 9-10:30 a.m. Wednesdays
· Strawberry Plains, Lobby, 9-10:30 a.m. Mondays

For more information about Pellissippi State, visit www.pstcc.edu or call (865) 694-6400. To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.

The Farragut Arts Council will sponsor the 2014 Farragut High School Art Show this February at the Farragut Town Hall. Awards will be given for best in show and first, second and third places during a reception to honor the artists and their work on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

View during regular Town Hall hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Reception: Tuesday, Feb. 4 - 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive (across from the Farragut Branch Post Office)
How: The art show and reception are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Lauren Cox, special events and program coordinator, at lauren.cox@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057.

The WordPlayers, in collaboration with The Carpetbag Theatre, will tour: A Woman Called Truth by Sandra Fenichel Asher – A one-act play with music celebrating the life and achievements of Sojourner Truth. Directed by Linda Parris-Bailey with musical direction by Kelly Jolly. The play begins at the 1851 women’s rights convention in Akron, Ohio. We then go back in time to 1797 and travel with Sojourner as she remembers some of the extraordinary experiences that shaped her life. We get a glimpse of her highly cruel and unjust treatment as a slave. We experience how she bravely took her freedom and how she fought to free her son. At the end of the play, we learn how she became “Sojourner Truth” and get a taste of her dynamic spirit as an orator as she delivers her famous “Ain’t I a Woman” speech.

A Woman Called Truth is an important story about a significant woman in our country’s history. You are invited to these free, public performances!

Feb. 2, Fourth United Presbyterian, 1323 N. Broadway, 5:00 pm
Feb. 3, Moses Teen Center, 220 Carrick St., 7:00 pm
Feb. 8, ReCreate Café, Salvation Army, Chattanooga, 1:00 pm
Feb. 11, Walters State – Sevierville, 6:00 pm
Feb. 24, Walters State – Greeneville, 11:30 am
Feb. 24, Walters State – Claiborne, 6:00 pm
Feb. 25, Roane State – Harriman, 12:30 & 6:00 pm
Feb. 28, Walters State – Morristown, 2:00 pm

Info: 865-539-2490, wordplayers@comcast.net, http://wordplayers.org/current-season/touring-shows/woman-called-truth-spring-2014

Work by 12 African-American artists
curated by Sammie Nicely

In the Edith Davis Gallery

Rose Center, 442 W Second N Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Info: info@rosecenter.org, 423-581-4330, www.rosecenter.org, www.facebook/rosecenter