Calendar of Events

Fountain City Art Center cordially invites you to attend the opening reception for the Knoxville Book Arts Guild, along with Watercolors by students of Mary Secrist and Kate McCullough, and the Southern Appalachian Photography Society exhibition. The reception will be held 6:30-8:00 PM, Friday, March 6.

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9AM-5PM; Wednesday & Friday, 10AM-5PM; 2nd and 3rd Saturdays, 9AM-1PM. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartctr.com

One of Sondheim’s most popular works, “Into the Woods” brings together the classic Fairytale characters from The Brothers Grimm with the Broadway magic of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine to create a rare modern classic. The story follows a baker and his wife who wish to have a child, Cinderella who wishes to attend the King’s Festival, and Jack who wishes his cow would give milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a witch’s curse, they set off on a journey to break it. Everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later.

“Into the Woods” won the 1988 Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Musical and the 2002 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. It has become one of Stephen Sondheim’s most produced musicals with numerous productions all across the world, as well as the upcoming Disney film which will be released at Christmas.

INTO THE WOODS opens Saturday, February 21 and runs three weekends. Evening performances are at 8pm on February 21, 27, 28, March 6 and 7. Matinee performances are on February 22, March 1, 7, and 8 at 2:00 p.m. The cast will have a special talkback session following the March 1 matinee. Performances are in the William H. Inman Humanities Complex Theatre, located on the Morristown campus of Walters State Community College at 500 S. Davy Crockett Parkway. For tickets, please visit www.etcplays.org or call 423-318-8331.

Encore Theatrical Company: 423-218-8331, www.etcplays.org

All of the classic characters and plotlines of the Lewis Carroll novel appear in this comic twist on Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, but the setting has been changed to America in the Roaring Twenties, complete with flappers, daring aviators, the tennis and opera stars of the day, and more. Jeepers creepers! It's a total rumpus!

Performances begin: Friday, February 20 at 7 PM
Performances end: Sunday, March 8 at 3 PM

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. Reservations: www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com/tickets

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season!
by William Shakespeare; Directed by John Sipes

Hermia loves Lysander and Helena loves Demetrius – but Demetrius is supposed to be marrying Hermia. When the Duke of Athens tries to enforce the marriage, the lovers take refuge in the woods and wander into a dispute between the king and queen of the fairies. In Shakespeare’s family-friendly comedy, anything is possible when young lovers – human and fairy royalty – and an amateur theater troupe reel through romance and spell craft in a moonlit Athenian forest.

To enhance the audience experience, the CBT will continue, and in some cases expand, several popular programs in 2014-2015.

“Deaf Night at the Theatre” has been expanded to include Tuesday, March 3 for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Produced through a partnership with UT’s Center on Deafness, these special events are designed to be fully accessible for members of the Deaf community with more than a dozen interpreters stationed throughout the theater and two teams interpreting the productions.

Open captioned productions also will continue in the new season, taking place on the first Sunday matinee of each show. Talk backs, which are informative discussions with the director and cast, will continue to take place following the second Sunday matinee of each show.

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

Athens Community Theatre announces the winter 2015 musical production of Pippin, book by Roger O. Hirson, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Show dates for Pippin are February 19 - March 1, 2015.

Pippin is directed by Art Kimball with musical direction by Ellen Kimball. Sylvia Gossett is the accompanist, Angie Hudson the choreographer, and Amanda Haun the costume designer.

Athens Area Council for the Arts: 320 North White Street, Athens, TN, 37303. Info: 423-745-8781, www.athensartscouncil.org

February 13-March 1, 2015
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change by Joe DiPietro, Music by Jimmy Roberts

The second-longest running Off Broadway musical. Nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award as Outstanding Off-Broadway musical in 1997. This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum know as 'the relationship.' Act I explores the journey from dating and waiting to love and marriage, while Act II reveals the agonies and triumphs of in-laws and newborns, trips in the family car and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set. This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, to those who have dared to ask, 'Say, what are you doing Saturday night?'

"Hilarious! The most entertaining show on or off Broadway!" – Gannett Newspapers
"If this show were a blind date, you'd feel relieved, grateful and pleasantly surprised." – Newsday
"So smartly conceived...catchy tunes and witty lyrics." – Variety

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 North Gay Street, Knoxville
865 544 1999 or email: info@theatreknoxville.com / www.theatreknoxville.com

The Cast List by Gayle Greene – Two star-crossed cast lists wreak havoc on a struggling community theatre’s ill-fated production of Romeo & Juliet.
2/7/15 2:30 pm at Fountain City Library
2/14/15 1:00 pm at Bearden Branch Library
2/28/15 3:00 pm at Lawson McGhee Library

The Third Proposal by Dennis Duff – Struggling against his feelings for neighbor Anna Wagner, Helmut can only watch as his two brothers vie for her hand, then fall as victims of WWII.
2/14/15 3:00 pm at Bearden Branch Library
2/21/15 2:30 pm at Fountain City Library
3/1/15 2:00 pm at Lawson McGhee Library

American Farce by Michael Reimann – A woman from Max’s past shows up at his door and claims he is the father of her 10 year-old son. Max soon devises a plot to use his estranged son’s uncanny ability to pick race horses to pay off a loan shark.
2/21/15 2:30 pm at Bearden Branch Library
2/23/15 6:00 pm at Fountain City Library
2/28/15 1:00 pm at Lawson McGhee Library
Tennessee Stage Company: 865-546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com

Recent works by architectural painter Dede Christopher of Maryville, and pen and pipe maker Ron Smith of Dandridge will be on display during the month of February at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for these featured artists will be held during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk beginning at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 6, with complimentary refreshments and jazz/funk music performed by Alix DeAngelis.

Encouraged to paint and draw since early childhood by her artist mother, Dede Christopher has always been attracted to architecture, and in her artwork she strives to capture the beauty of a place or setting and how buildings interact with each other. “I decided to pursue architectural illustration as a career, believing it would lead me to a more artistic life and a more fulfilling occupation,” she says. With a BA and graduate degree in architectural design she has had her own architectural illustration business since 1989 and has been drawing and painting for clients and her own inspiration nearly every day since then. Recently, Christopher has devoted time to plein air and studio art, focusing on the beauty, light and detail in a particular setting or place, at different times of the day, year, and season.

Ron Smith never had formal art training in college and graduate school. Following retirement, however, he took classes at Walters State Community College. During a sculpture course he discovered an affinity for power tools and generating sawdust which, combined with his lifelong enjoyment of writing and pipe smoking, led him to further instruction at Woodcrafters in Knoxville and to renowned American pipe maker Tim West in Columbus, OH. The result: Smith’s pens that take a mostly traditional form, but with distinctive materials, colors, shaping and weight; while his pipes, created from ebauchon briar, are mostly free-form rather than classic shapes. “Pens and pipes are functional art,” Smith explains, “and to succeed, they require not only an appeal to the eye, but a comfort and feel to the hand.”

Owned and operated by 62 professional regional artists, the Art Market Gallery, at 422 South Gay St., is a few doors from Mast General Store and next to Downtown Grill & Brewery. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday. The gallery is wheelchair accessible, and parking in the abutting garage and on the street is free on weekends and after 6 p.m. weekdays. For more information, call 865-525-5265, or visit artmarketgallery.net, or facebook.com/Art.Market.Gallery.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present its National Juried Exhibition of 2015, a new exhibition featuring selected works from 31 artists in the Southeast region. The National Juried Exhibition was developed in 2006 to provide a forum for local artists to compete on a national scale and display their highest quality work. The exhibition encompasses all styles and genres from both emerging and established artists working in a variety of media such as photography, watercolor, oil, fiber, marble, ceramic, lithographs, and more and will be displayed in the Balcony gallery of the Emporium Center from February 6-28, 2015. Most of the works are for sale. A public reception will take place on Friday, February 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM with a brief awards ceremony at 6:00 PM in which over $1,000 in cash awards will be announced. The First Friday reception also features music by Cricket & Snail in the gallery; a flamenco dance performance by Pasión Flamenco from 6:00-6:30 PM in the Black Box Theatre; and a Jazz Jam Session hosted by Vance Thompson and Friends from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Black Box Theatre. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be available and chocolate fondue will be provided by the Melting Pot of Knoxville.

Stefanie Gerber Darr served as juror for the exhibition. “One of the greatest joys of being a curator/juror is the glimpses I receive into the minds of others through the works they put forth to the world,” says Gerber Darr. “Whether commenting upon our culture through ink on paper or capturing a fraction of a second in time in a photograph, artists illustrate a multitude of possibilities, remind us of ideas, and at times offer understanding of a situation through a new lens.”

The following artists’ works will be shown:

+ Ann Harwell of Wendell, NC
+ Catherine Haverkamp of Andersonville, TN
+ Brandon Douglas of Clinton, TN
+ Art Brown of Kingsport, TN
+ T.P. Dunn of Kingston, TN
+ Melinda Adams, Nicholas Bell, Jennifer Brickey, Bill Cook, Jr., Raluca Iancu, Roy McCullough, Clay Pardue, Norm Plate, Shawn Poynter, Chris S. Rohwer, Denise Stewart-Sanabria, Daniel Taylor, Marilyn Avery Turner, and Steve Zigler of Knoxville, TN
+ Susan B. Miller of Lenoir City, TN
+ Loretta Lee Edge and Dennis Sabo of Loudon, TN
+ Tatiana Potts and Brian Reid of Maryville, TN
+ Bill Long of Morristown, TN
+ Audry Deal-McEver of Nashville, TN
+ Danielle Winger of Piney Flats, TN
+ Cheryl L. Tarrant of Powell, TN
+ Lisa D. Line of Sevierville, TN
+ Chris Turnier of Talbott, TN
+ Tyson Smith of Townsend, TN

A gallery of images may be viewed at www.knoxalliance.com/album/juried_2015.html. The National Juried Exhibition of 2015 is on display February 6-28, 2015 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Additional special hours are posted at www.theemporiumcenter.com/visit.html. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

The Arts & Culture Alliance proudly presents the 2nd Annual “HandMade Here: A Tennessee Craft Chapter Exhibition,” featuring original works of basketry, clay, fiber, glass, wood, metals, leather, handmade paper, mixed media, fiber, printmaking, photography, and more by artists 18 years or older who are current residents of Tennessee. Craft artists from the East, Southeast & Northeast Tennessee Craft Chapters submitted their work for the exhibition. The purpose of the exhibition is to help promote inter-chapter activity and membership involvement and to strengthen Tennessee Craft’s presence in East Tennessee. Tennessee Craft celebrates their 50th anniversary in 2015, and this exhibition will launch Tennessee Craft into a year of celebrating handmade Tennessee Crafts. Frank Martin, Professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville School of Art, will jury the exhibition.

Works will be displayed in the main gallery of the Emporium Center from February 6-28, 2015. Most of the works will be for sale. A public reception will take place on Friday, February 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM. The First Friday reception also features music by Cricket & Snail in the gallery; a flamenco dance performance by Pasión Flamenco from 6:00-6:30 PM in the Black Box Theatre; and a Jazz Jam Session hosted by Vance Thompson and Friends from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Black Box Theatre. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be available and chocolate fondue will be provided by the Melting Pot of Knoxville.

Tennessee Craft champions the local fine craft movement by supporting growth and creative expression for all artists, building a platform for high-quality craftsmanship, and reinforcing the importance of fine craft for the entire community. Since 1965, they have preserved and advanced the rich history and tradition of Tennessee craft. While headquartered in Nashville, they strive to impact craft communities throughout Tennessee. The Tennessee Craft East Chapter welcomes artists from the following counties to participate in meetings and events: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union. The Tennessee Craft Southeast Chapter is active and engaged. The SE chapter offers its members year-round opportunities to show, sell, and market their work. Chapter welcomes artists from Wayne, Perry, Hickman, Lewis, Lawrence, Giles, Maury, Marshall, Lincoln, Moore, Bedford, Franklin, Coffee, Marion, Grundy, Hamilton, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Bradley, Meigs, Rhea, McMinn and Polk counties. The Tennessee Craft Northeast Chapter serves a variety of artists in the Tri-Cities area through innovative events allowing its members to show their work to members of the community and collectors. For more information on Tennessee Craft and its chapters, visit www.tennesseecrafts.org.

Many thanks to Jerry’s Artarama for their continued support of Tennessee Craft through gift certificates. Webbco Graphics donated the printing of the posters.

“HandMade Here: A Tennessee Craft Chapter Exhibition” is on display February 6-28, 2015 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Additional special hours are posted at www.theemporiumcenter.com/visit.html. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

Location: Clayton Center for the Arts, Denso Gallery, Maryville College
Address: 502 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37804
Exhibit Dates: February 2, 2015 thru March 2, 2015

Details TBA.

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

February is FREE at the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend. The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is a private non-profit museum located in Townsend, Tennessee,near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center's mission is to preserve, protect and promote the unique history and rich culture of those that inhabited the Great Smoky Mountain region. In doing this, we wish to preserve and keep alive the history of the pioneers and Native Americans who lived in the East Tennessee mountain communities, reported Bob Patterson, Executive Director. Patterson commented that Free February is a different approach to sharing the resources of the museum with the region.

Join us at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center to celebrate the cultural heritage of East Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains region. Our gallery exhibits, educational programs, demonstrations and festivals guide you on an historic journey through time to visit the diverse cultures of Townsend and Tuckaleechee Cove.

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