Calendar of Events

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season!

by Barbara Lebow; Directed by Terry Silver-Alford
Lab Theatre

“…a tribute to the sustaining power of family and to man’s indomitability.” The New York Times

A powerful and deeply affecting portrait of a family in the aftermath of the Holocaust: two sisters, one a survivor of Nazi concentration camps, the other brought up as an American, meet in 1946 after a separation of almost 20 years.

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

When Carpetbag describes itself as both a producing and presenting organization many people are confused. Perhaps you know that Carpetbag produces and tours original plays such as Between A Ballad and a Blues and Speed Killed My Cousin or Red Summer and Dark Cowgirls and Prairie Queens. But Carpetbag also brings you unique and important work by some of the best known voices in original theater , music and dance, from across the country and internationally through our presenting program.

This year, we continue to provide the Knoxville area with diverse and stunning performances by the top performers in their field. The world renowned Sandglass Theater from Vermont will share stories of people with late stage dementia and their caregivers, in their puppet theater piece D-Generation: An Exultation of Larks. Puppetry like you haven't seen before will take you into the world of late stage dementia and the creativity that is so key to helping people continue to communicate and share their stories. We will continue our international presenting with Cuban percussionist Yissy and her five piece jazz band, taking us to the new jazz sound emerging from Cuba today! In the fall, we will present Progress Theatre’s new play The Burnin’. We will also feature some of Knoxville's best emerging performers in our Salon series, designed to build patronage for young talent right here where we live.

Our presenting series provides unique performances, lectures and demonstrations, and high quality workshops for the Knoxville area. We serve youth, adults and underserved communities by providing these residency activities as free and low cost offerings.

D-Generation: An Exaltation of Larks is a full-length theater piece based on stories written collaboratively by groups of people with late-stage dementia. The work is performed by three puppeteers (the caregivers) and five puppets (the residents of a care-facility). Set to a compelling original score and striking animated video segments, D-Generation takes us into a world that is all too much a part of our lives.

D-Generation explores the rich creative potential and ability to communicate that exists in people with late-stage dementia. Their words, their images, and their creative imaginations, yield work that is poetic, humorous, and quite mysterious. From these stories, Sandglass Theater forms scenes of the inner life of the characters, and creates a piece that reflects both the stigma and the acceptance, the despair and the joy, that is equally present and possible, in both the person with dementia and in their caregivers and family members.

General Admission $20 and Seniors and Students $15 Group Rate Available for 10 or more. Tickets available TODAY at the Clayton Center for the Performing Arts.

Carpetbag Theatre at Fourth United Presbyterian Church, 1323 N. Broadway Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-544-0447, www.carpetbagtheatre.org

March 26 & March 29
Haslam Family Flexible Theatre
The Carpetbag Theatre & The Clayton Center for the Arts Present
Sandglass Theatre's D-Generation: An Exaltation of Larks

D-Generation: An Exaltation of Larks is a full-length theater piece based on stories written collaboratively by groups of people with late-stage dementia. The work is performed by three puppeteers (the caregivers) and five puppets (the residents of a care-facility). Set to a compelling original score and striking animated video segments, D-Generation takes us into a world that is all too much a part of our lives.

D-Generation explores the rich creative potential and ability to communicate that exists in people with late-stage dementia. Their words, their images, and their creative imaginations, yield work that is poetic, humorous, and quite mysterious. From these stories, Sandglass Theater forms scenes of the inner life of the characters, and creates a piece that reflects both the stigma and the acceptance, the despair and the joy, that is equally present and possible, in both the person with dementia and in their caregivers and family members.

Tickets are $15 - $25

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

Magic is happening within the walls of Rose Center - again! Performances of Harriet Pohter the Musical Two: The Sequel to Harriet Pohter the Musical will begin on March 26-28th at 7PM and March 28-29th at 2PM.

It’s Harriet’s second year at the magical school, after having defeated the maniacal Ladymorte. But new terrors are rising within the walls of Hogtarts in the form of a very sassy snake who throws the most shade, a pink momma and her mini me, the inventor of toaster strudels with luscious hair, and a vindictive witch who will stop at nothing. So, join Harriet, Ron-Jon, Germany, and the rest of the gang as they prepare for another battle against the dark forces. Filled with your favorite Harry Potter characters and parody versions of your favorite songs from Lion King, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, Book of Mormon, Nightmare Before Christmas and more!

Cast members include: Rachel Bass, Josh Smith, Carson Grimes, Kirsten Caroler, Sarah Hopkins, Madison Adkins, Amelia Mooneyham, Elizabeth Weir, Luke Arnold, Pedro Reyes, Sophia Cardone, Jacob North, Peyton Light, Taylor Ferrell, Nikki Denise, Kasi Russell, Lindsey Talley, Tanna Purkey, Hannah Antrican, Luke Walker, Dean Griffey, Corey Scott, Britney Newman, Emily Harrison, Jay Landers, Lexi Light, Eve Winstead, Taryn May, Lauren Bible, Timothy Henn, Lexy Ratliff, Chelsea Schurig, Lauren Lawson, and Sarah Helms. With Nathan McGhee serving as the Director, Lauren Holt as Musical Director, and Nicole Lucas as Stage Manager.

Rose Center Council for the Arts: 442 W 2nd N St, Morristown, TN, (423) 581-4330

Jazz and Bluegrass Concert
Thursday, March 26, 7 p.m.
A perennial favorite, this concert brings together the Pellissippi State Jazz Band and Hardin Valley Thunder, the College’s bluegrass ensemble.

Clayton Performing Arts Center
Pellissippi State Community College
10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville 37933
www.pstcc.edu/arts

Valisia LeKae has been blessed to grace the Broadway stage numerous times in productions of The Threepenny Opera, 110 in the Shade, Ragtime, and The Book of Mormon. She recently starred as Diana Ross in Motown the Musical, for which she garnered a 2014 Grammy nomination, 2013 Tony nomination, Theatre World Award, Drama League nomination, and an Outer Critics Circle nomination. LeKae won the 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award for her portrayal of Sarah in Ragtime. She was also nominated for a Black Theatre Alliance Award for the same role. She appeared Off-Broadway in the John Denver musical, Almost Heaven. Some of her regional credits include Caroline, or Change (Emmie), Dreamgirls (Deena Jones), Godspell (Joanne), Big River (Alice’s Daughter) and Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon) (for which she received a Kevin Kline Award nomination), among many others. She was also part of the “Live at Lincoln Center” production of Camelot. She has toured with the USO and the national touring companies of All Shook Up (Lorraine) and Mamma Mia (Lisa) and been a part of many workshops and readings in the New York City area.

Since being diagnosed with ovarian cancer on December 2, 2013, LeKae has used her voice to spread awareness about this deadly, silent disease. She is now the spokesperson for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

Read more about LeKae at www.valisialekae.com.

All Trailblazer Series events take place in the Hodges Library Auditorium.

607 John C. Hodges Library
1015 Volunteer Boulevard
Knoxville, TN 37996

Regarded by many comedians to be one of the best in the business, Brian Regan is a living legend in the comedy world. Jerry Seinfeld says Regan is one of his "favorite, favorite stand-up comedians," while Patton Oswalt called him "the best stand-up working today." What makes this comedy veteran so admired by his peers? His unmatched ability to pull hilarity out of mundane occurrences while providing a fresh take and interesting point of view to everyday situations is uncanny. Regan's masterful writing is accentuated by his impeccable timing, and he always knows when to add his signature physicality. Never leaning on profanity to get his jokes across, Regan is the perfect comedian to bring the whole family to see!

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com, www.ticketmaster.com

Candice McQueen, the newly appointed commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, will visit Knoxville on March 26 to visit two of the city's community schools and discuss her vision for the future of education in the state. After visiting Pond Gap Elementary and South Knoxville Elementary schools, McQueen will give a public presentation at the Downtown Marriott at 7 p.m. For more information, call the Great Schools Partnership at 865-215-4501

The East Tennessee Historical Society is pleased to host the debut showing of the film Conspicuous Gallantry: The 2014 Medal of Honor Convention, a 45-minute documentary chronicling the convention held in Knoxville, September 2014, and including interviews with ten Medal of Honor recipients and numerous others involved with or attending the convention. The award-winning documentary was a service learning collaboration between the 2014 Medal of Honor Convention and the University of Tennessee School of Journalism and Electronic Media. Participating students and faculty will be present to offer insight into the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and interview Medal of Honor Recipients and to work with the convention.

The film showing is free and open to the public and will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville. For more information on the Medal of Honor Project and to view the film trailer, please visit medalofhonorproject.org.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: Monday-Friday: 9AM-4PM, Saturday: 10AM-4PM, Sunday: 1-5PM. Library: Monday-Tuesday: 9AM-8:30PM, Wednesday-Friday: 9AM-5:30PM, Saturday: 9AM-5PM, Sunday 1-5PM. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

Pellissippi State Community College’s bluegrass and jazz ensembles put on a musical performance on the Hardin Valley Campus Thursday, March 26.

The Jazz and Bluegrass Concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Performing Arts Center. The Hardin Valley Campus is located at 10915 Hardin Valley Road.
The performance features students in the bluegrass ensemble, known as Hardin Valley Thunder, and the jazz ensemble. The event is free and the community is invited.

Hardin Valley Thunder will sing classic and contemporary bluegrass tunes, including songs by Brad Paisley, Alison Krauss, The Civil Wars, and Bill Monroe. The bluegrass ensemble was formed in 2009 and is led by Larry Vincent, associate professor of Music.

The jazz band will perform a selection of classic tunes from the 1950s and 1960s, including numbers penned by jazz greats Horace Silver, Jimmy Heath, Nat Adderley and Miles Davis. Among these is the jazz waltz “All Blues,” a song from Davis’ best-selling 1959 recording “Kind of Blue.” The jazz band has been directed by Tom Johnson since 1994. Johnson also teaches saxophone, clarinet and contemporary piano styles at Pellissippi State.

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.

For more than 40 years, the Kronos Quartet-David Harrington, violin; John Sherba, violin; Hank Dutt, viola; and Sunny Yang, cello-has pursued a singular vision, combining fearless exploration with a commitment to continually re-imagining the string quartet experience. In the process, Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 50 recordings, collaborating with many of the world's most intriguing and accomplished composers and performers, and commissioning more than
850 pieces for string quartet. In 2011, Kronos became the only recipients of both the Polar Music Prize and the Avery Fisher Prize, two of the most prestigious awards given to musicians. The group's numerous awards also include a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance (2004) and "Musicians of the Year" (2003) from Musical America.

WJ Julian Band Room, Room 135, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

Experience a Kronos Quartet performance at the Big Ears Music Festival, March 27-29. View the performance schedule at bigearsfestival.com.

UT School of Music: Unless otherwise noted, concerts are FREE and open to the public. The Alumni Memorial Building located at 1408 Middle Drive on the UT campus. (The James R. Cox Auditorium is located in the Alumni Memorial Building.) The Natalie Haslam Music Center is located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus.
*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

For more than 40 years, the Kronos Quartet-David Harrington, violin; John Sherba, violin; Hank Dutt, viola; and Sunny Yang, cello-has pursued a singular vision, combining fearless exploration with a commitment to continually re-imagining the string quartet experience. In the process, Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 50 recordings, collaborating with many of the world's most intriguing and accomplished composers and performers, and commissioning more than 850 pieces for string quartet. In 2011, Kronos became the only recipients of both the Polar Music Prize and the Avery Fisher Prize, two of the most prestigious awards given to musicians. The group's numerous awards also include a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance (2004) and "Musicians of the Year" (2003) from Musical America. Their full biography can be found here.

WJ Julian Band Room, Room 135, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

University of Tennessee School of Music
School of Music Office: 865-974-3241 | Music News: 865-974-8935
www.music.utk.edu

PARKING: Concert parking is available in the lot behind the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville TN 37996 on the UT campus.

UT School of Music | Natalie L. Haslam Music Center | 1741 Volunteer Blvd. | Knoxville | TN | 37996-4040