Calendar of Events

It’s opening night of Broadway’s newest play, and the wealthy producer is throwing a lavish party at her Manhattan townhouse. Downstairs the celebrities are pouring in, but the real action is upstairs in the bedroom, where a collection of theatre insiders (including the excitable playwright, the unstable director, and the pill-popping leading lady) await the reviews. Toss in an acerbic theatre critic and an insecure TV actor, and you have a hilarious recipe for the narcissism, childishness, and just plain irrationality that infuse the theatre.

Showtimes
Fri Oct 7, 2016 | 8:00PM
Sat Oct 8, 2016 | 8:00PM
Sun Oct 9, 2016 | 2:00PM
Thu Oct 13, 2016 | 8:00PM
Fri Oct 14, 2016 | 8:00PM
Sat Oct 15, 2016 | 8:00PM
Sun Oct 16, 2016 | 2:00PM

Oak Ridge Playhouse, 227 Broadway, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Information and tickets: 865-482-9999, www.orplayhouse.com

Save the date for Encore Theatrical Company's upcoming production of “Rock of Ages”
scheduled for October 7-16.
Set in L.A.'s infamous Sunset Strip in 1987, “Rock of Ages” tells the story of Drew, a boy from South Detroit and Sherrie, a small-town girl, both in L.A. to chase their dreams of making it big and falling in love. “Rock of Ages” takes you back to the times of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair!

“Rock of Ages” is a rock love story told through the mind blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake and many more. This 5 time Tony nominated musical features 28 classic rock tunes including "Don't Stop Believin" "We Built This City," "Here I Go Again," "Can't Fight This Feeling," "I Wanna Know What Love Is" and many more!

Performances are scheduled for October 7-16 at Walters State Community College, located at 500 S. Davy Crockett Parkway in Morristown. For more information, please visit www.etcplays.org or call 423-318-8331.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting over 70 silk paintings by 36 national and international artists in two exhibitions. The exhibitions are in conjunction with the Silk Painter International’s (SPIN) biennial conference “Silk in Transition” being held at Arrowmont October 7-15, 2016. Arrowmont invites the public to view the exhibitions and attend the reception. Admission is free.

The SPIN Signature Members Exhibition showcases the work of nine distinguished SPIN members who were invited for inclusion in this exhibit. The exhibit will be on view during the duration of the conference only. Silk Painters International (SPIN) is an international organization of silk artists, painters, practitioners and educators. Their mission is to establish silk painting as a recognized art form by encouraging and promoting the collecting, displaying and production of silk art at the highest level.

In the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

Things are about to get spooky! Show your Halloween spirit in the Ghoulishly Goodwill Costume Contest! Make Goodwill Your Halloween Headquarters! From the most neon 80's prom queen to the most terrifying zombie hoard, Goodwill has everything you need for Halloween! We have a wide selection of clothing and accessories that could be used to make the ultimate costume, whether you're going scary, quirky, funny or giant! Show off your best outfit in the annual Ghoulishly Goodwill Costume Contest for your chance to win great Zoo Knoxville prizes!

To enter to the Ghoulishly Goodwill Costume contest, participants must submit their entry by the end of day on Thursday, November 3rd in any one of the following ways: https://www.facebook.com/GWIKTN/. The winners will be announced on Friday, November 4th via social media. Grand Prize – A family membership to the Knoxville Zoo. 2nd Prize – A family 4-pack of tickets to the Knoxville Zoo. 3rd Prize – Two tickets to the Knoxville Zoo.

The Appalachian Arts Craft Center in Norris will hold its Fall Porch Sale starting Thursday, October 6, and running for about two weeks. The Porch Sale features outdated stock, seconds, student crafts and unjuried work by members of the Craft Center. It’s an excellent time to get great deals. There will also be baked goods for sale.

The Appalachian Arts Craft Center is a nonprofit center that has been fulfilling its mission by promoting traditional artists and crafts in the East Tennessee area for 40 years. Currently the center has about 70 crafters who sell in the shop.

Appalachian Arts Craft Center: 2716 Andersonville Highway, Clinton, TN. Hours: M-Sa 10-6, Su 1-5. Information: 865-494-9854, www.appalachianarts.net

Knoxville’s largest Halloween event features 12 nights of safe and not-too-scary fun scheduled over three weekends; Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 6-9, and continuing Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 13-16 and Oct. 20-23, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. each evening.

BOO! at the Zoo, a Halloween tradition for 30 years, is a family event featuring trick-or-treating through the zoo along the BOO! Trail, the Chick-fil-A Monster Mash tent with fun that’s perfect for preschool and elementary-aged event-goers, friendly costumed characters and entertainers throughout the zoo, and the only “haunted” carousel in East Tennessee, the Scary-Go-Round. (How can you tell it’s haunted? It goes backwards, of course.)

Knoxville Zoo, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information & tickets: 865-637-5331, www.knoxville-zoo.org

Recent works by painter Brenda Mills and clay sculptor Karen Kyte will be on display at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for the featured artists will begin at 5:30 p.m., October 7, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk, with complimentary refreshments, and music performed by John Kueny.

Brenda Mills is a water-media painter and pastel artist with a Cum Laude BFA from the University of Tennessee. A self-described “country girl” originally from Kingsport, Tennessee now residing in Knoxville, Brenda has won many national and regional awards. Her work was most recently accepted into the Tennessee Watercolor Society's 35th Juried Exhibition. When painting in watermedia, Brenda uses liquid acrylics, mainly for their intense color and glazability. Trained as a printmaker in college, she begins her paintings on glass, printing the image onto paper or yupo, a tree-free synthetic alternative to traditional art paper. Then she proceeds to manipulate the paint. “I love the element of surprise and the accidents that occur when painting on glass and printing my images.”

Karyn Kyte began sculpting as a child, using “mud pies” as her medium; however, her real passion for art came about while she was studying Medical Technology in college and then took a painting class. Soon, her interests moved back to clay, and she changed her major to Fine Arts. Karyn is a sculptor whose creations are spontaneous. When she sees a lump of clay, images start to form in that lump, willing itself into a certain form. Her pieces are inspired by her love of nature, and she uses shape, color, and movement to honor Earth and all its creatures. She tries to bring awareness to the fragility of Earth and of man’s impact on it through her art. Not only is sculpting Karyn’s way of showing gratitude to nature, to her, art is a way of seeing, being, and thinking. As she states, “I feel like the guy in Close Encounters making the lumps of clay into Devils Tower, not knowing why, just knowing he must.” Karyn received her Bachelor of Science from the University of South Dakota.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Th & Sa 11-6, Fri 11-9, Su 1-6. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net or www.Facebook.com/Art.Market.Gallery

Artwork inspired by study abroad experiences will be on display at Pellissippi State Community College for the Paper Trail Vol. III exhibit. The exhibit will include artwork created by Pellissippi State students and faculty during study abroad experiences over this past summer. Countries featured in the exhibit include Cuba, Germany, India, Italy and Scotland.

The Paper Trail Vol. III exhibit is free and open to the public. A reception to meet the student and faculty artists will be held from 3-5 p.m., Oct. 3. Some of the art will be for sale over the course of the exhibit.

"Study abroad is an amazing opportunity for our students" said Jennifer Brickey, a Pellissippi State art associate professor and frequent faculty advisor on study abroad trips. "This exhibition helps us all stop, reflect on our travel experiences and celebrate the impact it makes on our lives. I've had the enormous opportunity to witness students stepping outside their comfort zones and becoming totally immersed in a different culture." Brickey, who organized the exhibit, teaches in and directs the study abroad program to Italy through the Tennessee Consortium of International Studies. "It really is one of the best parts of my job, knowing that I may have contributed to the impact that a trip like this makes on student lives," Brickey said.

Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932. Bagwell Center Gallery hours: M-F 10-6:30. Information: 865-694-6405, www.pstcc.edu/arts

Back for her third showing at The Tomato Head, Ruth Allen skillfully crafts vivid drawings and paintings featuring nature’s flowers and wildlife. Since her last visit from Athens, Georgia, Ruth has had two paintings selected for juried shows and currently has a painting showing at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Her work will be on view at Market Square from October 2 through November 7 and will then move to the West Knoxville Gallery on November 7 through December 5. For more artist information, please visit The Tomato head blog: http://thetomatohead.com/ruth-allen-featured-artist/ or https://www.etsy.com/shop/100tinybluebirds

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) and 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 172 (865-584-1075), in Knoxville.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting over 70 silk paintings by 36 national and international artists in two exhibitions. The exhibitions are in conjunction with the Silk Painter International’s (SPIN) biennial conference “Silk in Transition” being held at Arrowmont October 7-15, 2016. Arrowmont invites the public to view the exhibitions and attend the reception. Admission is free.

A reception will be held Saturday, October 8, 2016, 6-8pm. Awards will be announced at 7pm.

SPIN members were asked to create works that answer the questions, “What does silk painting mean to you? What does it mean to the silk artist? What does it mean in a transforming landscape?” The result is a dynamic group of silk paintings, sculptures and installations that explore a variety of themes and subjects. Silk Painters International (SPIN) is an international organization of silk artists, painters, practitioners and educators. Their mission is to establish silk painting as a recognized art form by encouraging and promoting the collecting, displaying and production of silk art at the highest level.

In the Sandra J. Blain Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

Don't miss October's amazing exhibit by artist Laura Baisden of Camp Nevernice! Her unique and whimsical letterpress prints are all about the detail in the designs. Every poster is printed one color at a time, one poster at a time. All prints on display are available for purchase.

More events at http://ijams.org/events/. Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. The Visitor Center, including exhibits, gift shop, offices and restrooms is open M-Sat 9-5 and Sun 11-5. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Arthur Miller’s classic “The Crucible” will play in the Clarence Brown Theatre’s Carousel Theatre September 28 – October 16, 2016. A Pay What You Wish Preview performance will be held Wednesday, September 28. The second Preview will take place on Thursday, September 29 and Opening Night will take place on Friday September 30. The Talk Back with the cast will take place Sunday, September 9 following the matinee and the Open Captioned performance is Sunday, September 16 at 2:00 pm. A panel discussion about the impact of the play upon political discussions during its time and today will take place after the Sunday, September 16 matinee.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, “The Crucible” is an ageless tale of fear, greed and power written by one of the greatest American playwrights of all time. When teenage girls are discovered trying to conjure spirits, the 17th century town of Salem explodes with accusations of witchcraft. The vicious trials that follow expose a community paralyzed by terror, religious extremism and greed, and a marriage forever changed.

Miller composed “The Crucible” as a dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials, with the witch trials standing in for the anti-Communist “witch-hunts” of the 1950s during the McCarthy era. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess and identify other Communist sympathizers in order to escape punishment. Many of those accused of Communism suffered loss of employment and/or destruction of their careers; some even suffered imprisonment.

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