Calendar of Events

Gather around the hair salon with six fierce ladies of the south. Robert Harling's comedy not only reminds us all of the power of friendship, but also reveals the beauty, tragedy, and hilarity that life offers. In the spirit of the queen of the Smokies herself, Dolly Parton, who was in the Oscar nominated film, a portion of ticket sales will go towards the "My People" fund, which aids those who continue to recover from the fires that tore through the Smoky Mountains. Steel Magnolias will be directed by Michael McMahan.

7:30 - Thurs., Fri. and Sat.
2:00 - Sat. and Sun.

At Second Harvest Foodbank Showroom, 136 Harvest Ln, Maryville, TN 37801. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online via PayPal. Foothills Community Players' Box Office opens 1 hour prior to event. Tickets are available to purchase below for $15.00 + $1.00* processing fee.

Foothills Community Players: 865-712-6428, www.foothillscommunityplayers.com

Part of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s 2016-2017 Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series, which marks the KSO’s 81st season.

Notable concert pianist Adam Golka returns to Knoxville to join the KSO in April for Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1. He previously performed with the KSO in 2009 for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Adam Golka’s recent solo performances include Berlin, Zurich, and at the Ruhr Festival in Germany. A first generation American from a Polish family, Adam was raised in Texas and studied first with his mother, pianist Anna Golka, and with José Feghali at Texas Christian University. Adam is a winner of the Gilmore Young Artist’s award and the Max I. Allen Classical Fellowship Award of the American Pianists Association. He is currently Artist-in-Residence at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

Thursday and Friday evenings at 7:30 PM at the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Tickets and information: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

Adapted by Mark Brown. From the Novel by Jules Verne.

“Bursting with imagination, this exuberant whistle-stop tour through Verne is a trip worth making.” The Stage

The intrepid Phileas Fogg with his loyal valet, Passepartout, voyage from Victorian London through the Indian subcontinent, to Asia and across the Pacific to America on a wager that he will return in precisely 80 days. Literally, a theatrical tour-de-force.

Pay What You Wish Preview night on April 19

Clarence Brown Mainstage, 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

Theme : South of the River, Live, Work, Play
We seek to recognize local South of the River Artist, and while preference will be given to South Knoxville Artists, all local artists are welcome to apply. The show will Open April 16th with a reception May 12th 5-8 p.m. for Vestival, and officially end on May 13th. Approximately 25 – 35 pieces will be selected for display in the historic marble showrooms.

Candoro Marble Arts & Heritage Center, 4450 Candora Drive, Knoxville, TN 37920. Information: 865-577-0078, www.candoromarble.org

APRIL 14, 15, 21, 22 AT 7:30 P.M. and APRIL 23 AT 2 P.M.

Pellissippi State Community College theatre students will premiere their own original, one-act plays April 14-15 and 21-23. The collection of plays, entitled "One's Night," will be held in the Clayton Performing Arts Center, 10915 Hardin Valley Road. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students, available at the door or online at www.pstcc.edu/tickets.

"We hope the community enjoys this special evening of never-before-seen and original short plays written, directed by and starring Pellissippi State theatre students," said Pellissippi State professor and theatre program director Charles R. Miller. "Each of these one-act plays is the culmination of months of hard work and dedication -- and is an incredible display of the talents and creativity of our students."

The evening will include the original one-act plays "The Stubborn Artichoke and the Pompous Potato," written by Olivia Webb; "Lauren Spencer is Ready to Die," by Cypress Wade; "Serve and Protect," by DeSean Blevins; "Alexandra," by Jeremy Law and "Dominant Women," by Olivia Webb.

"One's Night" is part of The Arts at Pellissippi State, an annual arts series that includes music and theatre performances, cultural celebrations, lectures and fine arts exhibits.

Please join us this Thursday for a reception celebrating the exhibitions of Elysia Mann, Geoff Silvis, and Christopher Spurgin. The reception for their exhibitions will be from 5-8PM in the Ewing Gallery. The exhibitions will be on display until April 21.

The Ewing Gallery will be closed on Friday, April 14 for UT Spring Recess.

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

Arrowmont invites you to view works by Mary Ruden – The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage “Artist of the Year." Join us for the opening reception on April 12, 5:30-7 PM. Bring your family and friends and enjoy an evening of art, live music and refreshments. Live music will be performed by “Pistol Creek Catch of the Day” – a local bluegrass band comprised of Edward Harper, Bill Cabage and Carl Gombert. Admission is free.

The exhibition showcases Mary Ruden’s sculptures, prints and drawings depicting natural subjects such as orchids, wildflowers and butterflies. Her work is inspired by her Welsh roots and her travels to Europe. The exhibition is on view in the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Mary Ruden, sculptor and mixed-media artist, creates outdoor and collectible art. She received her BFA from University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida and has taught art and design classes for over eight years. Her work is displayed in two state parks, various government buildings and at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. to honor the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service. Mary is an active member of the Knoxville Arts and Culture Alliance and exhibits her work throughout the southeastern United States. For more information about Mary and her work, visit: www.maryruden.com.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

The visual work of L&N STEM Academy's junior and senior art students includes everything from digital pieces to graphite and watercolor renderings. Enjoy this impressive collection through the month of April at Ijams!

Ijams' Visitor Center is open Monday – Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Opening reception TBD. Free and open to the public.

Exhibit viewing hours: Tu, Th 9-5; W, F 10-5; Sat 9-1. Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

Exhibiting April through June will be Nashville based painter Catrina Long. Join us for a First Friday Artist's Reception on April 7th from 5:30– 8:00.

Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center, 1127 Broadway Suite B, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-523-1401, www.cityofknoxville.org/recreation/arts

On Friday, April 7, from 5 - 7 p.m., The Art Guild at Fairfield Glade will host a special Opening Reception for the Spring Bounty Art Show. Progressive Savings Bank is sponsoring this show and providing the awards. This show is special because the viewers will cast their votes for their favorite artworks beginning on April 7 and ending on April 28. Winners will then be announced to the public.

The Opening Reception will feature a large assortment of hors d’oeuvres and wine, soda, and water to attendees. This event is free and open to the public. The PCAC is a great place to shop for art including paintings, photographs, pottery, jewelry, wood carvings, and greeting cards.

Art Guild at Fairfield Glade at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive, Fairfield Glade, TN 38558. Hours: M-Sa 9-4. Information: 931-707-7249, www.artguildfairfieldglade.net

Please join us First Friday April 7, for an opening reception from 5-9pm.

Alison Saar weaves narratives relating to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 into the mixed-media sculpture and paintings featured in “Breach.” Saar explores issues of gender, race, racism, and the African diaspora. She mines mythology, ritual, history, music, and her biracial heritage as sources for her work.

During a 2013 residency at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans, Saar was dismayed to see how little had been done to rebuild African American communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina eight years earlier. Upon her return to Los Angeles, she began researching the histories of American floods and the effect on African Americans. The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927, described as one of the worst natural river disasters in U.S. history, piqued her interest. Heavy rains resulted in the river breaching levees, creating a historic catastrophe that had a profound impact on the life of African Americans living in the Mississippi Delta. The flood exposed the conditions of poor African American sharecroppers and tenant farmers and their relationship with cotton plantation owners. The flood also resulted in social, cultural, federal policy, and political changes.

With water imagery woven throughout, “Breach” is the culmination of Saar’s creative research on American rivers and their historical relationship to the lives of African Americans. Through mixed media sculpture, paintings, and works on paper, she explores floods not only as natural phenomena; but also the complex interaction of social, cultural, and political factors associated with flooding and its aftermath.

Saar will also be giving a public lecture on her work on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 PM in room 109 of the Art + Architecture Building.

Free admission! UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: W-F 11-6, Sat 10-3. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown