Calendar of Events

Zoo Knoxville is offering $5 off admission tickets during Kroger Discount Days, December 1 through February 28, 2018. During Kroger Discount Days, guests can discover why winter is an enjoyable time to visit the zoo. Many animals, including red pandas, river otters, elephants, gorillas, red wolves, lions and tigers, enjoy the cooler temperatures. On days when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, some animals will be moved indoors, but visitors can still see many in their indoor viewing areas. The Pilot Flying J Wee Play Adventure is a popular indoor area that’s an entertaining stop for creative play during visits as well.

A December trip to the zoo may even include a visit to Santa’s Village, a special holiday encounter and photo opportunity with Santa Claus. Santa’s Village will be open for holiday photos and Christmas wishes December 14 through 17, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day in the heated Kids Cove tent. Discounted tickets can be purchased at the zoo ticket window during regular zoo hours and online at zooknoxville.org. Discounted admission tickets must be used by Feb. 28, 2018, and cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, or coupon.

Currently, the zoo is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, https://www.zooknoxville.org

Join the McClung Museum for holiday specials, and unique gifts, stocking stuffers, jewelry, handmade artisan items, and more throughout the month of December.

Members and UT students always receive 10% off, and faculty/staff receive a special 10% discount from December 1–25. All proceeds benefit the museum’s free K-12 educational programming.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: M-Sa 9-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

Recent works by Gordon Fowler and Eric Gebhardt will be on display with an opening reception will be held Friday, December 1st at the gallery.

Gordon Fowler says about his work: "I make bowls, platters, and hollow forms from wood using a woodturning lathe. I find the wood on roadsides or friends tell me about a tree they cut down. I get a kick out of “recycling” these logs that would otherwise go to a landfill or a fireplace. Most of my work is twice-turned. That means I cut the logs with a chainsaw, rough turn it, let it dry for at least six months, then turn it again to its final thickness. Making round things is inherent to the lathe, and I’m inspired by the symbolism and symmetry."

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Th & Sa 11-6, Fri 11-9, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net

The District Gallery is pleased to present "Kathie Odom: Home for the Season", a collection of the special scenes and moments captured throughout the artist's many travels. Painted on locations far and wide, Home for the Season searches for the qualities of the one place she holds most dear. "Since my art career takes me to many places across the country, it is so good to be home with friends and family, " says Kathie.

Please join us Friday, December 1, from 5:00-8:00PM for an opening reception and a live artist's talk from Kathie in the gallery. The show will be on display through December 30.

The District Gallery, 5113 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-F 10-5:30, Sa 10-4. Information: 865-200-4452, www.TheDistrictGallery.com

Based on the Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin. The play will be performed December 1 – 17, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM. Also, a special 7 PM performance will be held on Sunday, December 10.

This hilarious musical play is based on the 2003 comedy film. William “Buddy” Hobbs, a young orphan child, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Years later, Buddy finds out that he’s an ordinary human being and heads off to New York City in search of his father, Walter Hobbs. But Walter, like many New Yorkers, doesn’t believe in Santa Claus. Neither dies Buddy’s brother Michael! Buddy is determined to win over his birth family and help New York City remember the true meaning of Christmas.

The play is performed by 27 talented young actors, from ages 8 to 17.

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

The Appalachian Ballet Company will present the annual holiday tradition - The Nutcracker in their 46th anniversary season. The production features live music by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. The Appalachian Ballet Company will present four public shows December 2nd at 7:30 pm & December 3rd at 3 pm at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium AND December 8th at 7:30 pm and December 9th at 3 pm at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville. Two school matinees (includes K-8 curriculum guide covering common core standards) will be presented at 10 am at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium on Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st.

Dancing the role of the Nutcracker Prince will be dancer David Ward who trained at English National Ballet School and most recently danced with Ballet Met in Ohio. This international guest artist will be partnering ballerina Laura Morton, the Sugarplum Fairy, formerly with The Atlanta Ballet. This year’s production will include several new pieces of choreography featuring guests artists Addison Ector from Complexions, a New York based dance company, as the Snow King and Jeff Wolfe as Herr Drosselmeyer. Owen Scarlett from Chicago will dance the role of the Arabian Prince. New sets, props and costumes will bring the charming and spellbinding production to life.

+ November 30 & December 1 at 10 AM - Full length school matinee at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium - $6
+ December 2 at 7:30 PM and December 3 at 3 PM - Full length public performances at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium - tickets 865-656-4444
+ December 8 at 7:30 PM and December 9 at 3 PM - Full length public performances at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville - tickets 865-981-8590

For over 100 years, this classic story has proven to be a favorite, enchanting audiences of all ages. Come see the magic with lavish scenery, glorious tutus, soldiers, snowflakes and sugar plums! For more information: 865-982-8463, www.appalachianballet.com

The Knoxville Museum of Art and the Tennessee Art Education Association present the East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition. Now in its 12th year, the exhibition offers middle and high school students from around East Tennessee the opportunity to participate in a juried exhibition and to display their talents and be honored for their accomplishments in a professional art museum environment.

Students, family, friends, and the public are invited to a reception and awards ceremony Tuesday, December 5 from 6 to 8pm at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The event is free and open to the public.

The East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition is open to students in grades 6-12, attending public, private, or home schools in 32 counties across East Tennessee. Fewer than a third (349) of the more than 1073 entries in this highly competitive show made it through a rigorous jury process. The best-in-show winner will receive a purchase award of $500, and the artwork will become a permanent part of the collection of Mr. James Dodson, on loan to the Knoxville Museum of Art's Education Collection.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Knoxville's Holidays on Ice, presented by Home Federal Bank, is an outdoor ice skating rink in the heart of downtown Knoxville on Market Square. Enjoy skating under Christmas lights and stars while listening to music every night. The ice rink will be closed during inclement weather, please check the Holidays on Ice Facebook page to stay updated, Facebook.com/KnoxvillesHolidaysonIce. For questions about Knoxville's Holidays on Ice please call 865-215-4423.

Admission price includes entry fee, skate rental and unlimited time on ice!

RINK HOURS:
Regular Hours Nov. 24, 2017 - Dec. 17, 2017
Monday thru Thursday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Extended Hours Dec. 18, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018
Monday thru Thursday 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Special Holiday Hours Christmas & New Years
Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Christmas Day Closed
December 26: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
New Years Eve 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
New Years Day 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

http://www.knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/special_events/knoxvilles_holidays_on_ice/

Flying Anvil Theatre skewers holiday stress in The Big F.A.T. Holiday Cabaret opening Friday, Nov 24. ‘Tis the season for food, family, parties and gifts. And let’s face it – also feuds, indigestion, hangovers, busted budgets and weird Uncle Hal who tells those cringe-worthy jokes. Flying Anvil Theatre’s The Big F.A.T. Holiday Cabaret is the perfect antidote for holiday angst!

This comic musical review is full of songs and scenes that take a slightly twisted view of the season. Flying Anvil Artistic Director Jayne Morgan writes and directs, and Carol Z. Shane will musical direct. The show opens the Friday after Thanksgiving to give everyone something to do with those lingering out-of-town relatives.

Morgan says the show acknowledges that the holiday season can often be more frantic than fun. “The end of the year has gotten so intense, with impossible expectations on our schedules and psyches,” she says. “We laugh about that, and things like “Mean Santa” office games, weird holiday gifts and inappropriate relatives.”

Cast members include Emily Helton, Mandi Lawson and Curtis Bower, who previously appeared in The Great American Trailer Park Musical at the theatre. They are joined by Donald Thorne, Jessica Magers-Rankin, Carmen Brown and Brandon Phillips.

The Big F.A.T Holiday Cabaret opens Friday, November 24. Pay What You Can Nights are Wednesday, November 22 (Preview Performance), and Wednesday, November 29. The show runs through December 17 and reopens December 27 – 31 with a special New Year’s Eve performance with reception and champagne after the show.

This show is recommended for adults. Flying Anvil Theatre, 1300 Rocky Hill Road, Knoxville. Information: 865-357-1309, www.flyinganviltheatre.com

Part of the 2017-18 "Best of Theatre Knoxville Downtown" Season!

By Jones, Hope, and Wooten. It's Christmas-time in the small town of Fayro, Texas, and the Futrelle Sisters are not exactly in a festive mood. A cranky Frankie is weeks overdue with her second set of twins. Twink, recently jilted and bitter about it, is in jail for inadvertently burning down half the town. And hot-flashsuffering Honey Raye is desperately trying to keep the Tabernacle of the Lamb's Christmas Program from spiraling into chaos.

But things are not looking too promising: Miss Geneva, the ousted director of the previous twenty-seven productions, is ruthless in her attempts to take over the show. The celebrity guest Santa Claus - played by Frankie's long-suffering husband, Dub - is passing a kidney stone. One of the shepherds refuses to watch over his flock by night without pulling his little red wagon behind him. And the entire cast is dropping like flies due to food poisoning from the Band Boosters' Pancake Supper.

And when Frankie lets slip a family secret that has been carefully guarded for decades, all hope for a successful Christmas program seems lost, even with an Elvis impersonator at the manger. But in true Futrelle fashion, the feuding sisters find a way to pull together in order to present a Christmas program the citizens of Fayro will never forget. Their hilarious holiday journey through a misadventure-filled Christmas Eve is guaranteed to bring joy to your world!

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

Showtimes
Fri Nov 24, 2017 | 8:00PM
Sat Nov 25, 2017 | 8:00PM
Thu Nov 30, 2017 | 8:00PM
Fri Dec 1, 2017 | 8:00PM
Sat Dec 2, 2017 | 8:00PM
Sun Dec 3, 2017 | 2:00PM
Fri Dec 8, 2017 | 8:00PM
Sat Dec 9, 2017 | 8:00PM
Sun Dec 10, 2017 | 2:00PM

This uplifting musical comedy smash follows the adventures of disco diva Deloris Van Cartier who, after witnessing a crime, is put into protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community. But, will doing so blow her cover? The moving and hilarious story is a sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship and sisterhood. Sister Act is reason to REJOICE!

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

By: Charles Dickens; Adapted by: Edward Morgan and Joe Hanreddy

“If you like Christmas, do not humbug this play.” Knoxville News Sentinel

Our spectacular, heart-warming version of Dickens’ classic tale of redemption returns. Filled with traditional carols, stunning costumes, a gorgeous set and memorable characters, it’s guaranteed to enrich the holiday season for you and your family.

Clarence Brown 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