Calendar of Events

Monday, June 12, 2023

The WordPlayers: Staged Reading of The Explorers Club

Category: Free event and Theatre

The WordPlayers presents a Staged Reading of The Explorers Club by Nell Benjamin on Monday, June 12 at 7:00 PM in the Square Room, 4 Market Square in downtown Knoxville. Admission is free and no reservations are necessary.

THE STORY: London, 1879. The prestigious Explorers Club is in crisis: their acting president wants to admit a woman, and their bartender is terrible. True, this female candidate is brilliant, beautiful, and has discovered a legendary Lost City, but the decision to let in a woman could shake the very foundation of the British Empire, and how do you make such a decision without a decent drink? Grab your safety goggles for some very mad science involving deadly cobras, irate Irishmen and the occasional airship.

For more information, see www.wordplayers.org or call 865-539-2490.
Facebook: The WordPlayers
Twitter: @wordplayers
Instagram: wordplayers

Knoxville Children’s Theatre: Auditions for Huck Finn

Category: Auditions, Free event, Kids, family and Theatre

The audition will take place from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM at KCT, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue. Jonathan Clark, Executive/Artistic Director of The Carpetbag Theatre, will direct. Huck Finn is on the run from his criminal father, along with his friend Jim, adrift on the mighty Mississippi River. The two fall prey to two con men, calling themselves the King and The Duke, and get involved in a number of outrageous schemes. If Jim can get far enough up river, he can become a free man, and Huck discovers there may be a fortune for him too!

Auditioners should prepare a SHORT one-minute monologue from a play or novel. The monologue should express intense emotion and a theatrical level of expression. The play’s genre is comic adventure. Choose an appropriate monologue with rich emotional ranges. No songs or poems. Please, no monologues from films or television shows. Monologues will be evaluated on volume, clearness of diction, depth of emotional expression, and ability of physical transformation.

Auditionees should bring their calendars. All actors will be asked to list all conflicts with the rehearsal schedule. The director will make every attempt to work around conflicts, whenever possible. Rehearsals will begin on Monday, June 26 and continue through Thursday, August 10. Rehearsals are generally held on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. Actors should expect to attend most rehearsals. Actors must also be available for all 14 regular performances: August 11-27, Thursdays through Sundays.

To make an audition appointment please use the online audition request form found at: http://knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com/register-for-an-audition/

No calls for appointments, please. Due to time restrictions, auditionees without an appointment will not be seen.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown: Auditions for And Then There Were None

Category: Auditions and Theatre

By Agatha Christie
Director: Christina Sayer
AUDITION TIMES
• Sunday, June 11 at Theatre Knoxville Downtown, Time 6pm
• Monday, June 12th at Theatre Knoxville Downtown, Time 6pm
REHEARSAL START DATE: Wednesday, June 14th
Performance dates are July 21 – August 6, 2023

Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. As the weather turns and the group is cut off from the mainland, the bloodbath begins and one by one they are brutally murdered in accordance with the lines of a sinister nursery rhyme.

Available Roles (3f/8m)
All roles require British accents, so please be prepared for this at auditions!

No monologue is necessary. The audition will consist of cold readings from the script. A headshot and resume are recommended but not required. Please bring a detailed list of conflicts for the next 3 months.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 800 S. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

TVUUC Gallery: The Power of Water by Lil Clinard

  • June 10, 2023 — August 9, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

Free and open to the public

Reception Friday, June 16, 2023, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Artist talk at 6:30 p.m.

In The Power of Water, Clinard focuses on the intensity and energy of waterfalls, waves and rivers. Her richly hued work is created by using watercolor in a loose and flowing manner and often on Yupo paper, which keeps the pigments on the surface and creates an intense, vivid result.

Lil Clinard is a landscape artist and watercolorist who has won three “Best of Show” awards in the Tennessee Artists’ Association Annual Juried Shows. Clinard is a signature member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society and Knoxville Watercolor Society, as well as a member of the American, National and Transparent watercolor societies. Visit her website for more information: www.WatercolorsByLil.com

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery hours: M-Th 10-3, Su 10-12:30. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

Tennessee Valley Players: Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Category: Kids, family and Theatre

Tennessee Valley Players present 10 performances of Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Annual summer collaboration with the Tennessee Valley Players and the University of Tennessee at the new St. Gregory the Great Auditorium, on the Knoxville Catholic High School campus, off Cedar Bluff Road, 9245 Fox Lonas Road, Knoxville, TN 37923.

June 8-18, 2023,
Ten performances
Thursday, June 08 - Opening Night, 7:30PM
Friday, June 09 - Performance, 7:30PM
Saturday, June 10 - Matinee, 3:00PM; Performance, 7:30 (Breakfast with the Cast, 9:30AM)
Sunday, June 11 - Matinee, 3:00PM
Thursday, June 15 - Performance, 7:30
Friday, June 16 - Performance, 7:30
Saturday, June 17 - Matinee, 3:00PM; Evening Performance, 7:30PM
Sunday, June 18 - Matinee, 3:00PM

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the enchantment never ends in this romantic and beloved take on the classic fairytale. Join Tennessee Valley Players for 10 thrilling performances, from June 8-11 and June 15-18, plus breakfast with the characters on June 10! Disney's Beauty and the Beast is an international
sensation which has been produced in 37 countries across the globe.

Purchase at the box office - as early as 45 minutes prior to the show or online through Ticket Spice
(ticketspice.com)

https://tennesseevalleyplayers.regfox.com/tennessee-valley-players-presents-disneys-beauty-and-the-beast

Rala: Dolly Art Show 2023

  • June 2, 2023 — July 30, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Fine Crafts and Free event

Howdy! It's the 5th annual Dolly Art Show!

Join us Friday, June 2nd from 5:00-8:00 PM for opening night. Our wall will be filled with art by nearly 40 local and regional artists who love Dolly as much as we do. Awards will be announced at 7pm, and Dolly art will remain on display through the end of July.

Rala may limit capacity of in-person attendees for the safety of our audience in regards to maximum occupancy requirements.
We encourage you to attend virtually if you cannot attend in person, and follow us on Facebook/Instagram for updates as we get closer to the event.

You can stream the awards ceremony by joining our Instagram Live @shoprala, or by visiting our YouTube channel to catch the live stream later (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_tM87RUMyb6DmkJU3MifQ)

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/628793335793173/

Rala: Regional and Local Artisans, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-6, Su 11-5. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com or www.instagram.com/ShopRala

Dogwood Arts: Paper Garden by Gabrielle Barnhart & Kate Buuck

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

Join us for the First Friday Opening Reception of 'Paper Garden' featuring work by Gabrielle Barnhart & Kate Buuck — Friday, June 2nd from 5-8PM.

• Address: 123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
• Exhibition on Display: June 2 - July 21, 2023
• Regular Gallery Hours: M-F | 10AM-5PM

A garden is a space in the earth formed for nourishment, beauty and wild delight. Inspired by the tender dedication of the gardener's hand, Paper Garden has become the terrain in which we explore, print, prune, paint, water and grow. The vibrant, flora-forward pieces of this show are artifacts from our own exploration and collaboration. Join us in this celebration of small moments.

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

Art Guild at Fairfield Glade: Dale Soblo - Impressions of Monet’s Water Lilies

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Fine Crafts and Free event

Dale Soblo will be the featured artist for the month of June, and will be honored at the Fun and Wine First Friday Reception on Friday, June 2 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive. The public is invited to come to this free event and enjoy a glass of wine or non-alcoholic beverage, visit with Dale and other artists, and view a wonderful variety of artwork. Light refreshments will also be served.

Art Guild member and artist, Dale Soblo presents his beautiful water lilies collection for public viewing. Dale reflects on water lilies and his water color paintings, “Water lilies arise from the depths, transforming a lake or pond into a floating garden. Ever since my youth I have seen magic, mystery, and danger in the still waters where they grow. Water lilies are beautiful, mysterious, and beguiling all at once. Monet also had a fascination with water lilies as his 250 or so paintings of them attest. The paintings of Monet I studied to create this collection spanned a period from 1910-1919. These 32 watercolor paintings are my impressions of Monet’s water lilies. The composition, color, and value of my paintings as well as the expression of human emotions are derived from studying Monet’s works. In his work I began to see the many conflicts and emotions he must have experienced during this time as he lost a son and WW1 was at his doorstep. The titles of my individual paintings are derived from the current locations of Monet’s originals.”

Dale’s training in botanical art started as an undergraduate at Eastern Michigan University making detailed drawings of plant anatomy, plant morphology, and trees and woody shrubs. During this time he took a course in botanical illustration at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Dale went on to earn a BS in Biology from Eastern Michigan University (1986) and an MS in Botany from Clemson University (1989). His interest in nature led him to work as a horticulturist at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, designing and managing nature preserves for The Nature Conservancy, and teaching at Washtenaw Community College, Clemson University, Midlands Technical College, and Spring Valley High. As a teacher he developed an arts-based curriculum for biology and environmental science classes that taught students to use drawing and watercolor painting as ways to carefully observe and record the natural world.

The paintings of Dale Soblo will be on display along with the members’ gallery artwork exhibit from June 2 through July 6.

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

Awaken Coffee: Southern Charm by Melissa N. Everett

  • June 2, 2023 — July 1, 2023

Category: Culinary arts, food, Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

Friday, June 2, from 6-8 Awaken Coffee will have live music by Melissa Hale and will host an opening reception for artist Melissa N. Everett.

Melissa’s show is titled “Southern Charm”

“Songwriting [Quilt-making] is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn’t get some of that stuff out.” Dolly Parton [Melissa Everett]

After listening to Dolly Parton’s America, the initial idea of this project, Southern Charm, has grown to be so much deeper and more meaningful. Learning about the way she has evolved as an artist and grown as an independent woman while staying tied to her beautiful, mountain childhood resonated with me. I want these things to be true for myself, as well. As I mature and unfold as a female artist, I’ve recently started looking back at my childhood in Waynesville, NC to rediscover my favorite things again; like Easter, pastels, ruffles, playing in the woods etc. A couple of similarities between Dolly and I stand out: home, comfort, inclusion and nostalgia. This show is about channeling your inner child, listening to your heart and setting aside what doesn’t work for you any longer to continue on through hope, love and joy.

Awaken Coffee, 125 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Open daily. Information: 865-951-0427, www.instagram.com/awaken_coffee or www.facebook.com/awakencoffeeoldcity/

Arts & Culture Alliance: Deb Mazz Cikovic: Our Earth in Color

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. Most of the works will be for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Deb Mazz Cikovic has been an artist and creator of original concepts in art since the late 1970s. She is currently best known for paintings in oils, ink, and acrylic pouring as well as one-of-a-kind epoxy work. She uses a multitude of techniques and materials to create paintings and epoxy pieces which hold different meanings for each individual’s mind’s eye. She has shown original works at Van Der Plas Gallery in New York City as well as with Virtual Artists in London. Most recently, her works have been displayed at the Vivant Gallery in Reno, NV.

Creating art is something I do every day. I get inspiration from music, photography, nature, and anything that surrounds me.

ybcreativesart.com
Instagram @ybcreatives

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

Arts & Culture Alliance: Summer Small: Daughter Land

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. Most of the works will be for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store.

Daughter Land is an experiment in chaos and control: Summer Small’s acrylic and oil paintings are a double exposure forged from a deep well of folklore and traditional craft juxtaposed against her experience of growing up as daughter of modern Appalachia. She depicts the strange as it is familiar, and the familiar as it is mysterious and ephemeral.

Summer Small is a self-taught visual artist who has spent her life exploring and evolving her emotional and aesthetic vision and developing the technical skills to execute that vision in diverse media, always inspired by her upbringing and community in Southern Appalachia. She is a founding participant in the Dogwood Arts Chalk Walk, where she has received numerous First Place and Grand Prize awards over the past fifteen years. She has pursued a series of apprenticeships in a variety of media, and after high school, she served as the Gallery Manager for Pretentious Glass Co.

Early in 2021, Summer began her career as a freelance artist and muralist. She sells her original work and fine art prints at juried markets across the Southeast and has executed numerous large-scale public art projects for community organizations and commercial clients. She works closely with Dogwood Arts on live mural painting and chalk art projects. Her work can be found in numerous local and regional publications, including The Scout Guide Knoxville. In February of 2023, she held her first solo exhibition, Highway Flowers, at RED Gallery in Knoxville. In the near future, Small has plans for several large public art projects, a residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and many regional art markets.

Instagram @SummerSmallStudio

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

Arts & Culture Alliance: Diana Ferguson: Behold the Night

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. Most of the works will be for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store.

Diana Ferguson, also known as DiFergi, is an internationally recognized and awarded visual artist. She graduated from college with a degree in art at the age of 40 and has been creating art ever since. She taught art for eight years in the public school system before going full time as a studio artist. She has shown on multiple continents, has had her work published in national publications, and is currently an active advocate for the arts in East Tennessee. Primarily a painter using acrylics, she sometimes is also drawn to collage and mixed mediums. Boundaries are discouraged in her work, and reality has no prominence. Her work seeks to entertain, question and create its own narratives.

Faces, thoughts, narratives and emotion are what ‘talk’ to me. I want a story or a feeling to cover my canvas. Power and spirit, color and texture, visual energy and magical wonder are all interwoven into my paintings. Reality has very little to do with the intention of my final image.

www.difergi.com and Instagram @difergiart

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

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