Calendar of Events

Sunday, April 20, 2025
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Save the date for our annual community Easter Sunrise Service. Details to come!

Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Ave, Knoxville, TN 37914. Hours: Gardens open daily from sunrise to sunset. Information: 865-862-8717, www.knoxgarden.org

By Steven Dietz, Directed by Windie Wilson
Show Dates: April 18th - May 4th, 2025

The disappearance of a young boy casts suspicion on his newly-hired au pair, as well as on the wealthy parents who have hired her. As the parents seek revenge upon one another, the young au pair is hatching a plot of her own. How a Boy Falls is a psychological thriller with a dark comic edge about the way in which past events can be weaponized to shape the present.

Performances are Thu-Sat 7:30 PM and Sun 3 PM

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

River & Rail Theatre Company proudly announces its upcoming production of "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill," a soul-stirring theatrical experience celebrating the life and music of legendary jazz artist Billie Holiday. This remarkable performance will star the acclaimed actress and singer Shinnerrie Jackson in the title role, bringing Holiday’s iconic voice and heartrending story to life on stage.

Performance Dates and Venue: The production will run at River & Rail Theatre Company in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee at the Old City Performing Arts Center (111 State Street), from April 17-May 4 2025, offering audiences an intimate and unforgettable evening of music and drama.

Written by Lanie Robertson, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" takes audiences back to a small Philadelphia nightclub in 1959, where Billie Holiday performed one of her final concerts. Through the hauntingly beautiful melodies of Holiday’s most beloved songs, including "Strange Fruit," "God Bless the Child," and "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," the play weaves a narrative that is both poignant and raw, exploring her struggles, triumphs, and enduring legacy.

Shinnerrie Jackson Shines as Billie Holiday: Shinnerrie Jackson, a celebrated performer known for her captivating stage presence and powerful voice, steps into the role of Billie Holiday with grace and authenticity. Her portrayal promises to capture the essence of Lady Day’s artistry and vulnerability, offering audiences a deeply emotional and immersive experience.

Tickets at https://www.simpletix.com/e/lady-day-at-emersons-bar-and-grille-by-lan-tickets-177072
Information: 865-407-0727, www.riverandrailtheatre.com

BY JONATHAN SAYER, HENRY SHIELDS, AND HENRY LEWIS

Welcome to the opening night of 'The Murder at Haversham Manor', where things go from not very good to an utter disaster. 'The Play That Goes Wrong' is an ill-fated play-within-a-play, set on the opening night of the Cornley Drama Society’s newest production. The troupe’s ambitious whodunit has everything you never want in a show: falling props, collapsing scenery, an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything…including their lines. Come see why this show has been called “the funniest play Broadway has ever seen!” (Huffington Post)

Clarence Brown Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information/tickets: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com

MAIN GALLERY
Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi — Apr. 4 - Jun. 21, 2025 / reception Apr. 4, 2025

PROJECT SPACE
Meg White — Apr. 4 - Jun. 21, 2025 / reception Apr. 4, 2025

Tri-Star Arts at Candoro Marble Building, 4450 Candora Drive, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-5. Information: https://tristararts.org/visit

First Friday Reception: April 4th, 5:30 - 9 pm
April Featured Artists

Carol Quinn, Mixed Media
Carol has painted and exhibted since the late 1980’s, mostly in the Southeast. She has also been in exhibitions in
NYC through World Fine Art Gallery, Ariel Gallery, and Abney Gallery. Carol is inspired by nature and the local beauty of her local area, as well as the psychological processes that create this inspiration. She has been a member of Art Market Gallery since 2018. In the last few years Carol has participated in many solo and group shows in the Knoxville area. Carol was educated at the University of Tennessee (BS, MS, and PhD.) in Human Ecology. She began painting in the early 80’s as a watercolorist painting mostly nature, and rapidly moved into various mixed media, larger creations, and more abstraction in design. Her work consists of self-exploration and experimentation with different mediums, and the passion of exploring color and textures.

Patrick Deason, Sculpture
Patrick's art in metal grew out of other interests. His skills are self-taught and many of the tools he uses to shape metal were made by him. Patrick spent a large part of his career on the coastal waters of Georgia and Florida, hence the many marine related pieces. His whimsical works are intended to bring smiles and curiosity. Patrick's studio is in a house in the woods he shares with his wife, two dogs, and a very talkative parrot.

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

The Arrowmont Gallery & Marketplace: Botanicals: A Showcase of Work from Arrowmont’s Programming Team

Through diverse materials and styles, “Botanicals: A Showcase of Work from Arrowmont’s Programming Team” celebrates nature through a botanical lens, inviting reflection on the interconnectedness of life and the environment. This exhibition features work by Kelly Hider, Mathilde Frances Lind, Lindsay Rogers, Alex Simental, Rebecca Smedley, and Heather F. Wetzel, and is in tandem with the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Artist of the Year Exhibition in the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery at Arrowmont, featuring the work of Andi Kur.

The opening of “Botanicals: A Showcase of Work from Arrowmont’s Programming Team” at the Arrowmont Gallery will take place on First Friday, April 4th, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, with select artists present for the event. This exhibition will be on view from April 4-26, 2025.

For more information on this exhibition and others, please visit our site at https://arrowmont.org/galleries/
110 S Gay St. Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 | (865) 436-7511

It's fun, free, and easy! The Hike-a-Thon is free to register and you can participate from anywhere in the world. This month-long competition in April supports the protection of our lands and waters—where people and nature can thrive. https://campaigns.tenngreen.org/event/hike-a-thon2025/

TennGreen Land Conservancy empowers landowners and communities to protect large, connected natural areas that support diversity of life, inspire appreciation of nature, and spark action to protect the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the land that sustains us all. To learn more, visit tenngreen.org.

2025 Featured Dogwood Trails: Holston Hills & Morningside. The Dogwood Trails are open annually from April 1-30th, just in time to showcase the beauty of spring in East Tennessee! Knoxville’s iconic Dogwood Trails date back to 1955 and today cover more than 90 miles in 13 neighborhoods throughout the city. Take a drive, a walk, or a bike ride and enjoy the scenic natural beauty of our region.

No RSVP required. Please email vbaumgartner@dogwoodarts.com or call (865) 637-4561 with questions or concerns.

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

Home Runs & Home Teams - A History of the National Pastime in Tennessee
Rogers-Claussen Feature Gallery

As Tennesseeans, baseball is in our DNA, and although the game is common to us, it has never remained the same during anyone’s lifetime. Who were among the first to play baseball in Tennessee? How did 31 Tennessee towns come to host a MiLB team? What makes a day at a Tennessee ballpark an iconic experience? Home Runs & Home Teams provides an overview of the national pastime as it has played out in the Volunteer State. For every story included in the exhibition, there are hundreds more–from players to pennants, from bat makers to bat boys–that could have been shared. So as you “round the bases,” think about your connections to the game, your ties to the past. What does baseball mean to you and to your community? What baseball stories should libraries and museums preserve to share with future Tennesseans? Let’s play ball!

601 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://www.easttnhistory.org/exhibitions/home-runs-home-teams/

The Smithsonian’s National Collection of Fishes X-rays represent more than 70 percent of the world’s fish specimens and is the largest and most diverse collection of its kind in the world. Although the X-rays featured in the national collection were made for research purposes, the strikingly elegant images demonstrate the natural union of science and art and are a visual retelling of the evolution of fish. X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out, an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), showcases these dramatic prints exposing the inner workings of the fish.

The exhibition features 32 black-and-white digital prints of different species of fish. Arranged in evolutionary sequence, these X-rays give a tour through the long stream of fish evolution. The X-rays have allowed Smithsonian and other scientists to study the skeleton of a fish without altering the specimen, making it easier for scientists to build a comprehensive picture of fish diversity.

The exhibition also includes specimens from the collections of the McClung Museum, the Etnier Ichthyological Collection, and the Vertebrate Osteology Collection to highlight research happening with fish specimens at the University of Tennessee.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

States of Becoming examines the dynamic forces of relocation, resettling, and assimilation that shape the artistic practices of a group of contemporary African diaspora artists in the United States. The exhibition is inspired by curator Fitsum Shebeshe’s 2016 move from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Baltimore, and subsequent firsthand experience with cultural assimilation. States of Becoming is a traveling exhibition curated by Fitsum Shebeshe and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York.

States of Becoming Opening Reception
Friday, January 31, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm
Members Only Hour, 6:00-7:00 pm
Gallery Talk with Curator Fitsum Shebeshe, 6:15 pm
Reception Opens to Non-Members, 7:00 pm
Musical Performance by Artist Miatta Kawinzi, 8:00 pm
Food by Tarik’s North African + Cash Bar + Specialty Beverage
https://knoxart.org/event/states-of-becoming-opening-reception/

For additional information and updates, follow the Knoxville Museum of Art on social media:
Facebook: Knoxville Museum of Art, Instagram: @knoxvillemuseumofart, X: @knoxart

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.