Calendar of Events

Megan Moroney with Mackenzie Carpenter at the Mill and Mine, Friday, December 8,
8:00 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)

The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Tickets/information: 865-343-6000 or https://themillandmine.com

Jubilee Community Arts presents Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle at the Laurel Theater, December 8 at 8 pm

Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle have been married (to each other!) for for 25 years, and make their home in Walland, TN in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Jeff and Sarah are 1st place winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. They performed their winning song, "When I Come Home" at Merlefest for a crowd of 50,000+. Their duo album, The Barb Hollow Sessions was released on January 1, 2004 and received rave reviews around the country... The album debuted at # 6 on the Roots Music Report National Bluegrass Airplay Charts. The single, "Bury Me In The Red Clay" peaked at # 12 on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Chart for November 2004. It was on the charts for 8 months. Jeff and Sarah released a gospel album, Family Singing in 2012. Their latest album Sweet Creation was recorded in 2018. For more information on Jeff and Sarah, please check out www.jeffandsarahmusic.com

Tickets available online, by mail or at the door 30 minutes prior to show. $20 at the door, $15 General Audience Advance, $14 JCA members, students & seniors 65+

Jubilee Community Arts at the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. Tickets: https://jubilee-community-arts.ticketleap.com. Information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org

East Tennessee’s Own WDVX and Oak Ridge Periodic Tables present the Secret City Radio Show at the historic Grove Theatre on Friday night December 8th at 7pm with your host Chad Beauchaine and special musical guests Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricious and Four Leaf Peat. The Grove Theatre is located in High Places Community Church,
123 Randolph Rd, Oak Ridge.

The Secret City Radio Show is uniquely Oak Ridge featuring science, history and music. Get your tickets and more information at WDVX.com

WDVX, 301 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-544-1029, www.wdvx.com

The Knoxville Museum of Art is thrilled to announce the eagerly awaited lineup for the upcoming 2023-2024 season of Soundscapes at the KMA, the museum's signature concert series. Formerly known as “Alive After Five,” the rebranded series promises an unforgettable musical journey, showcasing a diverse array of talented artists and genres. Soundscapes at the KMA continues its tradition of providing an enriching cultural experience for music enthusiasts and art lovers alike. "Soundscapes is more than just a concert series" says coordinator Brian Clay, "it's the fusion between of music performance and fantastic visual art, one-of-a-kind performances with the exhibitions and collections of the KMA as a backdrop. We have a fantastic new season scheduled, and we invite you to join us for these unforgettable musical experiences in the stunning setting of the KMA.” Enjoy curated performances, cocktails, and dancing in beautiful Bailey Hall, or explore the art on view as music weaves through the galleries. Kick off your weekend in an extraordinary atmosphere that allows you to see, hear, and feel art in a whole new way.

2023-2024 SEASON LINEUP:
· December 8, 2023, 6-9pm—"My Favorite Things" Holiday Celebration
· January 12, 2024, 6-9pm—Karen Bryant
· February 16, 2024, 6-9pm—Kyle Schroeder
· March 8, 2024, 6-9pm—Kimberlye McKinney
· April 12, 2024, 6-9pm—"A Tribute to Motown Soul II"
· May 10, 2024, 6-9pm—To Be Announced
· June 14, 2024, 6-9pm—To Be Announced
· July 12, 2024, 6-9pm—Adam Hawley
· August 16, 2024, 6-9pm—Season Finale

TICKETS: Members: $20, Non-Members: $25, Member’s Pass: FREE, Kids under 12: FREE
SEASON TICKETS: Members: $160, Non-Members: $200, Secures entry to all nine performances (one show discount)
Season details, including the full lineup, ticket information, and artist bios, are available at knoxart.org.

The museum is located in downtown Knoxville at 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive and is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.knoxart.org

JAGGED LITTLE PILL includes eight performances from Dec. 5-10, 2023. Joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, LIFE – everything we’ve been waiting to see in a Broadway show – is here in the exhilarating, fearless new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music. Directed by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin, 1776) with a Tony Award®-winning book by Diablo Cody (Juno) and Grammy Award®-winning score, this electrifying production about a perfectly imperfect American family “vaults the audience to its collective feet.” (The Guardian).

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com

The Nutcracker, a full-length classical ballet, will be presented by the Appalachian Ballet Company in their 52nd season. Live music by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, beautiful sets and scenery, lavish costumes and accomplished dancers will put you in the holiday mood! Dancing the role of the Sugarplum Fairy will be ABC alum, Laura Morton La Russa, “25 to watch” in Dance Magazine 2021. ABC will be featuring James La Russa as Herr Drosselmeyer and the Arabian Prince. For over 100 years, this classic story has proven to be a favorite, enchanting audiences of all ages. Come see the magic! Show runs 90 minutes with one intermission.

Knoxville Civic Auditorium
December 2, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
December 3, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Clayton Center for the Arts, Ronald & Lynda Nutt Theatre
December 8, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
December 9, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

865-981-8590
https://appalachianballet.org/tickets.html

KCT Intern Evie Braude will direct the production, Teresa Seals will serve as Musical Director, and Donya Walker-Bacon will choreograph.

Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. Elf JR. features songs by Tony Award-nominees, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, with a book by Tony Award-winners, Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin.

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

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lionel Bart
DECEMBER 1-17, 2023

This beloved musical, based on the classic Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist,” tells the tale of an orphaned boy who escapes the cruel workhouse where he was raised and finds himself caught up in the criminal underworld of Victorian London. Featuring unforgettable songs such as “Consider Yourself” and “Food, Glorious Food” and memorable characters like the wily Artful Dodger and the greedy Fagin, Oliver! tugs at the heartstrings of audiences of all generations with its themes of resilience, redemption, and the power of kindness.

GENERAL AUDIENCES

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

By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Edward Morgan and Joseph Hanreddy
Music by John Tanner
Clarence Brown Theatre
November 22 – December 21, 2023

Knoxville’s longest-running holiday tradition! For more than three decades, Knoxvillians have returned year-after-year to experience this timeless story of hope and redemption. This season, make A Christmas Carol part of your holiday tradition. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll create a wonderful memory… and you will leave the theater with a warm heart and renewed spirit!

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

They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler is the first retrospective exhibition of Carl and Pearl Butler, the iconic country music duo whose timeless lyrics and harmonious melodies left an indelible mark on country music. With a career spanning over four decades, Carl and Pearl Butler became celebrated figures in the world of country music. “Carl made scores of major-label records during the 1950s,” says Bradley E. Reeves, the exhibition’s guest curator and author of the new book Honky Tonkitis: On the Road with Carl Butler and Pearl. “These are some of the best bluegrass, gospel, and hard country records ever made, although none could be called a massive hit.” That honor would come in 1962, when Carl and Pearl recorded “Don’t Let Me Cross Over.” The song remains among the fastest ever to ascend to No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Singles. Carl and Pearl’s unique “Knoxville sound,” along with heartfelt lyrics, earned them a dedicated fan base who supported them at performances across the United States and Canada through the 1970s. The exhibition offers visitors a rare glimpse into the lives of these music legends.

Key highlights of the exhibition include:
1. Rare Family Archives: Museum guests will have the opportunity to view the Allen “Junior” Butler Family Collection, which has been made publicly available for the first time and includes never-before-seen photographs, home movies, original instruments, and stage costumes that belonged to Carl and Pearl Butler. “I’m grateful to Allen Butler and his family for opening their home and archives to share with us,” says Reeves.
2. Musical Journey: Explore the duo's musical journey through a feature film, which transports visitors through various periods of their career and traces their unfiltered, raw singing style, one that derived from and advanced the “Knoxville sound.”
3. Behind-the-Scenes: Gain insight into the lives of Carl and Pearl Butler through never-before-seen family photographs and recently uncovered anecdotes from the family and fellow musicians, including Dolly Parton who viewed the Butlers as her “second parents.” “Despite their successes,” says Adam Alfrey, Assistant Director for Historical Services at Knox County Public Library, “Carl and Pearl faced personal and professional struggles, which are intimately documented through the family’s photographs.”
4. Interpretive Experience: Engage with the exhibition to understand how both Knoxville and Nashville played a role in the development of country music. Also, learn how chart-topping artists can quickly become all but forgotten, even in their hometown. “The Butlers somehow fell through the cracks,” reflects Reeves. “It’s my hope that this book and exhibition will contribute to a reappreciation of their great body of work.”
They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler promises to be a heartfelt educational experience for country music enthusiasts and fans of all ages. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of Carl and Pearl Butler on the world of music.

At 5:00 pm, Friday, October 6, 2023, there will be an opening reception for They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler. The event will include a meet and greet with Carl and Pearl Butler’s family, a book signing by guest curator Bradley E. Reeves, and an exhibition of Appalachian musical pioneer paintings by artist Amy Campbell. At 7:00 pm, there will be a “Tribute to Carl and Pearl,” opened by a performance of the Paul Brewster and Friends Band, comprised of 14-year-old mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis and Grand Ole Opry performers Daniel Grindstaff, Kent Blanton, Stephen Burwell, and John Meador. A screening of 8mm home movies shot by the Butlers (watch for an appearance by 10-year-old Dolly Parton), as well as some of the Butlers’ rarest television appearances, will conclude the evening.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.eastTNhistory.org/lights-camera