THEATER
ARTS CENTER OF CANNON COUNTY – 1424 John Bragg Highway, Woodbury, Tenn. 615-563-2787 or 800-235-9073, www.artscenterofcc.com. “Sanders Family Christmas,” saga of singing family from “Smoke on the Mountain” and their return engagement at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church shortly after the start of World War II, today-Sunday and Dec. 17-19. $25 (dinner and show).
BUTTONWILLOW CHURCH CIVIL WAR DINNER THEATER – 1060 Main St., Whitwell, Tenn. 423-658-7478, www.buttonwillowchurch.com. “Grandaddy’s Watch,” dinner and two-hour live show based on events during the “real War Between the States,” 5:15 p.m. CST Fridays and Saturdays year-round and other days for groups.
CHATTANOOGA THEATRE CENTRE – 400 River St. Box office: 267-8534, www.theatrecentre.com.
* “Times Square Angel,” CircleStage production of campy holiday melodrama that is satire of Hollywood fantasy films of the 1940s, 8 p.m. today, Saturday and Dec. 17-18. $18.
* “A Christmas Story,” comedy salute to old-fashioned Christmas, 8 p.m. today and Saturday, 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Dec. 17-18, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Dec. 22-23. $10-$25 (opening night $30).
COLONNADE – 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. 706-935-9000, www.colonnadecenter.org. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Hilger Players presentation of musical based on Frank Capra film focusing on lesson one man must learn at Christmas on what would happen had he not been born, 7 p.m. Dec. 17. 870-4951.
COVENANT COLLEGE, DRAMA – Sanderson Hall, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Ga. 706-419-1453 or 706-419-2800, www.covenant.edu/covenantarts. Madrigal Dinners, annual re-creation of 16th-century pre-Christmas celebration and feast complete with costumes, candles, multi-course meal, singers and dancers, 6:30 p.m. today and Saturday. $55.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY PLAYHOUSE – Crossville, Tenn. All times Central. 931-484-5000, www.ccplayhouse.com.
* “She Loves Me,” romantic Christmastime musical comedy set in Paris in the 1930s follows anonymous pen pals who are feuding employees in a gift shop, through Dec. 18. $13-$26.
* “A Sanders Family Christmas,” stars of “Smoke on the Mountain,” reunite at Mount Pleasant Baptist shortly after the start of World War II, through Dec. 19. $12-$26.
* “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” holiday tale focuses on the church Christmas pageant and what happens when the “worst kids in the entire history of the world” get involved,” through Dec. 19. $12-$26.
DALTON LITTLE THEATRE – 210 N. Pentz St., Dalton, Ga. 706-226-6618, www.daltonlittletheatre.com. Auditions for “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,” Sunday and Monday (show in February).
DESTINY THEATRE COMPANY – 1815 Union Ave. (Chancey-Goode Auditorium of Tennessee Temple University). 242-5156, www.destinyentertainment.org. “Black Nativity,” third annual gospel musical stage play, today-Sunday. $18 adults, $15 groups, $13 seniors/students (all seats $20 day of show).
GEM THEATER – L&N Depot, 700 S. Tennessee Ave. (Highway 411), Etowah, Tenn. 423-263-3270, www.gemplayers.com. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” the terror of the town Herdman children take on the town’s annual Christmas pageant, 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday (dinner at adjacent L&N Depot and show available Saturday), 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Adults $12, children (10-under) $8, dinner/show $25.
MCMINN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL – The Arts Center, 320 N. White St., Athens, Tenn. 423-745-4142 or 540-421-9191. “Like, Oh My Gosh … Murder! A Radical ’80s Murder Mystery,” audience-participation dinner theater show by high school show choir and band centers on dancing diva Polly Abdool’s record release party for pop princess Debbie Gribson in honor of her “Eclectic Youth” release, 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) today and Saturday.
OAK STREET PLAYHOUSE – Flo Summitt Theatre, First-Centenary United Methodist Church, 419 McCallie Ave. 756-2428. “Happy Hollandaise!” dinner theater production finds mischief, mayhem and comedy interrupting a dinner with the new vicar, 6:30 p.m. today and Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday. $20 adults, groups $18.
ARTISTS/EXHIBITS
ATHENS ARTS CENTER – 320 N. White St., Athens, Tenn. Free admission. 423-745-8781, www.athensartscouncil.org. “The Art of the Portrait,” juried art competition and exhibit of two- and three-dimensional depictions of animate objects in high school, college, open and photography categories, through Dec. 31.
AVA GALLERY – 30 Frazier Ave. 265-5233, www.avarts.org. All-Member Salon Show, nonjuried, salon-style exhibition featuring work of AVA members, through Dec. 19.
BESSIE SMITH CULTURAL CENTER – 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. Admission: $7 adults, $3 children 6-12, $5 seniors and students. 266-8658.
* Permanent exhibit: a look back at black history through African artifacts, oral histories, documents, photographs, art and personal effects.
* “Traveling Trunk of Hate Crimes,” mobile, hands-on exhibit of the symbols of racial, ethnic and religious persecution and hatred by Gene Roseburg of Knoxville, 11 a.m. today.
CIVIC ARTS LEAGUE – 264 Catoosa Circle (Catoosa County Colonnade), Ringgold, Ga. 706-991-7533 or e-mail sherryh592@charter.net. “Bold and Beautiful,” juried exhibit of original works by Civic Arts League members, through Dec. 17.
CREATIVE ARTS GUILD – Dalton, Ga. 520 W. Waugh St. 706-278-0168, www.creativeartsguild.org. “Small Works,” Gallery 111 exhibit, through Dec. 31.
CRESS GALLERY OF ART – UTC Fine Arts Center, corner of Vine and Palmetto streets. Free. 425-4600. www.utc.edu/cressgallery. “Le Deluge, Aprés Mao,” exhibit of sculpture, painting, photography, digital and video art by contemporary Chinese artists, through Tuesday.
EXUM GALLERY & MEMORIAL GARDEN – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 305 W. Seventh St. 266-8195. Exhibit of watercolor paintings by Alan Shuptrine depicting landscapes, beachscapes and figures displayed in water gilded frames designed and handcrafted by the artist and grouping of handcrafted crosses, through Jan. 9.
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS – 201 High St. $9 nonmembers, $3.50 children. 267-7176. www.thehoustonmuseum.com. “Happy Holidays” through Dec. 21.
HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART – 10 Bluff View. $9.95 adults, $4.95 children, free to younger visitors and to members. 267-0968. www.huntermuseum.org. “Hunter Invitational 2010,” exhibition by regional artists Daud Akhriev, Michael Aurbach, Pradip Malde, Lin C. Parker, Amy Pleasant, Billy Weeks and Sunkoo Yuh, through Jan.16.
IN-TOWN GALLERY – 26A Frazier Ave. Free admission. 267-9214. www.intowngallery.com. “Different Strokes,” collection of new acrylic paintings on canvas and board with a tree theme by Peggy Huffstutler, through Dec. 31.
JEWISH CULTURAL CENTER – 5461 N. Terrace. 493-0270, ext. 13. “Spirituality of Light,” exhibit highlights the use of light as a metaphor and as a compositional element, through Jan. 21.
MCKEE LIBRARY – 4865 Promenade, Southern Adventist University, Collegedale. 236-2791. Exhibit of works by Chattanooga book illustrator/designer Barry Moser, through Wednesday.
MUSEUM CENTER AT FIVE POINTS – 200 E. Inman St., Cleveland, Tenn. Admission: $5 adults, $4 students and seniors, free for members and children younger than 5. 423-339-5745, www.museumcenter.org. “Home for the Holidays: Turn-of-the-Century Entertaining and the Chastain Glass Collection,” exhibit highlights selections from the more than 1,200 pieces of late 19th-century/early 20th-century American glass pattern donated by the Chastain family of Cleveland, through Jan. 8.
RIVER GALLERY – 400 E. Second St. (Bluff View Art District), Free. 265-5033, ext. 5. www.river-gallery.com. “Triple Whipple,” exhibit includes work of wearable sculpture and jewelry made of found objects by Marty Whipple, surreal figurative characters by painter John Whipple and collages of old photographs, sketches and found objects by mixed media artist Lynn Whipple. through Dec. 31.
SHUPTRINE FINE ART GROUP – 2646 Broad St. 266-4453, www.ShuptrineFineArtGroup.com. “A Vested Interest,” through Dec. 31.
THE ART CENTER – 420 W. Main St., Blue Ridge, Ga. 706-632-2144, www.blueridgearts.net. 2010 Holiday Show and Sale, exhibit of paintings, prints, pottery, sculpture, woodturning, jewelry, quilts and more from artists across the Southeast, through Dec. 23.
THE GALLERY – 3918 Dayton Blvd. 870-2443 or www.redbankgallery.com. Furniture by Joseph Brogden, new works by craftsman using traditional methods and tools, advanced joinery and contemporary design, through Wednesday.