THEATER
BUTTONWILLOW CHURCH CIVIL WAR DINNER THEATER — 1060 Main St., Whitwell, Tenn. 423-658-7478, www.buttonwillowchurch.com. “Granddaddy’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.
COLONNADE — 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. 706-935-9000, www.colonnadecenter.org. Auditions for “The Music Man,” 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday (show dates, March 25-April 2).
GRACE PLAYERS — Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave. 698-2433. Auditions for “The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later,” 7 p.m. Jan. 9-10 (show dates, Feb. 26-27, March 4-6).
MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM — 399 McCallie Ave., 642-8497 or 757-5050, ChattanoogaOnStage.com.
* Sesame Street Live: “Elmo’s Green Thumb,” Elmo and friends try to find a new home for his sunflower friend Sunny, 7 p.m. Jan. 7, 10:30 and 2 p.m. Jan. 8, 2 p.m. Jan. 9. $10-$46 (plus fees).
* “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” smash Broadway musical love story is based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11. $31.50-$56.50 (plus fees).
* Kyle Cease Charity Comedy Special, Comedy Central regular is joined by Joe Nance and another guest for family-friendly show benefiting Ronald McDonald House, the Miracle League and other charities, 7 p.m. Jan. 13. $7-$10 (all seats $15 day of show).
VAUDEVILLE CAFE — 138 Market St. 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com. All shows feature Italian dinner plus audience-interactive comedy-mysteries. Prices vary; discounts on tickets bought by phone or online.
* Each Thursday in January: “Mystery at the TV Talk Show,” 7 p.m.
* Each Friday: “Mystery of Flight 138,” 8:30 p.m.
* Select Fridays (tonight and Jan. 21): “Mystery at the Nightmare Office Party,” 6 p.m.
* Each Saturday: “Mystery at the Nightmare Office Party,” 6 p.m., and “Mystery at the Redneck-Italian Wedding,” 8:30 p.m.
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 today.
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.
* “Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente,” Smithsonian traveling bilingual panel exhibit is tribute to life of the former Pittsburgh Pirates great, through Jan. 30. Free Family Day, 5-8 p.m. Jan. 28.
* “Black Diamond Days: Life in the Negro League,” exhibit on the history of the Negro baseball leagues includes panels, uniforms, signed memorabilia, newspaper clippings, artifacts and photographs, through Jan. 30.
CREATIVE ARTS GUILD — Dalton, Ga. 520 W. Waugh St. Friday and by appointment. 706-278-0168, www.creativeartsguild.org. “Small Works,” Gallery 111 exhibit, through today.
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.
HARRIS ART CENTER — 212 S. Wall St., Calhoun, Ga. Free admission. 706-629-2599, www.cgarts.org. Exhibit of works from Palette Art Guild, Monday-Jan. 21. Reception, 2-4 p.m. Jan. 9.
HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART — 10 Bluff View. $9.95 adults, $4.95 children. 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 today.
* “pARTnership,” exhibit pairs artists creating a single piece together, Saturday-Jan. 31. Opening reception, 5-8 p.m. Jan. 7.
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.
MARSH HOUSE MUSEUM — North Main Street in downtown LaFayette, Ga. See period furniture and other of-the-era artifacts during docent-guided tours, hear stories about Marsh-Warthen family and Walker County from 1840-1900. Contact: David P. Boyle, 706-272-2682. $5 adults, $1 children.
MCMINN COUNTY LIVING HERITAGE MUSEUM — 522 W. Madison Ave., Athens, Tenn.Admission: $5 adult, $3 student or senior adult. 423-745-0329, www.livingheritagemuseum.com.
MEDAL OF HONOR EXHIBIT — Northgate Mall, next to Piccadilly Cafeteria, 5000 Hixson Pike. The National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History, exhibit that examines exploits of America’s heroes through pictures, narratives, uniforms and artifacts from Revolutionary War through Iraqi Freedom. Free admission. 877-2525. www.mohm.org.
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,” through Jan. 8.
RIVER GALLERY — Bluff View Art District, 400 E. Second St. 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 today.
SHUPTRINE FINE ART GROUP — 2646 Broad St. 266-4453, www.ShuptrineFineArt Group.com. “A Vested Interest,” through today.
SIXTH CAVALRY MUSEUM — 2 Barnhardt Circle, on former parade field, a National Register of Historic Places site in Fort Oglethorpe. $3 adult, $2 child or senior adult. 706-861-2860. Display chronicles the “Fighting 6th” from 1861 to present day and features soldier’s life when Fort Oglethorpe was an active Army post (1902-1946). Patton M47 tank and Cobra gunship helicopter are featured exhibits. www.6thcavalrymuseum.com.