THEATER
BACK ALLEY PRODUCTIONS – Mars Theatre, 117 N. Chattanooga St., LaFayette, Ga. 706-621-2870, www.backalleyproductions.org. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16-17, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 18. $10-$15.
CHATTANOOGA THEATRE CENTRE – 400 River St. 423-267-8534, www.theatrecentre.com.
* “Miracle on 34th Street,” Mainstage musical, 7 p.m. Dec. 15 (with closed captioning for hard-of-hearing patrons), 8 p.m. Dec. 16 (Girls Night Out and Ghost Light talk back), 2:30 and 8 p.m. Dec. 17, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 18, 7 p.m. Dec. 20 (with ticketed Kringle Mingle holiday buffet before show), 7 p.m. Dec. 21-22. $14-$30.
CLOSED DOOR ENTERTAINMENT – Phoenix Theatre, 3708 Ringgold Road. www.cdoorent.com. Snow Queens & Santa: A Winter Tea, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Dec. 17. $16.50.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY PLAYHOUSE – 221 Tennessee Ave., Crossville, Tenn. 931-484-5000, www.ccplayhouse.com.
* “A Christmas Story,” through Dec. 18. $14-$27.
* “Sanders Family Christmas,” through Dec. 22. $12-$25.
DALTON LITTLE THEATRE – 210 N. Pentz St., Dalton, Ga. 706-226-6618, www.daltonlittletheatre.com. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 6 p.m. Dec. 16-17. $5-$15.
DANCE PERFORMANCE
CHATTANOOGA DANCE THEATRE – 5151 Austin Road, Suite 1, Hixson. 423-760-8808, www.chattanoogadancetheatre.com. Third annual “Nooga Nutcracker,” a modern twist on the traditional ballet, 7 p.m. Dec. 17, 2 p.m. Dec. 18.
FILM EVENTS
CINEMATICS – Edney Innovation Center (fifth floor), 1100 Market St. “Generation Startup,” about the work involved for six recent college grads launching startups in Detroit, 6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 15. Free drinks from Bitter Alibi. Free.
FATHOM EVENTS – Hamilton Place 8, 2000 Hamilton Place Blvd.; East Ridge 18, 5080 South Terrace. www.fathomevents.com. Bolshoi Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” 12:55 p.m. Dec. 18.
GEM THEATRE – 114 N. Wall St., Calhoun, Ga. 706-625-3132, www.calhoungemtheatre.org. $5 each.
* Dec. 16: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” 7:30 p.m.
* Dec. 18: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 2 p.m.; “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 7:30 p.m.
HERITAGE HOUSE – 1428 Jenkins Road. 423-855-9474.
* The Backlot: A Place for Filmmakers, open house for all film/video groups, 6:30 p.m. every third Monday. Next guest: Terry Benedict, producer of “Hacksaw Ridge,” 6:15-9:30 p.m. Dec. 19.
* “Babes in Toyland,” starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, in Classic Film Series, 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 15. Free admission and free popcorn.
EXHIBITS & EVENTS
ARTISAN DEPOT GALLERY – 204 E. Cumberland St., Cowan, Tenn. 931-308-4130, www.fcaguild.wordpress.com.
* Community art show, “Anything Goes,” through Dec. 24.
* Franklin County Arts Guild member show, through Dec. 24.
ATHENS ARTS CENTER – 320 N. White St., Athens, Tenn. 423-745-8781, www.athensartscouncil.org. “One World,” themed art competition and exhibit, through Jan. 6.
AVA GALLERY – Association for Visual Arts, 30 Frazier Ave. 423-265-4282, www.avarts.org.
* AVA Juried Members Exhibition, through Dec. 22.
* Photography by Boyd-Buchanan High School students in Landis Gallery, through Dec. 22.
BESSIE SMITH CULTURAL CENTER – 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. Admission fees. 423-266-8658, www.bessiesmithcc.org. “We Wear the Mask: Redefining a Double Consciousness” by Clifford Gordon, through Jan. 31.
CHATTANOOGA WORKSPACE – 302 W. Sixth St. 423-825-0592. Gallery Pop-Up Shop, with works under $100, through December.
DALTON FREIGHT DEPOT – 305 Depot St., Dalton, Ga. Bandy Heritage Center for Northwest Georgia’s “Dalton and the World: The Odyssey of Lenna Gertrude Judd,” through March. 706-581-8025.
EXUM GALLERY & MEMORIAL GARDEN – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 305 W. Seventh St. 423-266-8195, www.stpaulschatt.org. “Deck the Walls,” by 19 Mountain Art Guild artists, through Jan. 8.
FOODWORKS RESTAURANT – 205-C Manufacturers Road. 423-580-2270. “It’s Always Modern and Contemporary,” paintings and photographs by Civic Arts League, through April 20. 423-277-9464, 423-619-8959.
GALLERY 5 AT THE MACC – Mountain Arts Community Center, 809 Kentucky Ave., Signal Mountain. 423-886-1959, www.signalmacc.org. Paintings by Marcella Howard, through Dec. 15.
GALLERY AT BLACKWELL – Blackwell Automotive, 71 Eastgate Loop, Eastgate Mall. 423-344-5643, www.chattanoogaphoto.org. Photographic Society of Chattanooga winter show, “What Inspires Me,” through Jan. 27.
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS – 201 High St. 423-267-7176, www.thehoustonmuseum.com. Hang It on the Tree ornament-making session with Carolina Shrewsbury, with materials provided and any sort of salvaged treasure brought from home, noon-3 p.m. Dec. 17. $10.
HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART – 10 Bluff View. Admission fees. 423-267-0968, www.huntermuseum.org.
* “Animating the Still Life,” through December.
* “Verina Baxter,” sculptures and abstractions by the late local artist, through Jan. 22.
IN-TOWN GALLERY – 26A Frazier Ave. 423-267-9214, www.intowngallery.com. “Unbolted,” by Coyee Langston and Barbara Murnan, through Dec. 31.
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. Alvin C. York World War I exhibit, through Feb. 4.
MUSEUM CENTER AT FIVE POINTS – 200 E. Inman St., Cleveland, Tenn. Admission fees. 423-339-5745, www.museumcenter.org.
* “One River, Many Stories: Ocoee River History & Heritage,” through Dec. 17.
* “College Hill Heritage,” exploring history of College Hill High School, through March 25.
NANCY CANTRELL DENDER GALLERY – Etowah Arts Commission office, 700 Tennessee Ave., Etowah, Tenn. 423-263-7232. “My Community: My World,” photos by middle-school students documenting an Etowah summer, through Jan. 6.
REFLECTIONS GALLERY – 6922 Lee Highway.423-892-3072. Works by Cindy McCashin and Faye Wolfe, through December.
RIVER GALLERY – 400 E. Second St. 423-265-5033, ext. 5; www.river-gallery.com. New works by the Whipple family (Marty, Jim, John and Lynn), through Dec. 31.
TENN ARTS STUDIO – 1801 Rossville Ave., Suite 108. Wayne-O-Rama, yearlong installation of puppets and depictions of local people and places by Chattanooga native Wayne White, a four-time Emmy Award-winning artist. Free; donations welcome. www.wayne-o-rama.com.
THE ART CENTER – 420 W. Main St., Blue Ridge, Ga. 706-632-2144, www.blueridgearts.net.
* Fourth-quarter artist-in-residence Connie Gaertner, through Jan. 7.
* Holiday Show & Sale, through Jan. 3.
TOWNSEND ATELIER – The Arts Building, 301 E. 11th St. 423-266-2712, www.townsendatelier.com.
* “Circle,” show and sale of 200 pieces completed on 4-inch round pulp board coasters by students and instructors, through Dec. 31.
* Art Throwdown, live painting demo with Timur Akhriev and Mia Bergeron, 6-9 p.m. Dec. 19. Free.
UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY – 735 University Ave., Sewanee, Tenn. 931-598-1223, www.gallery.sewanee.edu. “Love Thy Neighbor,” quilts and drawings by Jessica Wohl that grapple with the nation’s polarization, through Jan. 27.