Chattanooga Pulse

As the leaves begin to turn, local arts organizations are rolling out their fall line-ups. And the autumn art color looks to be spectacular this year.  Many new productions and exhibitions are in store, as well as a few returning favorites.

Get out the berets and shades for the Hunter Museum’s new “New York Cool: Painting and Sculpture from the NYU Art Collection.” This exhibition focuses on the “cool” art of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Many of the Post Modern-era innovations such as Pop Art and Minimalism are considered to have grown out of the “cool” period creations and ideas. Opens August 23, closes October 25.

Also at the Hunter this fall is Night Visions: The Art of Remington and Johnson. This exhibit focuses on the work of Frederic Remington and Frank Tenney Johnson. Feature paintings revolve around striking nocturnal scenes and explore the darkness of night in art. The exhibit opened in July and will close on September 13. www.huntermuseum.org

Chattanooga’s Association of Visual Arts is also hosting several exhibitions in the AVA Gallery, including the FRESH 2009 Emerging Artist Exhibit. This annual AVA exhibition is open to artists who have never had a solo showing and are not represented by a particular gallery. The exhibit opens September 8 and runs through October 23. www.avarts.org

The Arts and Education Council (AEC) is excited to start off their Independent Film Series fall season this Labor Day weekend at the Bijou Theatre. The series offers award-winning independent films that would otherwise not reach Chattanooga. AEC’s Back Row Film Series, a mix of film, musical performances, art, and more will be featuring Tableland: A Local Food Event on August 27 as well as Chief Bravehart on September 24. Don’t forget about Culture Fest 2009, which will be held on Sunday, September 27 at the First Tennessee Pavilion. www.artsedcouncil.org

The Chattanooga Symphony and Opera will have several performances this season in both the Master Works Series and the modern Pops Series. Master Works for September features Beethoven Violin Concerto with Alexandre da Costa, while in October. Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto #1 will feature Michael Chertock. It is back to Beethoven in November with Beethoven Symphony #7. The Pops Series will offer a vaudeville-themed show called Stay Tuned in September and a Halloween performance entitled “Boo-tacular”. For the month of December, the CSO Chorus appears for the “Home for the Holidays!” performances. www.chattanoogasymphony.org

For ballet fans, the fall season is focused on one particular composition. Ballet Tennessee will be performing the classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker this December. Showings will be December 4-6 at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall at the UTC Fine Arts Center. Auditions for the play will be held in September. www.ballettennessee.org.

The Chattanooga Ballet will also be performing its rendition of The Nutcracker from December 8-13 at the Tivoli Theatre. Auditions will be held in September. www.chattanoogaballet.net

Theatre lovers are not left out. The Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s season has something for everyone. On the MainStage, look for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast during the months of September and October, and starting November 27, that holiday favorite, A Christmas Carol. On the Circle Stage, Regrets Only premieres in November. They will also be performing David Sedaris’s Santaland Diaries starting December 12. The Youth Theatre is gearing up for several October showings of Holes, and will be presenting a child-friendly production of Madeline’s Christmas in December. www.theatrecentre.com

UTC celebrates 30 years of the Patten Performances series with one of the best series ever. Included are taiko drummers Nagata Shachu, the Classical Theatre of Harlem’s acclaimed version of Waiting for Godot, dance duo Urban Bush Women, contemporary ballet troupe Complexions, jazz The Holly Hofmann/Mike Wofford Quartet, The Acting Company’s Romeo & Juliet, and early-music group Red Priest. www.tickettracks.com

At the Memorial Auditorium, Frankie Beverly will be in concert on September 5. In November, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas will perform with special guest The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts for the Motown 50th Anniversary Celebration. Skillet: The Alive and Awake Tour will be in town on December 3. www.chattanoogaonstage.com

Chattanooga’s famed Tivoli Theatre will also be host to many concerts and productions this coming fall. Brigand Shorts 2009: International Film Festival will premiere the Chattanooga-filmed Thick as Thieves on August 29. In September, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella will take the stage for three days of performances, and on September 28, Vince Gill will be a part of the annual benefit “A Song for Children.”  Lisa Williams: Voices from the Other Side will play for one night on October 22, and In the Mood, a 1940’s musical spectacular will jive on October 27. On October 29, famed guitarist Joe Bonamassa will perform. And November will see the much-talked-about presentation of The Screwtape Letters, based on the novel by C.S. Lewis. Performances will be November 21-22. www.chattanoogaonstage.com