In Back to Methuselah George Bernard Shaw wrote “without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.” During periods of uncertainty the arts can provide a respite from the world around us and give us a new perspective.

At a time that stages around the world have gone dark, organizations are providing opportunities to continue to enjoy the arts online. We’ve compiled a list of places to enjoy everything from Shakespeare and Broadway to operas and museum exhibits.  We hope this brings a bit of the arts into your home and lifts your spirits.

Stay well and we’ll see you after our “intermission”.

Theatre:

The Globe Theatre presents Shakespeare Lives and Sonnet Project NYC

The National Theatre at Home presents free full length plays every Thursday

Hampstead Theatre at Home showcases a new performance each week

Broadway World Living Room Concert Series

Symphony and Opera

The Metropolitan Opera is showing nightly streams of performances

Boston Symphony Orchestra at Home

Seattle Symphony Orchestra

Museums

The National Gallery of Art

The Louvre

Barnes Foundation  

Literature

Levar Burton Reads

Storyline Online – children’s literature

Goodnight with Dolly

 

 

In the interest of keeping all of our loyal patrons informed, I am writing to update you on the impact to the Clayton Center for the Arts operation, schedule and events during the on-going Covid-19 outbreak.

After much deliberation with staff and Maryville College’s management team, and taking into account the recommendations of the CDC and local, state and federal government, we have decided to cancel or postpone all Clayton Center events through May 31.

This was not a decision made easily or lightly as it has enormous impact on the Center, as well as our various community partners, rental and event clients.  However, the safety and well-being of staff, volunteers, performers, patrons and visitors is of paramount importance and is always a significant factor in our decision making process.

The Choir of Man performance scheduled for April 3 has been postponed. We are working with their management to reschedule to a future date.  If you have tickets, hold onto them as they will be honored for the re-scheduled show. We will provide additional information once a new date is determined.

 The Southern Circuit Tour film “Little Miss Westie” has been cancelled. We will be contacting those who have purchased tickets regarding refunds.

 The Clayton Center art galleries, box office and administrative offices will also be closed to the public going forward until such time as we determine normal operations should resume.  Our staff will continue to work on future event planning during this time, and will be monitoring phone and email communications, responding as necessary.

We will formally announce the 10th Anniversary season line-up and send out information to our Subscribers and Patrons Circle members by early June, with links and information on each of next season’s performers.  Our goal is to have the season on sale to the pubic by the end of June.

As always, I want to convey my sincerest thanks to each of you for your patience and support in both good times and less good times.  We hope you and yours are, and will remain, safe and well until we can once again fulfill our mission to be be the “Gathering Place for the Expression and Appreciation of the Arts”.

 

Warmest regards,

Blake Smith

 

Welcome Summer with The Walin’ Jennys at the Clayton Center on June 13 at 7:30!

The Wailin’ Jennys are Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse three distinct voices that together make an achingly perfect vocal sound. Starting as a happy accident of solo singer/songwriters getting together for a one-time-only performance at a tiny guitar shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Wailin’ Jennys have grown over the years into one of today’s most beloved international folk acts. Founding members Moody and Mehta along with New York-based Masse continue to create some of the most exciting music on the folk-roots scene, stepping up their musical game with each critically lauded recording and thrilling audiences with their renowned live performances. Steeped in the artistry and elegance that has defined their career, the album presents the Jennys at their very best, highlighting their heartfelt vocals, otherworldly harmonies, and sophisticated arrangements. Fifteen was nominated for a Juno award in 2018 for
Traditional Roots album of the year.The Jennys will continue to tour their latest release through 2020, while also road testing new songs for an upcoming studio album.

” They named the record Fifteen in celebration of their 15 years together. Time hasn’t ravaged their voices at all. They still sound as angelic as ever.”  —Peter Lindblad,  Elmore Magazine

“… their approach on this latest LP — a set of covers — doesn’t sacrifice any of the considerate care that has always infused their siren-song harmonies. If anything, they’ve used the studio to capture the magic they radiate during their live shows.”   – Amanda Wicks, The Bluegrass Situation

On The Vertical

The Clayton Center is excited to present the second National Geographic Live speaker this season, Mark Synott.

Mark Synnott is a pioneering big wall climber and one of the most prolific adventurers of his generation.  Currently, he is working to break scientific ground, reaching incredibly inaccessible environments in search of rare species. 

Synott has traveled on nearly 30 expeditions to discover unclimbed and unexplored rock walls.  He has made legendary first ascents of some of the world’s tallest, most forbidding walls, from Baffin Island to Pakistan. In Auyuittuq National Park, Mark completed the first ski descent of the South Face of Mt. Odin via a 5,000-foot couloir.    

Synnott has been a contributor for both National Geographic Television and National Geographic magazine since 1998. He was the author of two feature articles in National Geographic magazine: “Impossible Rock,” a feature about exploratory rock climbing expedition to the Musandam Peninsula in Oman, and “Sins of the Aral,” a feature article about the disappearance of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan.

Synnott works with The North Face Research, Design, and Development team and lectures frequently on his life as a professional climber and explorer. He is a certified mountain guide and the owner and director of one of the premier guide services in the east—Synnott Mountain Guides. 

National Geographic Live is the live events division of National Geographic. With a broad roster of talent including renowned photographers, scientists, authors, filmmakers and adventurers, National Geographic Live’s critically acclaimed programs have connected with audiences worldwide for over a century. Currently, National Geographic Live events are held in a variety of cities around the world, including, Seattle, Tampa, Los Angeles, and Calgary. In each of these cities, speakers share behind-the-scenes stories from the front lines of exploration onstage alongside stunning imagery and gripping footage.

 At the Clayton Center, we will be celebrating the Holiday Season with Dallas String Quartet prior to Thanksgiving and Windham Hill Winter Solstice, Handel’s Messiah, and The Nutcracker in December. We love this time of year. Fall Concerts. Winter Concerts. Sounds of the Season and the tradition of The Nutcracker. This year, we close out Maryville College’s Bicentennial year with Handel’s Messiah. This is a popular concert as it is only performed every few years. This will be a special concert for one night only, so we recommend getting your tickets early.  The Appalachian Ballet will be back with the popular ballet, The Nutcracker. We hear there is new choreography, beautiful new costumes and so much more in what will be and exciting continuation of the Holiday Season. 

The Clayton Center will off the 35th Anniversary of Windham Hill’s Winter Solstice on December 11. Bringing the beautiful sounds of the season will be Will Ackerman, Barbara Higbie, Todd Boston and Mia Pixley.

We are offering Gift Certificates again this year so please consider the Gift of the Arts again this season. We have many exciting performances coming up in 2020 and look forward to seeing all of our friends here at the Clayton Center for the Arts, Celebrating the Arts with us.