Ben Colar, Denzel Alexander, and Michael Butler Jr. at SmokeSlam
Two barbecue contests held at the same time in the same city.
Only in Memphis. Right?
Ryan Marsh and Elizabeth Sullivan at World Championship Barbecue Cooking ContestNick Black at World Championship Barbecue Cooking ContestJohn Montgomery and Carol Coletta at SmokeSlam
Fifty-seven teams participated in the inaugural SmokeSlam in Tom Lee Park, May 16th through 18th. And 16,697 people (not counting teams) attended, says Lindsay Stevens, public relations for SmokeSlam.“We were just overwhelmed with the positivity we had from so many people,” she says. “I don’t think we could have been happier with the outcome.”
Mia Townsend and Abby Neal at SmokeSlamColin Ross, John McArthur, Cannon Smith, and Clark Schifani at World Championship Barbecue Cooking ContestDudley Knowlton, Trenten McCarty, and Drew Ybos at SmokeSlam
The 46th edition of the Memphis in May (MIM) World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, held May 15th through May 18th in Liberty Park, also was a success, says Randy Blevins with MIM. He had no estimate yet about attendance, but a total of 129 competition cooking teams from 22 states and four foreign countries took part. “Yet again during the third weekend in May, the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest became the biggest backyard in Memphis right in the heart of the city at Liberty Park,” Blevins says.
Both competitions are slated to return to their same locations in 2025.
Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) has created and filled its newest role with a community leader dedicated to maintaining immaculate vibes and experiences on the riverfront.
The organization named John Best as its first “Maker of Culture” in early April. Best is a DJ who has performed at multiple park events, and is also the general manager of Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ 88.5FM and Cable 19 TV.
“The Maker of Culture (MC) will actively promote the values and mission of Memphis River Parks Partnership and work to create a fun, welcoming and safe environment for visitors to the Memphis riverfront,” the Partnership said in a statement.
Carol Coletta, president and CEO of MRPP said Best has performed in this capacity for “several years” and that it was time to make it official. She added that his work “provides a fun musical backdrop that helps us maintain a warm and inviting culture.
Jasmine Stokes, director of programming and engagement for MRPP, said Best knows the values of the Riverfront, and is an “amazing steward of promoting those values in a fun and effective way.
“He is representative of park values and what we’re trying to convey through music and having a fun time,” Stokes said. “We couldn’t just say ‘ Yeah, he’s the DJ of the Riverfront.’ We wanted it to feel more special and know that he’s more than just the DJ. He is the Maker of Culture.”
Best said before the music, before being a DJ, he’s for the community, and wants to see it grow. He said he reminds park-goers to pick up trash and to be stewards of the space, while also cultivating a fun and engaging environment.
“I have the same mindset from day one to day now: Let’s lift Memphis by bringing positive energy and positive events for the whole family to come to,” said Best.
Part of Best’s commitment to diversifying and boosting engagement in riverfront culture is by playing multiple genres of music for different age groups. He said his goal is to bring all cultures together, no matter race, creed, or religion. “We know that the park is open to all, so I must be able to cater to all,” Best said.
Best also plans to bring DJs specializing in different genres, such as Salsa and House. Best will train and coach the DJs on “park culture and crowd control.”
“The DJs will monitor activity at the Sunset Canopy, interact with park visitors to reinforce good neighbor behavior and sample multiple music genres each week,” the Partnership said in a statement. DJs will also present three-hour sets “during peak park hours” on Saturdays and Sundays through November 30th.
According to the Partnership, Best will also “provide an extra layer of park oversight” by providing the organization with feedback for “continuous improvement in operation.”
“I’m observing the crowd all the time,” Best said, “By me being on this platform, I have a nice view of what’s going on. When I make announcements about things that the park doesn’t allow, and creating commercials that play every 30 minutes to stress whatever the park is pushing, I’m pushing on the microphone. It’s not in an accusatory way.”
Stokes added that while it’s still in its draft stages, Best will help develop and maintain the Tom Lee Park Music Policy.
“Music is so powerful — so powerful — so we want to make sure it’s positive and family friendly,” Stokes said. “It doesn’t have to be Baby Shark all the time, but just making sure it’s not influencing negative behavior at the base level,” Stokes said.
While renovations for Tom Lee Park were underway, Carol Coletta, Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) CEO and president, knew that the project was worth remembering. It’s a story almost a century in the making, beginning with Tom Lee’s heroic act of saving 32 people from drowning in the Mississippi River in 1925. “Very few public assets or public parks are built with one person’s courage and display of generosity and humanity at its core,” she says.“We had this in mind every step of the way … the opportunity to bring that story to the forefront and put that at the center.” A film, it seemed, would best document MRPP’s efforts in continuing that story, so Coletta commissioned filmmaker Molly Wexler and her team at Last Bite Films to follow the four-year journey.
“We didn’t specify the story,” Coletta says. “We just said to Molly and her great crew to just document what’s going on here and talk to everyone, see what you see. And I think they really landed the story really neatly because in a lot of ways, they’re really telling a story about equity and at its heart that’s what the story of the making of this park is all about. We had this mantra of a riverfront for everyone. And not just for a few days a year, not just to be enjoyed by a few, but really a riverfront for everyone.”
Part of the beauty of a documentary, as opposed to, say, a book, is that individual voices come together, with each voice taking direct ownership of part of the story. It’s a story of many, not just one, Coletta says. “It just comes alive and I think it sticks in a way when you hear straight from people who’ve been involved, people who feel affected by it, seeing some of the images. It opens with a beautiful image of Tom Lee’s family and just to see them, just to hear from them, and how meaningful this was to them is a lovely part of the story. But it’s a piece of the equity story.”
The film, she continues, “has a real emotional center to it that is quite lovely, and so I think it will be a film that can be enjoyed by people who know nothing about Memphis and know nothing about this park. … I think of major projects that have been built in Memphis, and the histories teach us a lot about what it takes to build something ambitious. I’ve seen a lot of projects get built and I hope someone who’s going to build the next project can look at this film and say, ‘Let’s learn from this experience.’”
The 25-minute documentary, titled “A Riverfront for Everyone,” will premiere at the inaugural This Is Memphis event on Friday, February 16th, ahead of Tom Lee’s birthday on Sunday. For the premiere, MRPP will host a silent auction of fun, unique, Memphis-related experiences, and will serve generous bites and drinks throughout the evening. Cocktail attire is suggested. Purchase tickets here.
MRPP also plans to air and to screen “A Riverfront for Everyone” on WKNO and at film festivals at later dates.
Put the Big Ass park to good use. (Photo: Marcus Jones | Adobe Stock)
These days, the Flyer staff mostly produces the paper and its web content from home. We communicate on an app called Slack, which is like a never-ending group text. We can upload copy, share photos, and discuss web posts as they’re being edited and loaded onto memphisflyer.com. We can also use Slack for snark, gossip, jokes, emojis, opinions — and did I mention snark?
Sure, we have weekly in-person meetings when possible, just to make sure we’re all still breathing, but Slack is where the daily action is. Last week, Michael Donahue wrote a story for the paper about the seminal Memphis band, Big Ass Truck, which is still performing around town when the mood hits them. The band became a subject of a long, rollicking discussion on Slack, as Donahue reminisced about the first time he wrote about Big Ass Truck — which was in the early 1990s for the Commercial Appeal.
“It was the first time the word ‘ass’ appeared in the CA,” said Donahue, proudly. “I had to get permission to use it. I even wrote about that in my lede for the story.”
So there you have it, folks. Some Big Ass history. (Also, here’s a free business idea for some enterprising Memphis culinarian: Big Ass Food Truck. You’re welcome.)
Speaking of history, some recent Memphis events have reminded me of the story of Hiroo Onoda. Onoda (as at least three of you may recall) was a Japanese soldier who famously refused to surrender at the end of World War II. Instead, he retreated into the Philippine jungles and fought on until 1974, when his aging former commanding officer managed to get orders delivered to him, and Onoda surrendered.
Similarly, some Memphians seem determined to keep on fighting long after a war is over — the war, in this case, being the one to preserve Tom Lee Park as a flat, barren field designed for partying, cooking pigs, and having a big-ass music fest two weekends a year for Memphis in May (MIM). In their eyes, that park has been maliciously redesigned by the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) as a human-friendly area with trees, grass, wildflowers, playgrounds, basketball courts, walking and biking trails, picnic areas, water features, shaded seating with river views … and did I mention trees?
Some supporters of MIM have retreated into the jungles of the internet, where they lob insults and threats at MRPP and its leader, Carol Coletta, refusing to surrender, refusing to accept reality — or truce papers.
In response to its ongoing conflict with MRPP, Memphis in May announced that it is putting the Beale Street Music Festival “on pause” for 2024. The group had previously announced that it was moving the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest to Tiger Lane near the Liberty Bowl. And that was that. For a minute or so.
But there’s another group in town that makes Memphis in May seem, well, flexible. It’s called Friends for Our Riverfront (FfOR), and it claims to represent the wishes of the city’s founders as decreed in — get this — 1828. As “heirs” of those fine gentlemanly white landowners, the FfOR Ffolks have filed a legal motion to stop the ongoing construction of the new Memphis Art Museum on the bluff at Union Avenue and Front Street. They say the city’s founders wanted the bluff preserved for “public use,” which apparently doesn’t include a world-class art museum that will be free to the, er, public. For, you know, use.
It’s well past time to move on from this petty silliness. The museum is going to be built, and those opposed to it need to get over it. The park is already built, like, completed. Those opposed to it (the Tom Lee Flat Earth Society?) need to come down out of the jungle and move on.
Time waits for no man. In fact, within about 30 seconds of MIM announcing it wouldn’t hold a music fest next year, MRPP announced a deal with the Mempho Music Festival folks to put on a 2024 festival in, yes, the brand spanking new Tom Lee Park. Will it be just like the old music fest? Probably not. Can it be as good or better? We’ll find out, won’t we? At the least, it’s a better plan than everybody throwing a Big Ass hissy fit.
Posted to Facebook by Memphis In May International Festival
Memphis on the internet.
Fest-troversy
“With a heavy heart, we share the news of the Beale Street Music Festival’s hiatus in 2024,” Memphis in May International Festival (MIM) said in a Facebook post last Thursday.
MIM attributed the move to “soaring expenses and a decline in attendance” and laid much of the blame on the redesign of Tom Lee Park by the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP).
The news baffled many. Cancel it altogether? Not just move it?
Posted to Instagram by Mempho Music Festival
Clarity came last Friday when MRPP and Forward Momentum, the organizers of the Mempho Music Festival, announced a new, three-day music festival to be held in the park next year. Press releases about the move went to reporters’ inboxes, but those involved kept the news quiet on their socials.
Posted to Facebook by Tiffany Harmon
The news warmed up the MEMernet, however. Opinions and speculation flew and some dank memes (like the one above) were born.
A new three-day music festival will head to Tom Lee Park in May, organized by the producers of the Mempho Music Festival.
Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) announced the news Friday afternoon. It came after Memphis in May announced Thursday it would pause its signature three-day music festival, Beale Street Music Festival, for 2024.
The new festival is a partnership between MRPP, Mempho, and a group called Forward Momentum. It is “a group of prominent Memphians focused on the betterment of our city and our music and tourism industries.” It claims its “mission is to ignite the power of live music, creating extraordinary experiences that resonate with the souls of music lovers.”
Carol Coletta, president and CEO of MRPP, said Forward Momentum was “a great fit for a signature music event in Memphis,” given its “successful track record and deep financial strength.”
“Music is in our blood, deeply connected to our Memphis community, and we aim to continue this rich legacy and history by introducing a feature destination event, with major acts and broad appeal, that will keep visitors coming back year after year,” said Jeff Bransford of Forward Momentum.
MRPP explained in a news release that Tom Lee Park is designed to host big music events as a park. The new, unnamed music festival will “dramatically reduce the number of days the park is closed to the public. The agreement states it will be closed no more than 13 days, which compares to the 36 days the park was closed this year.”
“Having Forward Momentum step up to claim that critical May weekend is more confirmation that our investment in Memphis’ riverfront has created a year-round attraction for tourists and locals alike,” said Memphis mayor-elect and Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Young.
Details of the event are expected to be announced soon.
Beale Street Music Festival (Courtesy Memphis in May)
Beale Street Music Festival will not take place next year, and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest will be held at Liberty Park, organizers said in a statement Thursday.
Memphis In May International Festival (MIM) said Music Fest will be “paused” for 2024, leaving an unknown path forward for years after that. MIM said it plans to “explore all options to present an event in the future that meets the standards and authenticity expected of the brand.”
The decision came after 2023 attendance ”suffered a significant decline.” Its recent annual report said Music Fest attendance hit a 30-year low this year. But MIM president and CEO Jim Holt once again laid part of the blame for the situation at the feet of Memphis River Park Partnership (MRPP) and its $63 million renovation of Tom Lee Park.
“Obviously, Memphis in May has built a very authentic brand beginning with the name and location of the music festival,” Holt said. “With a pending lawsuit and the event now un-welcomed in the new Tom Lee Park, future Beale Street Music Festivals will face fundamental challenges.”
Last month, MRPP sued MIM to recoup $675,000, which the group said it was owed to repair the park after this May’s events.
“We have proudly presented the Beale Street Music Festival as a world-class entertainment event for nearly half a century,” MIM board chair Al Gossett said in a statement. “Our board’s decision is to not disappoint or underdeliver against the high standards and expectations of fans and supporters of this city’s largest annual event and signature music festival.”
Barbecue will be held May 15th-18th in Liberty Park, which has hosted the event twice in the past.
The Great American River Run will be held Downtown on May 25th, 2024.
The Memphis opinion machine cranked up Tuesday with some blaming Memphis in May’s record losses on the Tom Lee Park redesign and others calling the Beale Street Music Festival lineup “garbage,” “out of touch,” and “ass as fuck.”
News dropped late Tuesday (well, after Flyer working hours, anyway) of a 30-year-record-low crowd at Memphis in May (MIM) this year resulting in a record-low financial loss of $3.48 million.
In its annual report, MIM blamed much of this on the redesigned Tom Lee Park. The $63 million renovation was mostly complete by the time the festival geared back up for a return to the park this year.
Credit: Memphis in MayCredit: Memphis in May
That design was tailor-made for MIM, created under a mediation agreement ordered by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. That means MIM’s instructions drove many of the details of the redesign.
This still did not stop festival organizers from saying the “the return to Tom Lee Park was marred by difficulties including: obtaining a lease with the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP), problems with access to the park, restrictive use of essential park features, designs not meeting agreed-upon specifications, and a park with 40 percent less useable space.”
Jerred Price, a candidate for Memphis City Council this year and moderator of a Facebook page called Save the River Parks & the Festivals, laid the blame on MRPP, and especially its CEO Carol Coletta.
“The Tom Lee Park excessive redesign is hurting our festivals which create hundreds of millions in tourism dollars, business for our local small businesses, and our economy,” Price said in a post Tuesday. “MRPP violated the terms of their mediation agreement terms.
“Something must be done. Memphis River Parks Partnership needs to be held accountable. Lose the festivals, lose hundreds of millions in economic impact.”
Among the post’s 10 comments, many urged a lawsuit against MRPP.
“Time to sue the shizzle out of MRPP and Coletta,” said Ann Bridgman. “Every vendor, every employee, and every single business that took a hit Downtown this year and for years to come.
Bridgman said she walks in the park nearly every day and is underwhelmed with the money spent on the new design. She said it had no water features and wondered where were the “lasers and dancing lights.”
But MIM shared the blame when it came to low attendance at Beale Street Music Festival. There, it also listed “astronomically elevated talent costs, plus ticket sales competition from big-name artists’ concerts in the Memphis area during late first and early second quarters of this year.”
Here, Memphis Reddit users stepped in with unfiltered opinions on a post by u/mothman26, which linked to a WMCTV story on the MIM news.
“Lineup was overall subpar,” wrote u/AcanthopterygiiNo603. “Headliners were weak.
“Also, I am a lifelong hip hop fan, but acts like Finesse2tymes clearly promoting violence should be passed over. The whole scene was uncomfortable and with the crime epidemic, promoters need to be more aware of who they are choosing.”
u/Sacrolargo agreed with MIM officials that other shows in other markets likely drew attendance from Music Fest. u/Sacrolargo said Shaky Knees Music Festival was in Atlanta that weekend. U/mothman26 pointed out that Taylor Swift also played Nashville that weekend.
Some, though, said MIM officials were “out of touch” when planning its music lineup and suggested getting outside help to plan its next year.
Others, however, were happy to offer unvarnished criticism.
“Lineup was garbage, not sure it needs to be any more complicated than that,” wrote u/Typical_Control_1175.
“The line up was ass as fuck,” wrote u/Black_n_Neon.
Photo: Jarvis Boyland, Expectations, 2019, Collection of a Friend of the Brooks. Jarvis Boyland.
As the temperatures are cooling down, the Memphis arts scene is heating up — with exhibitions, performances, and unique experiences. See for yourself in our Fall Arts Guide.
Calida Rawles, United States, b. 1976, Thy Name We Praise, 2023. (Photo: Courtesy Terra Foundation for American Art and Spelman College Museum of Fine Art)
“Black American Portraits” at the Brooks
In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, the general public was flooded with images of Black pain and suffering. From news stations to social media feeds, these images, proliferated by modern technology, were and are instantaneous with nothing, really, to prevent them from surfacing on our screens.
To counteract this, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) curated the “Black American Portraits” exhibition, filled with portraits celebrating and depicting Black joy, power, and love. And now the exhibit has made its way to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
As a majority-Black city, Memphis needs this, says Brooks executive director Zoe Kahr. “It’s so important to see every Memphian reflected back in the museum.”
Though this exhibition originated in Los Angeles, the Brooks has included additional pieces to lend the experience a Memphis touch. An Augusta Savage sculpture is on loan from the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, and works by Jarvis Boyland, Derek Fordjour, Catherine Elizabeth Patton, Jared Small, Ernest Withers, and the Hooks Brothers Photography Studio punctuate the gallery walls. “We wanted to highlight talent in Memphis and show it in a national context,” Kahr says.
With 129 pieces of art in total, the sheer number of works, encompassing a variety of media and spanning over 200 years in history, is in itself a feat. “One of the things that struck me about this show and taking it here is just this idea of abundance,” says Patricia Daigle, the Brooks’ curator of modern and contemporary art. “So there’s this idea about being prolific, and the impact of what it means to see this many portraits of Black people in one space.”
“Black American Portraits” is on display through January 7th. For more information about the exhibition and its related programming, visit brooksmuseum.org.
In his artist statement, Theaster Gates writes, “This is my small contribution to the possibility of healing.” (Photo: Patrick Coleman)
Tom Lee Park Activates the Community Through Creativity
In 1925, Tom Lee rescued 32 passengers from the numbing waters of the Mississippi River. The steamer they were on had capsized, and the Black river worker, passing by in his small wooden skiff, soon became their hero, even though he couldn’t swim. Today, his bravery is largely forgotten, but with the recently completed renovation of Tom Lee Park, named in his honor in 1954, the folks with Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) are hoping to change that and to inspire Memphis to channel his spirit of community, heroism, and selflessness.
For the renovation, MRPP commissioned Chicago-based and world-renowned artist Theaster Gates to create an art installation, complementing David Alan Clark’s Tom Lee Memorial, which depicts Lee in a moment of heroism. Gates’ A Monument to Listening overlooks this original sculpture and features 33 “thrones,” representing those Lee saved in 1925 and Lee himself.
All the thrones are made out of the same basalt stone, are the same height, and are marked with imperfections — all except for one that’s taller and “is perfect in a sense. That’s the one that represents Tom Lee,” says Michalyn Easter-Thomas, MRPP director of education initiatives and strategic partnerships. The idea is that all who sit upon the thrones are made equal and are (almost literally) given an equal platform from which to listen and to be listened to.
To enrich visitors’ experience with the sculpture, MRPP has enlisted three organizations to curate activations: UrbanArt Commission, the Orpheum Theatre, and The Big We Foundation, a collective of local Black artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs. These activations are expected to be unique experiences that will evoke emotions, challenge perceptions, celebrate creativity, and foster dialogue.
So far, activations have included an American sign language class with UrbanArts Commission and an open meeting with The Big We Foundation. More activations will be held through the end of the year, and next year, a new cohort of curators — this time creative individuals — will build upon the work of the current group. “And ‘creative’ doesn’t necessarily have to be the arts,” adds Easter-Thomas. “We’ve searched out folks in the food scene, in architecture, in philanthropy. It’s really about how you envision connecting Memphis to the Tom Lee story — how can we ensure that everybody knows this story?”
Keep up with the activations surrounding A Monument to Listening at Tom Lee Park on MRPP’s social media and at tomleepark.org.
Cremaine Booker (Photo: Courtesy Iris Collective)
Iris Collective Introduces Its Small Business Series
When Iris Collective rebranded from being the Iris Orchestra in 2022, the group began to think of itself not as a concertizing organization, but as a “community music organization that does concerts,” says Iris’ executive director Rebecca Arendt. “The idea is that everything we’re doing is with community rather than for community.”
Over the years, Iris has mentored hundreds of high school and middle school students in Memphis and Shelby County, regularly visited patients at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and worked with memory care and nursing home patients at retirement homes — just to name a few examples of the collective’s commitment to community.
For the 2023-2024 season, Iris will be debuting its new Small Business Series, through which they will partner with three small businesses to highlight the intersection of entrepreneurship and the arts. “It’s a fun and nontraditional way for people to engage in music and dialogue around things that are important to them,” Arendt says.
The first performance of this series will take place in December at the soon-to-be-opened Cafe Noir, Jasmine Settles’ bookstore that specializes in highlighting BIPOC and LGBTQ authors. Cremaine Booker, aka ThatCelloGuy, principal cello for Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra and Jackson Symphony Orchestra, will perform and will work “with an author of Cafe Noir’s choosing to put together a program that talks about being an artist from an underrepresented community.”
The following performances in this series will take place at Music Box in January and ARCHd in March. “As you know, these are all very small environment venues,” Arendt says, “and so you can get up close and personal. Not only will you get to hear great music, but you’ll be able to talk back and forth, express ideas, and use it as a chance to see how arts can make our community better. … The Small Business Series speaks to where we want to be, where we want to have that shared artistic experience, and we feel that one of the best ways to do that are small environments where people can come together with a shared interest.”
Cremaine Booker performs on Friday, December 8, 5:30 p.m., at Cafe Noir. Tickets are $20. For more information on Iris Collective and its upcoming season, visit iriscollective.org.
Chiffon Thomas, A mother who had no mother, 2018, is on display at Clough-Hanson Gallery. (Photo: Clifton Thomas)
ON DISPLAY
“Hued” Rachelle Thiewes’ jewelry empowers its wearer through rhythmic repetition, architectural forms, and vibrant auto paint. Metal Museum, through January 28
“Overstuffed” This exhibition features mixed media fiber artists Sharon Havelka and Paula Kovarik. Gallery talk on October 14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ARTSmemphis, through December
“The Molasses Man & Other Delta Tales” The show serves as an anthology of stories based on Ahmad George’s life and experiences with people they’ve encountered here and not. Crosstown Arts, through January 21
“Young, Gifted and Black” This show champions an emerging generation of artists of African descent. One of the artists, Sadie Barnette, will give an artist talk on November 2 at 6 p.m. An artist panel will take place on November 14. Clough-Hanson Gallery at Rhodes College, through December 9
“Lens Language” Explore the depths of love from behind the lens of MadameFraankie and Kai Ross. Opening reception on October 7, 4-7 p.m. TONE, October 7-December 12
“Woven Arts of Africa” This comprehensive visual exhibition defines the major woven artistic styles and traditions derived from cultural/regional groups from all over Africa. Opening reception on October 7, 3-5 p.m. Art Museum University of Memphis, October 7-January 20
Kaylyn Webster, Light Showin July, 2023; Oil on canvas; Courtesy of the artist.
“Commune” Memphis artist Kaylyn Webster’s paintings capture, with quiet honesty, the divine aspects of communing with those we love. Artist’s reception on October 26, 2-3 p.m. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, October 8-January 7
Zaire Love Zaire Love’s films and photography honor, amplify, and immortalize the stories and voices of the Black South. Artist’s reception on October 27, 5-8 p.m. Beverly + Sam Ross Gallery at Christian Brothers University, October 16-December 10
“Black Artists in America: From Civil Rights to the Bicentennial” This exhibition considers the various ways in which Black American artists responded to and challenged the cultural, environmental, political, racial, and social issues of the era from the Civil Rights Movement to the Bicentennial. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, October 22-January 14
Beetlejuice, pictured (l-r) Britney Coleman (Barbara), Will Burton (Adam), Isabella Esler (Lydia) and Justin Collette (Beetlejuice). (Photo: Matthew Murphy)
ON STAGE
Shout-Out Shakespeare Series: The Tempest Tennessee Shakespeare Company performs the Bard’s final romance for this free outdoor series. The final two performances will be ticketed. Various locations, through October 29
Father Comes Homes From the Wars An explosively powerful drama about the mess of war, the cost of freedom, and the heartbreak of love. Hattiloo Theatre, through October 22
Variations on a Theme Opera Memphis presents a new series of intimate, curated evenings of vocal music in all its forms. Opera Memphis, October 7, November 11
Funny Girl The indomitable Fanny Brice becomes one of the most beloved performers in history. Orpheum Theatre, October 10-15
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Ballet Memphis reimagines the iconic Shakespearean play. Playhouse on the Square, October 13-15
Blithe Spirit A spiritualist, a crime writer, an ex-wife back from the dead — what more could you want from this farcical and outrageous play? Lohrey Theatre at Theatre Memphis, October 13-29
Moody Conducts Beethoven 5 The Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs this revolutionary work. Crosstown Theater, Friday, October 13, 6:30 p.m. Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, October 15, 2:30 p.m.
Underwater Bubble Show This show incorporates drama, pantomime, dance, puppetry, juggling, aerial arts, acrobatics, contortion, sand art, and imagery with the beauty of soap bubbles. Participants of all ages will delight in this colorful, magical utopia that merges science, light, and imagination. Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, October 26, 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Carmina Burana Opera Memphis and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra present a Halloween-inspired concert. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, October 28, 7:30 p.m.
Sons of Mystro Brothers Malcolm and Umoja interpret reggae classics, American pop songs, and their own creations, accompanied by a DJ and a drummer. Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, November 2, 7 p.m.
Silent Sky The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, who changed the public’s understanding of the heavens and Earth. Next Stage at Theatre Memphis, November 3-18
Schoolhouse Rock, Live! This show is based on the cherished animated series that taught generations of youth. The Circuit Playhouse, November 11-December 22
NutRemix New Ballet Ensemble presents an electrifying and innovative production set on Beale Street. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, November 17-19
Take the Soul Train to Christmas This holiday spectacle is a time machine through the evolution of the African-American Christmas experience. Hattiloo Theatre, November 17-December 17
The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Gale is whisked away by a powerful twister and finds herself in the mystical land of Oz. Playhouse on the Square, November 17-December 22
The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. (Photo: Joan Marcus)
SIX This new original musical about Henry VIII’s six wives is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over. Orpheum Theatre, November 21-26
Who’s Holiday See a whole new side of Cindy Lou Who. The Circuit Playhouse, November 24-December 22
Michael Flatley’sLord of the Dance A unique combination of high-energy Irish dancing, original music, storytelling, and sensuality. Orpheum Theatre, November 29
The Importance of Being Earnest Tennessee Shakespeare Company presents Oscar Wilde’s trivial comedy for serious people. Tabor Stage, November 30-December 17
A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge returns to the stage for this holiday tradition. Lohrey Theatre at Theatre Memphis, December 1-23
Magic of Memphis The Memphis Symphony Orchestra offers a beloved holiday tradition, complete with a collage of Memphis performing groups. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, December 2, 6:30 p.m.
The Nutcracker Ballet Memphis’ production promises to delight in both familiar and unexpected ways. Orpheum Theatre, December 9-17
Clara & the Nutcracker Tennessee Ballet Theater presents a charming rendition of the classic tale. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, December 10, 2 p.m.
The Nutcracker Ballet This production of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet features dancers from Center’s Esprit de Corps Dance Company. Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center, December 15-17
Christmas Fiesta at the Dixon returns for a third year. (Photo: Angel Ortez)
AROUND TOWN
First Wednesdays at the Brooks Every first Wednesday the Brooks will have incredible live music. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, first Wednesdays of the month, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Jazz in the Galleries: Saturday Series Every third Saturday of the month enjoy good jazz and great times in the galleries at the Brooks. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, third Saturdays of the month, noon-2 p.m.
Munch and Learn Every Wednesday during lunchtime, join the Dixon for presentations by local artists, scholars, and Dixon staff sharing on a variety of topics. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Wednesdays, noon-1 p.m.
Super Saturdays at the Brooks The first Saturday of every month, the Brooks will have free admission from 10 a.m.-noon and art-making. (PS: Every Saturday, admission is free from 10 a.m.-noon.) Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, first Saturdays of the month, 10 a.m.-noon
Free Family Day On the second Saturday of each month, the Stax Museum offers free admission for everyone. There will also be food trucks, games and activities, arts and crafts for children, bouncy houses, face painting, balloon artists, and live music. Stax Museum of American Soul Music, second Saturdays of the month, 1-5 p.m.
Art History Lecture The Brooks’ art history lectures series covers virtually every aspect of human history and experience, with new topics each week. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Fridays through October 27, 12:30-3 p.m.
Artwalk More than 40 local artists will be on hand selling a variety of handcrafted items at this year’s Artwalk. V&E Greenline, October 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Teen Arts Fest Young artists (ages 13-19) are invited to an informal social and networking event. Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, October 14, 2-5 p.m.
Repair Days Bring your metal items to the Metal Museum to have them restored to their former glory. Metal Museum, October 19-22
Family Fun Day The Metal Museum hosts a day of free hands-on activities, demonstrations, and kid-friendly games, plus free admission to the museum. Metal Museum, October 21, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
RiverArtsFest This two-day festival is a celebration of fine arts and fine local music with live artist demonstrations and hands-on art activities for all ages. Riverside Drive, October 21-22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Art on Fire Enjoy live music, tastings from local restaurants, drinks, an art sale, and a roaring bonfire. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, October 21, 7 p.m.
Indie Memphis Film Festival This festival presents a range of independent features, documentaries, and short films from all corners of the world. Various locations, October 24-29
Night at the Museum AMUM will have several interactive, kid-friendly programs inspired by the visual arts in the collections that will bring the museum to life. Art Museum University of Memphis, October 27, 5-8 p.m.
Día de los Muertos Festival & Parade The Brooks, along with the Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, invites you and your family to honor your ancestors and celebrate the cycle of life and death. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, October 28, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Collage’s Annual Gala This brunch is an enriching affair with performances by Collage’s world-class professional company and students from the Collage Dance Conservatory. FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park, October 29, 2 p.m.
ARTSmemphis Anniversary Celebration ARTSmemphis celebrates its 60th anniversary with a dynamic, lively, interactive, immersive, and spirited evening. The Kent, Thursday, November 9, 6:30 p.m.
Raised by Sound Fest This free event showcases local and regional talent, honoring Memphis music, new and old, across genres. Crosstown Concourse, December 12, 1-11 p.m.
¡Christmas Fiesta! Learn about the Christmas traditions of Latin America and the Caribbean with Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, Opera Memphis, and the Dixon. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, December 9, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Little Amal visits Folkestone, England. (Credit: The Walk Productions/Igor Emerich)
This Wednesday, Memphis is welcoming a very special 10-year-old Syrian refugee as she makes her way across the United States. Little Amal, as she is called, is a 12-foot-tall puppet, who has traveled over 6,000 miles to 15 countries since July 2021, searching for family and friends, as part of one of the world’s largest free public art engagements. And now, Amal is coming to Memphis for a parade around Downtown, stopping at the historic Clayborn Temple, the Orpheum Theatre, and Tom Lee Park, with Memphis youth joining along the way and carrying puppets made in their own image.
The goal of Amal’s journey is to spark conversations about who we are and where we come from, says Anasa Troutman, executive director of Historic Clayborn Temple, who organized Amal’s stint in Memphis. And to make her stay even more poignant, Troutman adds, “We brought in Jeghetto, a United States-based puppeteer, who also makes oversized puppets, and he is making a second puppet, so there’ll be the Syrian girl and a large-scale puppet of a little Black girl.”
Memphis Girl stands at eight feet tall and will join Amal in the parade, which kicks off at Clayborn Temple, where attendees will learn about the history of Clayborn Temple and walk around the I Am A Man Plaza. “Then they’ll proceed together with a whole bunch of kids from all over Memphis,” Troutman says. After Clayborn Temple, the parade will proceed to the Orpheum Theatre, chosen for its connection to storytelling, and students from the Refugee Empowerment Program will welcome her with personal messages.
Little Amal towers over the crowd in Manchester, England. (Credit: The Walk Productions)
For the final stop, the group will take the walking celebration to Tom Lee Park. “I would never have Amal come here and not take her to the river,” Troutman says. “The city is built on the river, the history of the city begins on that river. … Also because of all the work that’s been done there, it is the premier location of the city to be able to take people to experience that part of our culture and our infrastructure.”
At Tom Lee Park, Amal will receive a “Culture of Love” quilt as a parting gift. “Culture of Love,” Troutman says, has been the guiding theme for Amal’s stay in Memphis. In preparation for the big day, Clayborn Temple collaborated with a number of organizations — from BRIDGES USA, to Shelby County Schools, to Memphis Youth Arts Initiative — to facilitate workshops for kids to create the puppets that’ll be used in the parade.
“Our goal was to be able to reach 1,000 children,” Troutman says. “Instead of trying to go and recruit all these young people to our organization, it felt really juicy and exciting to go to places where children already were because we want to support organizations that are already supporting young people, and we want to become part of their community and have them become part of our community. So the message of our local work has amounted to building a culture of love. This project has really brought us closer to the Memphis community and I love that.”
Little Amal takes part in the Luminato Festival in Toronto. (Credit: The Walk Productions/Taku Kumabe)
In addition to love shared among community members, Troutman hopes to instill self-love into the individual youths participating. “We talk all the time about the future,” she says. “The young people of this city deserve an opportunity to become the possibility of the future. The story of Amal is that refugee children bring possibilities, not problems. We’re saying the same thing. In a time when there’s a lot of conversation about crime, about poverty, these children in Memphis bring possibilities, not problems. If they’re engaged in the creative process, it allows them to open their minds and imagine what their future could be, what the future of the city could be.”
She continues, “There’ll be 1,000 children from all over Memphis who are getting to make puppets in their own image to be able to say things like, ‘I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am the future, and I am going to show that by creating this puppet, that’s going to show everybody what who I am.’ That is a powerful exercise to be able to create something in your own image, to be able to then put it on display in such a public way is very empowering and very healing.”
Walk with Amal begins at 4 p.m., and all — those young and young at heart — are welcome to join in at any of the three stops. You can support this project by donating here.
