Things going on in Cookeville (Memphis, Central: spring break, home, theater)

[JMT]

WARNING: This is a rather long post. Sorry about that! It's late and I'm still delirious after U.T.'s big win over Auburn heading to this Saturday's showdown with Memphis.

A few of the recent posts about people looking at moving to Cookeville have prompted me to look at what all is going on in that town. I've always told people that being in a college town has its advantages when it comes to finding stuff to do.

A sampling of cultural events in Cookeville this week:

THEATER

• Angels in America Part One, Backdoor Playhouse, now through March 1
• Beauty and the Beast rehearsals, Cookeville Children's Theatre
• An Experiment with an Air Pump, Drama Center Backstage (which does 14 different plays a year)
• Coming up: Cookeville Children's Theatre workshops during spring break culminating in a musical called I Need a Vacation. Sessions include creative dramatics, stage movement, dance, set construction, art, music, improvisation, theatre games, and more.

LIVE MUSIC

• Bryan Symphony Orchestra (ok this was last week), Mozart Symphony No. 39 and Grieg's Piano Concerto (they're performing Madame Butterfly in April)
• Brass Arts Quintet faculty recital
• Cumberland Quintet faculty recital
• TTU Symphony Band concert
• University Orchestra concert
• TTU Jazz Bands concert
• Mastersingers community chorus concert with the Mastersingers Jazz Ensemble, "A Night at the USO"
• Pops Night for Trumpet
• Flute and piano student recital
• Greasy Creek bluegrass concert, Silver Point Community Center
• Bluegrass concert at Hutton's General Store, Granville
• Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver concert, Cookeville Drama Center
• Oma's Roadhouse, country & southern rock
• Vinnie T's, open mic
• Veterans Building, Tennessee Outlaw Band

VISUAL ARTS

• Cookeville Children's Museum: Friday Art workshops and Saturday Science workshops
• Appalachian Center for Craft (on Center Hill Lake): Metals and wood exhibit, metals and jewelry exhibit, teapots exhibit
• The Art Gallery: local watercolor artists
• Art Store Cafe: folk art from the region
• Cookeville Drama Center: photography by the Cookeville Camera Club
• Co-operART Gallery: exhibit of mixed media. Fridays are open mic featuring local musicians, poets and film
• Cumberland Art Society Gallery: four artists featured from White County
• Joan Derryberry Art Gallery: exhibit of mechanical sculpture
• The Magical Muse: new exhibit featuring ceramic art and folk furniture
• Market on the Square: exhibit themed "Romance"
• Poet's on the Square: exhibit of visual artist Eric Buechel
• West Textures: original watercolors by Jim Gray, M. Knustler, G. Harvey, JP Strain, M. Grelle, and R. Chase
• Putnam County Main Library, "Passion for Bookmarks" exhibit

CLASSES

• Discussion on Abstracts, Cumberland Art Society
• Cards & Care, Cumberland Art Society
• Art classes at Cookeville Senior Citizens Center for those 50 and up
• Swing Dancing, every Tuesday and Thursday nights
• Progressive dance lessons, every Thursday

SPORTING EVENTS

• Tennessee Tech basketball, men and women
• Tennessee Tech baseball
• Tennessee Tech softball
• Tennessee Tech tennis, men and women
• Tennessee Tech golf, men and women

LECTURES ETC. (AND THEY'RE ALL FREE)

• Jeff Johnson (BET) presents workshop "Pulling Back the Sheets: Hip-hop and sexuality"
• Film series: "Jazz, America's Art Form" at the Volpe Library
• Seminar: "How to Start a Business" in TTU's Johnson Hall Auditorium
• Brown Bag Lunch Seminar: discussion of recent National Science Foundation grants to TTU
• Egyptian Dinner and "Introduction to the Orthodox Church"

MUSEUMS

• Cookeville History Museum: A visiting exhibit entitled “Living On” will be opening at the Cookeville History Museum on Thursday, March 13, at 7pm. The exhibit, designed by the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, tells the profound stories of some of the survivors and liberators who experienced the Holocaust of the 1940’s and are now living in the state of Tennessee. The Cookeville History Museum, in collaboration with Dr. Michael Birdwell of the Tennessee Tech History Department and the Holocaust Commission, will be home to this new traveling exhibit from March 13 until the end of May.
• Cookeville Depot Museum: Currently showing at the Depot Museum...
  *The Middle Tennessee Railroad HO Scale model train exhibit.
  *In the renovated L&N Caboose, the exhibit-"Working on the Railroad: The Right Tool for the Right Job."
  *"Rolling Wheels of Steel": This exhibit focuses on the locomotives owned and operated by the Tennessee Central Railroad from the earliest steam engines to the massive diesels in use when the Tennessee Central went out of business.

And I haven't even scratched the surface with all the various classes offered at the YMCA, Cookeville Leisure Services, and of course a plethora of private dance and fitness studios in town. Nor have I even touched the surface of all the free lectures, symposia and programs offered at the university to members of the community. Nor all the things going on at the 3 local high schools (plays, concerts, sporting events).

You can see why I consider Cookeville to be a jewel among Tennessee's many beautiful communities. And I wonder how many people who live in Cookeville even realize all the things available to them.

[Travelingal2]

Thanks for the list, JMT. There are a lot of wonderful things to do in Cookeville for people of all ages.

[Wordy]

Originally Posted by JMT

[*]Cookeville History Museum: A visiting exhibit entitled “Living On” will be opening at the Cookeville History Museum on Thursday, March 13, at 7pm. The exhibit, designed by the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, tells the profound stories of some of the survivors and liberators who experienced the Holocaust of the 1940’s and are now living in the state of Tennessee. The Cookeville History Museum, in collaboration with Dr. Michael Birdwell of the Tennessee Tech History Department and the Holocaust Commission, will be home to this new traveling exhibit from March 13 until the end of May.

And I haven't even scratched the surface with all the various classes offered at the YMCA, Cookeville Leisure Services, and of course a plethora of private dance and fitness studios in town. Nor have I even touched the surface of all the free lectures, symposia and programs offered at the university to members of the community. Nor all the things going on at the 3 local high schools (plays, concerts, sporting events).

You can see why I consider Cookeville to be a jewel among Tennessee's many beautiful communities. And I wonder how many people who live in Cookeville even realize all the things available to them.

Thanks, JMT! I've been to the Holocaust Museum in DC twice with my children and they have taken a special interest in that particular atrocity, so we will have to make time to visit this exhibit as well.

It's out of season for this particular recommendation, but every year Cookeville High School does a Veteran's Day concert. It is spectacular. They invite vets of all ages to attend and honor them during the ceremony. I can't even really talk about it without tearing up...those older guys (some in their late 70s and 80s) either in full dress uniform or a hat signifying their branch/type of service. Man. It's incredibly moving and definitely worth attending.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Wordy

Thanks, JMT! I've been to the Holocaust Museum in DC twice with my children and they have taken a special interest in that particular atrocity, so we will have to make time to visit this exhibit as well.

It's out of season for this particular recommendation, but every year Cookeville High School does a Veteran's Day concert. It is spectacular. They invite vets of all ages to attend and honor them during the ceremony. I can't even really talk about it without tearing up...those older guys (some in their late 70s and 80s) either in full dress uniform or a hat signifying their branch/type of service. Man. It's incredibly moving and definitely worth attending.

I'm glad you mentioned that, I would really like to go this year. I didn't go last year, and I remember hearing that it was a very moving performance. Thanks for the reminder.

[Wordy]

It was definitely worth attending. It's where I learned about the incredible story of Alex van Aalten, who was killed last year in Afghanistan. He was one of two CHS graduates killed in action last year. I have my children shake hands and talk with the older vets at the reception afterwards and I think they all benefit from that. I generally can't do it without getting teary-eyed (my dad served in WWII and Korea and was in the Army for 26 years), or I'd do it too!

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by JMT

CLASSES

• Progressive dance lessons, every Thursday

Is this dancing like a liberal?

(only kidding) Looks like there are a lot of things to do. I'm eagerly waiting the start of the outdoor events.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Is this dancing like a liberal?

(only kidding) Looks like there are a lot of things to do. I'm eagerly waiting the start of the outdoor events.

haha That's pretty funny! Yeah I guess calling it "progressive" dancing is more palatable to the conservatives among us. haha

I love the winter, but I agree with you, I'm almost ready for warmer weather and some outdoor activities.