Patten Performances Start September 28

Our culturally diverse heritage is the theme of the Patten Performances 2003-2004, celebrating 24 years of music, dance and theatre at the Fine Arts Center on The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus.

Good Ol' Girls on Sunday, September 28, features an original revue of Southern female characters by Lee Smith and Jill McCorkle, with music by Matraca Berg and Marshall Chapman, performed by the North Carolina Theatre.

On Sunday, October 12, Sol y Canto of Central and South America will feature vocalists Rosi Amador and Katie Viqueira, and dance with Tango Rio from Argentina.

Stories and Songs of the Underground Railroad on Tuesday, October 28, with Kim and Reggie Harris, will feature a special appearance by the Chattanooga Choral Society for the Preservation of African American Song.

To commemorate the 140th anniversary of the Battle for Chattanooga, an evening of "In Thinking of America; Songs of the Civil War" on Saturday, November 22, by tenor Robert Trentham will culminate with a 19th Century Dance played by the authentically clad Saxton's Cornet Band.

Thanks to a grant from the Southern Arts Federation, a residency of an exciting modern dance company is coming from New York on Sunday, January 11. Ailey II will be directed by veteran Sylvia Waters for Alvin Ailey Dance Company.

Aquila Theatre Company of London will present Kipling's The Man Who Would be King Saturday, January 24 and Shakespeare's Othello on Sunday, January 25. The weekend will be made possible by Southern Arts Federation, Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Classical chamber music enthusiasts will enjoy the performance on Saturday, February 28, when Stradivarius violinist Janice Martin joins guitarist Lily Afshar and UTC piano virtuoso Sin-Hsing Tsai. Martin performed in last season’s opera premier Nosferatu. Afshar is appearing with support from Tennessee Arts Commission.

Montana Repertory Theatre Company closes the season Thursday, March 18, with the Tennessee Williams classic, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Learn more about the Patten Performances, or ask for a 2003-2004 Patten Performances brochure by calling (423) 425-4269.