The Knoxville News-Sentinel from Knoxville, Tennessee • 53

0Nes Sentinel KnoxNeviwnxn LIVING LN YOUR HOME? 10 Off Carpet Cleaning $25 Off Air Duct Cleaning Ballou STLAMATIC 1 April 920N SGCnONDIlOK: Susan Alexander features edtor PHONE 865-342-6431 1 HU: 865-342-8630 HUL featuresknewsxom WE CAN HELP! Call mat 588-3332 Horace Smith as Xm left and Jasson Cring as Huck enact a scene from which opens Thursday at Clarence Brown Theatre runs through it Musical remake captures the highlights ofTwain classic me RIVES' Where: Clarence Brown Theatre When: Preview 8 pm Thursday April 13 Opening 8 pm Friday April 14 Regular evening performances 8 pm Saturday April 15 Tuesday-Saturday April 18-22 Wednesday-Satu rday 26-29 Matinees 2 pm Sunday April 23 and 30 Tickets: Preview $27 Opening $37 Regular performances $27 general admission $25 seniors $13 students $5 UT students Available at Tickets Unlimited outlets (865-656-4444) Clarence Brown Theatre box office (865-974-5161) was in rehearsal the week UT renewed an old controversy over an artistic representation of race yid slavery A tonghidden mural painted in the 1950s was briefly uncovered at the University Center The 28-foot-long mural depicts music traditions and includes what some feel are stereotypical depictions of blacks including a slave The mural was paneled over after bring -defaced in the 1970s A public discussion that accompanied last month's temporary uncovering of the painting refueled the controversy Some saw it as a harmless work of art others still view it as racist been a really fascinating interesting process waking on this Sams says feels surprisingly timely to our community with the unveiling of the mural at tiie University Center and the questions about it was right when we were starting rehearsals and we were talking about the nature of racism What does it mean to ask a young black person to play a slave on stage? And how do we portray an era in which black people were treated with no respect and yet show respect and support to our co-artists on stage? feel like I've learned a lot come to appreciate the experiences of other human beings in a way I been able to appreciate them Doug Mason may be reached at 865-342- 644L BYDOUGMASON Big Musical time at the University of Tennessee's Clarence Brown Theatre Which this season means a trip down the Big Muddy While the musical match the scope of the book director Casey Sams says songwriter Miller and playwright William Hauptman chose the right highlights when transferring the story to the musical stage you read the book in a while going to feel like most of the book is on the Sams says bade and read the book and youte going to realize they left out huge amounts But most of the important scenes that live in your mind make it onto the UT students make up the majority of the cast and production crew including freshman Jasson Cring as Huck However the role of Jim went to guest artist Horace Smith III a New York-based actor with a Knoxville past The Memphis-born Smith lived in Knoxville during the He was active in the local theater scene performing with the Tennessee 'Stage Company The Word Players and other groups He last performed in East Tfexmessee in 2003 when he appeared at Cumberland County Playhouse in the providScieniens with a nom de plum riverboat terminology for the water" matt The nation's longest and most storied river also demands enough presence in 1885 book "The Adventures of Huckleberry to be considered one of the chief characters with Huck and Jim of what many consider to be the greatest American novel A hundred years later the Mighty Mississippi got top billing when TSg a musical adaptation of made a big splash on Broadway Opening in the musical featuring 20 songs by Roger "King of the Miller was die winner of seven Thriv Awards including Best Musical This month winds its way along tite Clarence Brown Theatre stage The musical opens Thursday and runs through April 30l 1 novel skewers American attitudes particularly about race as it chronicles the journey of a ragamuffin boy Huck Finn and an escaped slave Jim on a episodic journey to deliver Jim to freedom family musical and a one-man show about singei actor and activist Paul Robeson has just been im incredible gift for says Sams an acton Horace never ever ever once loses trad: of personal Jim runs away after learning that he is to be sold separating him from his wife and children His plan is to navigate a raft thing I love about playing Jim is he's a strong says Smith who has played the role twice before doesn't have all the rights of being a human being He should have the opportunity to be a father to his children He should have the opportunity to be a husband to his wife Even though society says he even have ownership of himself Even though he is in some ways naive because he lives on the fringes of society He still never loses his Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has a history of being banned from school reading lists primarily becausd of its frequent use of the n-word Defenders of the novel point out that Twain presents a powerful argument against racism Jim is the only truly decent and wise person Huck Finn encounters in the noveL The white characters met by the two on their journey are a miserable lot scoundrels liars drunkards bullies hypocrites and fools BY DOUS MASON mwowtftiimMjCom YEAR OF THE MUSEUM: A SERIES One collectibles form the bulk of aviation museum exhibits ON KNOXNEWSXOM Look for other museums featured in the News Sentinel's 2006 series celebrating the Year of the Museum on the Life page of our Web site Coins and stamps fit compactly into slim little albums But when your hobby is collecting airplanes storage becomes a problem pretty quickly Neal collection of vintage military aircraft was spread all over a few in Knoxville some more in TENNESSEE MUSEUM OF AVIATION When: Adjacent to Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville Located two miles from downtown Sevierville Go north on US Highway 411 toward Newport turn right on Air MusoimWay Hom 10 am-6 pm Mondays-Saturdays 1-6 pm Sundays Open year-round Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Admission: $1275 general $975 seniors $675 ages 6-12 bents: Warbird Weekend 06 Sept 23-24 information: 865-908-0171 866-286-8738 (toll-free) wwwtnairmuseumorg are about four inductees a year The Flying Spirit Gift Gallery often a large selection of aviation books art gifts and souvenirs Since most of the aircraft on display are flyahle the museum is located next to the runway of the Gatlinbuig-Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville Melton owns about a dozen of the aircraft The rest belong to other collectors Some planes are there for short stays others for long terms Visitors are apt to see most any of the planes in flight Melton a retired Regal Cinemas Gatlinburg one in California another in Illinois founcledthe Tennessee Museum of Aviation The museum which opened four years ago offers aircraft from the World War through Vietnam eras Related items on display include military uniforms service medals (including Gen Jimmy Medal of Honor) and wartime memorabilia There is also a Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame honoring folks with state ties for their contributions to aviation history or its industry Melton says there Military aircraft are parked Sevierville TENNESSEE MUSEUM OF AVIATION in the hangar at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in See MUSEUM on E7 Inside: People and Parties E2 Books E6 Milestones E8 Announcements E10 Advice Ell Puzzles Ell 1 'l.