photograph courtesy germantown community theatre
The House
Germantown Community Theatre / June 25 – 28
Please welcome the winning play from the Germantown Community Theatre’s Emerging Local Playwrights competition, The House! Written by Savannah S. Miller, The House examines how one’s origins affect their sense of identity and belonging through two parallel stories. One, set in the 1940s, follows a woman who takes a leap of faith and leaves Puerto Rico to build a new life, and her husband, a well-intentioned yet oblivious white soldier from Florida. The other, set in the 1980s, introduces the woman and her husband’s children, two brothers who have fiercely differing opinions about what should be done with their family home. A meditation on Latinx identity in the United States, The House explores what it means to claim that identity — and also what it means to forge one’s own definition. You’ll only have this weekend to see The House; come support local theatre and grab your seats now!
Crosstown Arts Summer Art Exhibition Opening Reception
Crosstown Concourse / Friday, June 26, 6 p.m.
There’s always something new to explore at Crosstown Concourse, and this weekend, it’s a new art exhibition. Be among the first to see works by the three featured artists, Barbara Penn, George Edward Walker, and Romain Collin and Matthew Palmer. The exhibition will be on display through September 6, and small bites and a special “Summer Bell” cocktail will be featured at the reception.
Penn mixes collage, painting, drawings, text, and more to create intricately layered multi-media works that comment on the space between the personal and the political. Her featured exhibition, “Big Life, Long Life,” explores the relationship between the maternal and the culture. Including everything from clean, geometric shapes to looser, flowing forms and script, Penn’s work asks you to form associations between the elements of her pieces and consider the union of each element in new ways.
Walker’s exhibit, “A Snippet of God’s Unsung Children’s Journey,” draws inspiration from humans that truly embody the indomitable human spirit, humans that endured “dehumanizing and brutal treatment” yet persevered and survived regardless. An exploration of resilience, faith, dignity, and strength, Walker’s work proudly exists as an homage to both past and future expressions of resilience and the continuing determination for freedom.
Collin and Palmer, in their exhibit “Chromesthesia: A Piano Triptych,” combine visual and audial elements for an immersive artistic and musical experience. Collin, a Grammy-nominated pianist, will be showcasing some of his compositions from his piano trilogy DUST, LIVE, and AURA, while Palmer, a filmmaker, translates Collin’s music into a visual phenomena resembling synesthesia, or what colors, textures, and shapes come to life in association with music or sound.
Art Market
Belltower Coffee (Highland location) / Saturday, June 27, 9 a.m.
What’s a better Saturday morning combination than coffee and browsing art? Belltower Coffee is hosting an art market this Saturday, featuring a wide array of work from local artists and vendors. From pottery and paintings to oddities and crochet, there’s lots of exciting work to explore and talented artisans to meet. While you’re there, you can also grab a bite to eat or try out Belltower’s new summer menu!
Photograph by Ziggy Mack / outsmemphis
OUT Memphis hosts Queer Prom at Crosstown Concrouse on Saturday, June 28, 2025
Queer Prom
Crosstown Concourse / Saturday, June 27, 7 p.m.
For many high school students, prom is a milestone celebration: a chance to dress up and party the night away with friends before they graduate. However, some LGBTQ+ students never get the chance to represent their authentic selves at prom, and as such, have a prom experience that’s less fulfilling than they deserve. That’s where OUTMemphis comes in. This Saturday, join OUTMemphis at Crosstown Concourse for a Queer Prom, featuring dancing, drinks, DJs, and a vibrant space for LGBTQ+ individuals of all ages who want a prom that celebrates them. Whether you want to show out in a ballgown or sneakers, all forms of dress are welcome; the most important part is that you have fun and come as you are! Most importantly, ticket proceeds from the event will benefit OUTMemphis programs dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ youth across the Mid-South, which include housing, health services, youth support, community programs, and more. Purchase tickets here!
photograph by deneka peniston
The Baylor Project
Kirk Whalum and the Baylor Project
Crosstown Arts Green Room / Sunday, June 28, 6 p.m.
Saxophonist Kirk Whalum and jazz duo The Baylor Project are joining forces to bring you a jazz-filled evening, featuring influences of gospel, R&B, blues, and soul! The event is part of a series led by Whalum that features musical and spiritual collaborations with other jazz artists. This session’s featured artist, The Baylor Project, is an eight-time Grammy-nominated duo, Marcus and Jean Baylor, whose musical backgrounds as children of pastors first inspired their love for gospel, blues, and soul, and encouraged faith and community to be integral themes in their music.
From there, the pair has collaborated with multiple other accomplished jazz artists and have earned multiple Grammy nominations for their work. Whalum himself is also an acclaimed jazz player who, in addition to earning several nominations and awards for his work (including a Grammy), has featured as a session player for big names such as Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, and more. Whether it’s The Baylor Project’s dynamic style or Whalum’s powerful sound that pricks your ear, a rich catalogue of jazz awaits you this Sunday! Find tickets here.
