“Knoxville’s Grand Entertainment Palace” is becoming a courtly complex, as the city’s crown jewel for arts and culture expands over and up on Gay Street.
The Tennessee Theatre’s $24.6 million upgrade is creating what storyteller reporter Hayden Dunbar describes as a “campus” in the heart of downtown Knoxville that will make going to the venue a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for all.
Hayden recently sat down with business growth and development editor Ryan Wilusz to talk about the layout for this once-in-a-lifetime project and their favorite memories from shows, as well as how these venue upgrades could lift up Knoxville’s broader arts scene for generations to come.
Ryan Wilusz: When I first moved to Knoxville in 2018, the Sunsphere naturally was the first thing I noticed. But the Tennessee Theatre sign is up there with the most iconic city symbols. You moved here from Birmingham, which feels similar to Knoxville in some ways. How did your relationship with the Tennessee Theatre develop?
Hayden Dunbar: I’m so glad you said that. Birmingham has the Alabama Theater, which is where I saw my first concert ever. It has a very similar feel where it’s so fancy and a gem of the state. I ended up going to a lot of shows at the Bijou Theatre before I stepped foot into the Tennessee Theatre, but that made it really special. I was excited to finally go because I had heard so much about it. I’m laughing because I’m embarrassed to admit I saw someone controversial, but it was Morrissey. It was really fun and felt like a significant first show, and the crowd was so enthusiastic.
Ryan: We’ve spent time at the Tennessee Theatre and at the much smaller and grungier Pilot Light, which you recently wrote about for its 25th anniversary. What does it say about Knoxville’s music scene that venues on opposite ends of the spectrum are entering new chapters simultaneously?
Hayden: I think the scene has a lot of different ways for people to plug in. No matter who you are in Knoxville, there’s a show for you. One of the events I’ve seen at the Tennessee Theatre is “Carmen,” an opera. I never thought I would do that, but just the juxtaposition of that versus the Pilot Light − those are both things I love and appreciate for different reasons, and I can enjoy both here in Knoxville.
Ryan: There’s also a strong local network behind all this. Ashley Capps was a concert promoter and venue owner before stepping in to manage and help revitalize the theater. He’s also booking the venue for Big Ears, along with places like The Mill & Mine, which he was a partner in developing. He’s described the festival as “organic,” which feels like a good word for the scene as a whole.
Hayden: What’s your favorite show you have seen at the Tennessee Theatre?
Ryan: The stuff I’ve seen for Big Ears Festival belongs in its own bucket because it’s hard to view those individual shows without thinking about the whole scope of the weekend. If I did have to pick some favorites, both happened at the 2022 festival: Sparks and Moses Sumney. Other moments stand out, like the time Aziz Ansari decided on two random, last-moment Knoxville shows. The spontaneity made the performance extra memorable. And getting to photograph one of my all-time favorite bands, the Pixies, from front row was incredible.
Hayden: I just think the Tennessee Theatre is such an experience. When I went to see “Carmen,” I got dressed up, went to eat brunch before, got a glass of wine at the show. It makes you feel like you’re doing something really special and classy.
Ryan: And more people are about to experience the theater in new ways. In your interview with Executive Director Becky Hancock, you focused on how the expansion opens the door to more community connections. What stood out to you from that conversation?
Hayden: A multimillion-dollar project like this takes so much time and resources, but it’s an investment in − and by − the community. It’s important to acknowledge this is a space Knoxville has helped make happen and now gets to enjoy. It’s exciting the theater is going to be able to bring home some events that have been out in other places in the community, creating a really intentional space for them to use in what feels almost like a campus.
Ryan: You don’t have to be going to a concert to experience the Tennessee Theatre, and that’s about to be even more true. I imagine the Tennessee Theatre will maintain its relationship with the East Tennessee History Center, even with the theater’s “Dr. Broadway” sessions likely moving to the “612” space. It’s cool when you think about potential new opportunities and partnerships around programming. The expansion potentially can have exponential impacts down the road.
Hayden: And the theater gets to use its success now to help other organizations through a really neat component of inviting different nonprofits into their new spaces.
Ryan: Becky mentioned the theater has often had to hold receptions in its lobby because of limited space. Now, the theater can invite people in and give them access to some of these state-of-the-art amenities, which theater staff also will be enjoying for the first time. There’s a recording studio and rehearsal space, along with more opportunities for youth summer camps. As someone who grew up playing music, what do you see as the biggest benefit of more opportunities for young people?
Hayden: I grew up playing music at a young age, and that allows you to have a unique investment and ownership when you listen to music because you feel like it’s something you can do too. These camps focus more on the theater angle, but it’s similar in that kids are getting to take ownership of something and create a love for it that can last a lifetime.
Ryan: At the end of the day, it’s simple: Exposure matters now and in the future.
Hayden: That’s something Becky talked about a lot − creating a sense of longevity for a place. This expansion is to ensure the theater will last beyond all of our lifetimes, which makes it exciting to think about the next generation and the opportunities they’ll have growing up in Knoxville.