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The Indie Memphis Film Festival returns with a weekend of cinematic magic.

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MOVIES The Indie Memphis Film Festival returns with a weekend of cinematic magic. PHOTO: COURTESY INDIE MEMPHIS

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MEMernet Memphis on the internet. THRILLER ON BEALE Creatures crawled on Beale Street in search of blood, as musical artist and entertainer LaShonté Pop recreated Michael LASHONTÉ POP VIA Jackson’s FACEBOOK “Thriller” dance video. Pop donned Jackson’s iconic red fit and was joined by dance crew “M Town Image.”

November 5-11, 2026

UNSEND Brent Taylor was the focus of Indivisible Memphis’ recent billboard. The @INDIVISIBLEMEMPHIS VIA sign said the INSTAGRAM state senator needed an “unsend button” and urged voters not to “send him to Congress.” The group later posted on Instagram, saying, “If we can’t trust him to keep it in his pants in Tennessee, what makes you think we can trust him to do that in Washington without the supervision of his wife?”

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RAP AFFIRMATIONS Turns out a little Memphis rap can do wonders for your self assurance. A TikTok user named “The Tooth Fairy” posted a video showing the @INDIVISIBLEMEMPHIS relationship VIA INSTAGRAM between confidence and the “amount of Memphis rap you listen to.” She began to dissect songs from Memphis rapper Big Boogie. “No one is more confident than a man from Memphis, and with a couple listens you too can siphon that energy and level up your confidence.”

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Questions, Answers + Attitude Edited by Kailynn Johnson

W E E K T H AT WA S By Flyer staff

Taylor’s Nudes, No Driving, & Marsha Youthful indiscretions, Dreamers denied licenses, and questionable Blackburn campaign gifts. BRENT TAYLOR PICTURES An article from The Nashville Scene said that state Sen. Brent Taylor sent nude photos to people who didn’t ask for them. Scene reporter Eli Motycka spoke with sources who claimed Taylor sent photos to them, with some being sent “as recently as 2021.” Taylor told the Scene these were “mistakes that have since been forgiven by his wife Kimberly” and wrote them off as “youthful indiscretions.” The state senator was 53 years old when the last PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS | GEORGE WALKER IV referenced photos were Senator Marsha Blackburn spoke at a campaign stop earlier this month in Clarksville, sent in 2021. Tennessee, rallying supporters for her gubernatorial campaign. Rep. Justin J. Pearson, Taylor’s Democratic opponent in the TN-9 Congressional race, said in a state(DACA), were children brought to the United States without ment, “Men of faith — let alone men who are married, in legal status, now protected from deportation. Tennessee retheir fifties, and in public office — have no business sending cently announced it would reject driver license applications unsolicited nude photos to women.” Pearson said it reflected from immigrants, despite being authorized to “work and “very disturbing behavior” and said Tennesseans deserved live in the United States” by the local government. DACA leaders “who respect women.” recipients are given work permits, which do not signify In a statement, Taylor said he was willing to “acknowl“permanent immigration” but do denote “authorized immiedge his past indiscretions,” and said the news was an gration status.” State officials confirmed that work permits indicator of who the “frontrunner” was a week before Eleccould no longer be used to obtain a Tennessee license. tion Day. “The frustrating part is that my wife now has to relive this nonsense we’ve already worked through years ago MARSHA BLACKBURN together and moved on from,” Taylor added. Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn Taylor said “Tennessee Niners” weren’t concerned with reportedly accepted $58,000 from Mitch Graves and five of his past, but with gas and grocery prices. his colleagues from the West Cancer Center at the beginning of her campaign. Graves also serves as the chairman of BALLOT PROBLEMS the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) board of directors. Tennessee voters complained that their voting machines did Lawyer Jeff Hagood, another member of the TVA board, donot reflect their choices during early voting. Voters said an nated $10,600 to Blackburn’s campaign. Hagood and Graves “incorrect name” would appear when touching the voting were among those nominated to the TVA board by Presiscreen, causing some to “push the correct button” several dent Donald Trump in 2025. At the time Blackburn and times to lock in their choice. fellow Sen. Bill Hagerty “applauded” the nominations before State Sen. Heidi Campbell spoke with election office asking their colleagues to confirm them. According to officials in Davidson County, adding that she didn’t think it records, Graves and other associates at West Cancer Center was “indicative of foul play.” State officials asked residents to donated to Blackburn’s campaign over eight days in October confirm their choices before submitting their votes. 2025. The donations were made prior to being confirmed to TVA’s board. Tennessee Lookout and The Institute for Public Service DRIVER’S LICENSE BLOCK Reporting Memphis contributed to this report. A new driver’s license policy is expected to affect apVisit the News Blog at memphisflyer.com for fuller versions proximately 6,000 “Dreamers” in Tennessee. Dreamers, the of these stories and more local news. beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

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CITY REPORTER By Kailynn Johnson

Celebrating Public Art

The UrbanArt Commission champions public sculpture with three installations.

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emphis residents will be able to experience more public art in their neighborhoods as the UrbanArt Commission (UAC) celebrates three new installations. Jesse Turner Park, Tillman Sculpture Park, and L.E. Brown Park are the homes of new art projects. The UAC said these projects reflect the importance of investing in public art. The installations also mark an opportunity for neighbors and visitors to see art in their communities. “These three projects demonstrate what is possible when artists, neighborhoods, and community partners work together to shape the spaces we share,” the UAC said. “Each tells a different story while celebrating local history.” Belinda Herrera, communications manager for the UAC, said the projects reflect intentionality from the city. City officials usually let the UAC know which areas they’d like to add art to. The sculpture at Jesse Turner Park, for example, celebrates the South Memphis community and Black culture. The park itself is named after Jesse H. Turner, a prominent figure in Memphis civil rights. Turner was the first Black chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. Artist Maxwell Emcays was charged with bringing to life a piece celebrating South Memphis and its surrounding community. The $98,925 project displays five pillars that encapsulate South Memphis culture and pride. The pillars represent leadership, faith, culture, place, and sports. The UAC said this design gives the community “direction and hope for the limitless beauty and potential of South Memphis.” The sculpture at the entry of the park depicts elements such as a choir singing, civil rights protests, athletes, and more. The community and UAC celebrated the project with a ribboncutting on Wednesday. Herrera said the sculpture is also meant for those outside of South Memphis. Though they may not be from that community, there may be a specific pillar or theme they can relate

to. “[Art] is meant to be intentional — think of all the walks of life that either have come to the community or will come to the community,” Herrera said. “That’s one of the main things that we do to make public art accessible.” Herrera said art is one of the best ways to keep people outside while also engaging with themselves and other community members. She said making public art accessible helps people relate to an idea or an emotion. “Sometimes it’s hard to relate to other people, but being able to relate to something that’s art — they get to interpret a story in their own ways.” Jesse Turner Park is one of three locations where the UAC celebrated public art installations.

PHOTO: URBANART COMMISSION

Art installation at Jesse Turner Park In Binghampton, the corner of Tillman Street and Princeton Avenue was transformed into “Tillman Sculpture Park.” The project there includes several artistic media such as sculpture, murals, and mosaics, and was led by Carpenter Art Garden. Artists included Jeanne SeagleGolden, Fletcher Golden, Suzy Hendrix, Myrna Treviño, Arelene Braddock, and the Carpenter Art Garden Teen Mural Apprenticeship Team. L.E. Brown Park’s “Reflections” sculpture creates an interactive experience for visitors. Artist Arnold Thompson used mirrored stainless steel, iridescent colors, and other media to encourage parkgoers to interact with art, each other, and their community. The UAC said youth participation was integral to this project. “Through creative collaboration and apprenticeship opportunities, young artists contribute to a public space that reflects their neighborhood while developing artistic skills and experience,” the UAC said.

Support the causes you care about and make your generosity — and financial resources — go further.

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ational Philanthropy Day is celebrated this year on November 15th, recognizing what a difference charitable giving, volunteering, and community involvement make in our lives and communities. Anyone can be a philanthropist, and thoughtful planning can help you make the most of the financial resources you can give. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of choosing a giving strategy that aligns with your financial situation, charitable goals, and plans for the future. Here are six strategies worth exploring. • When you want to support a cause you care about while providing for the people in your life, a charitable gift in your will or trust can help you do both. You might leave a specific dollar amount, securities, real estate, or a percentage of your estate to a qualified charitable organization. You can generally update your plans as life changes as long as you follow the applicable legal requirements. A gift in your will or trust allows you to create a lasting legacy without necessarily giving away assets during your lifetime. Depending on the arrangement, it may also offer estate or tax benefits. • One relatively simple way to make a future gift is to name a qualified charity as a beneficiary of an eligible retirement account, life insurance policy, or certain bank or investment accounts. In many cases, all it takes is completing a beneficiary designation form through your financial institution or plan provider. Review your choices periodically and coordinate them with your will or trust. You can also explore naming a charitable organization or donor-advised fund sponsoring organization as a beneficiary where permitted. • Retirement accounts can be an important part of your legacy plan, and they may offer a tax-efficient way to support charity. When retirement assets pass to individual beneficiaries, withdrawals may be subject to income tax. A qualified charity generally doesn’t pay income tax on retirement-account distributions it receives. That can make retirement assets worth considering for charitable gifts, particularly when you want to leave other types of assets to family members. The best approach depends on your account, beneficiaries, and estate plan. Talk with your financial and tax advi-

sors before making changes. • What if you could support a favorite charity and receive payments in return? A charitable gift annuity (CGA) may make that possible. With a CGA, you transfer assets to a qualified charitable organization in exchange for its promise to make fixed payments to you or another designated annuitant, typically for life. After the annuity payments end, the charity retains the remaining funds for its mission. Depending on your circumstances, a CGA may provide a charitable income tax deduction and other potential tax benefits. If you donate appreciated assets, some capital gains may be recognized over time, so the tax treatment isn’t the same for everyone. If you’re 70½ or older, for 2026, you may be able to use up to $55,000 from your IRA to fund a CGA through a special one-time election. There are specific rules about who qualifies and how the payments work, so check with your tax advisor. • If you own a business, charitable giving may be part of your broader financial and succession plan. Depending on the structure of your business, you may be able to donate eligible interests in a C corporation, limited partnership, or limited liability company to a qualified charity. In some circumstances, donating appreciated interests before a sale may help avoid capital gains tax that could arise if you sold the interests first and donated the proceeds. These gifts can be complex, so consult your financial, tax, and legal advisors well before a potential sale. • Looking for a simpler way to organize your charitable giving over time? A donor-advised fund (DAF) may be worth considering. A DAF is an account administered by a sponsoring charitable organization. You contribute assets to the fund, may qualify for a charitable tax deduction when the contribution is made, and then recommend grants to eligible charities over time. Potential advantages include simplified recordkeeping, flexibility in planning your gifts, and the ability to contribute certain appreciated assets. The tax treatment depends on the gift, your circumstances, and applicable rules. DAFs can often be funded with cash and publicly traded securities, and some organizations accept other types of assets. Acceptance policies and fees vary. Lindsey D. Rhea, CFP, is owner and wealth strategist at Alia Wealth Partners, connect@aliawealth.com.

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that Indie Memphis is back. There’s something for everybody at this festival, from rodeos to clowns to horror to drama to social justice. The community has been really rallying around us, and it’s been incredibly special to see how important this organization is to the film community, both filmmakers and audiences,” says Carr. More than 50 feature films and dozens of short films and music videos will screen at the Orpheum Theatre’s Halloran Centre and the Malco Powerhouse Cinema over the long weekend. Close to 100 filmmakers will be in attendance, both from Memphis and elsewhere. One of them is Sàngkofi Jones, whose first Indie Memphis was in 2019, when he earned his filmmaker badge by producing a music video which won a Hometowner Award. He’s excited to show his new work at this year’s festival. “One is a music video for one of my songs, ‘Lead to Steel,’ with Dame Mufasa and Ash León, which I directed. And then, Dame Smith’s short film, ‘Eyes of God,’ which I did the cinematography for. Yeah, technically I got two!” He says he is grateful for the return of Indie Memphis. “It’s exciting because this gives art an opportunity to continue to thrive once more. Especially in a city like Memphis. We have such great stories and such rich culture to share with the rest of the world. And just aside from the fact that this city has an amazing community, I think having this platform come back gives us an opportunity to show that, hey, not only can we have and facilitate great artists here, but we can also have a great enough platform for anybody across the world to come through.” George says that the festival has a great impact. “The city constantly talks about how the arts and culture is the most important thing for Memphis, and we need to capitalize on that. But we really need the city to understand how important a film festival like this is, you know, and the draw that it has. We have a distributor, Neon, coming to the festival. We have producers and over 50 filmmakers coming, and it could be the opportunity for a filmmaker or

The Indie Memphis Film Festival returns with a weekend of cinematic magic.

November 5-11, 2026

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very fall from 1998 to 2024, the Indie Memphis Film Festival brought a program of diverse and artistic independently made films to the Mid-South. In the mid-2010s, the arts nonprofit behind the festival regularly sold more than 10,000 festival tickets per year, screened films year-round, and ran artist-development programs like the Black Creators Forum. After the pandemic shut down moviegoing in 2020, Indie Memphis survived by partnering with the Sundance Film Festival, invading the drive-in, and pioneering a hybrid model of online and in-person screenings. But by 2024, the Covid relief money had run out, and film festivals everywhere were feeling the pinch. “The organization was no longer sustainable,” says Joseph Carr, who was Indie Memphis’ director of operations at the time. “We were doing way too much, and there were not enough sustainable practices in place to continue the programming that was happening. The Black Creators Forum was free. The youth program was free. And that was wonderful, but in the post-Covid fundraising world, it became impossible to continue to fundraise for all of these endless programs.” Then, in 2025, the bottom dropped out for nonprofits as arts grants were canceled nationwide.

Indie Memphis announced that there would be no 2025 festival and laid off its entire staff. The official line was this was a “pause” for retooling. “When I saw that it took a pause, and then realized nothing was happening after several months, the thought that we could not have a film festival in a city this size with as many creatives that were here, it really hurt,” says Alicia George. “I feel like Indie Memphis launched my career, and most of the people that I’m around feel that way, too.” George was in a unique position to help. She had deep ties to the independent film scene as a hair and makeup artist and producer, and a background in the nonprofit world. Unwilling to take “no” for an answer, she revamped the board of directors and wooed sponsors and donors to revive Indie Memphis. Now, the festival is on the verge of a comeback, with George and Carr as co-executive directors. The 2026 Indie Memphis Film Festival will take place November 5th to 8th, moving from its traditional home in Midtown to Downtown. “I kinda just wanna reiterate how happy we are

PHOTOS: COURTESY INDIE MEMPHIS Little Baby Tendencies’ “Stupid Game” (top) and Raneem Imam’s “All The Time” (bottom) screen in Hometowner Music Videos (Sunday, Nov. 8, 3:45 p.m., Malco Powerhouse).

producer to be like, ‘This would be a really cool place to shoot in.’ And, you know, we’re exposing them to the city and how great this community is, but we really need the city to see that and get behind us.”

you for the rest of your life.” Gray will go behind the scenes with the panel “Designing Obsession” at the Halloran Centre on Sunday, November 8th, at 11 a.m.

Festival Bound Brandon Harris’ first trip to Memphis was in 2012, when his film Red Legs screened at Indie Memphis. “I was just so galvanized by the audiences here,” he recalls. “I had a wonderful time.” He returned to Indie Memphis almost every year after that, first as a journalist for Filmmaker magazine, then, in 2016, as the festival’s lead programmer, a position he held for two years before decamping to Los Angeles to produce films for Amazon and Shaka King. Earlier this year, Carr and George asked him to return as artistic director to help reinvigorate Indie Memphis. “This team that has brought the festival back together really is people from almost every era of Indie Memphis who have sort of banded together to drag it back into existence,” says Harris. “I was honored when I was asked to return for a second round as programmer, and emboldened to try to make it bigger and better than ever.” Among those coming back to Memphis for this year’s festival are Clare Grant, the Memphis-born actor who starred in Craig Brewer’s pioneering web series $5 Cover, and husband Seth Green, star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and creator of the groundbreaking animated series Robot Chicken. They will join veteran actor Vondie Curtis-Hall for a panel called “Breaking In is Tough, but Sticking Around is Tougher” at noon on Saturday, November 7th, at the Halloran Centre. Last summer, the low-budget horror film Obsession became a sleeper sensation and the talk of the movie biz when it grossed $525 million at the box office. Vivian Gray, the film’s production designer, got her start making a music video for the Indie Memphis Youth Festival program. Crucially, she created the One Wish Willow, a magic novelty item which set the story of Obsession in motion by granting a young man’s wish, thus ruining his life. “Every great horror movie has a great prop or something that stands out,” says Carr. “One Wish Willow is just kind of like that, that’s gonna stick with

The Lorraine The National Civil Rights Museum is one of the city’s most important cultural institutions. But before it was a major international tourist attraction, it catered to tourists in a different way as the Lorraine Motel. Walter and Loree Bailey ran the establishment for decades, providing a safe haven for Black travelers in the Jim Crow South. The pool was a hangout for Memphis’ artists and musicians, such as Isaac Hayes and Eddie Floyd, who wrote hit songs there. After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony outside room 306, the Baileys’ beloved hotel became collateral damage from the world-shaking tragedy. “Like most people, the only thing I knew about the Lorraine was that it was there, on that horrific day of April 4th, 1968, that Dr. King was assassinated, and not much else, except it was turned into the National Civil Rights Museum,” says Sam Pollard, director of the documentary The Lorraine, which opens Indie Memphis at the Halloran Centre on Thursday, November 5th. Harris calls Pollard “a real stalwart of the American documentary establishment. He’ll be on hand with Alvin Hall, who produced the movie, and who I think really was the centrifuge for this movie coming about. We’ll have a number of members from the team at the National Civil Rights Museum, who obviously were very involved in the production of the film. We’re really excited to present that movie all of three blocks from the museum at the Halloran Centre.” Pollard says the decision to focus on the lives of the Lorraine’s owners provides a new perspective look at the history of the Baileys and what they had on familiar historical events. “One of our executive done to make that hotel a place that was open to the producers/producer, Alvin Hall, was a major force African American community, from the musicians behind shaping this story. He had done a podcast to the sports figures, to the political figures, from the about the Green Book, and on his journeys 1940s up until that horrific day. So it was about just traveling around the South, he came upon doing the homework, the research, and then the Lorraine. trying to create a documentary that balanced PHOTO: COURTESY INDIE MEMPHIS “Alvin gave us an opportunity to the music history, the social history, the The Lorraine cultural history, and the personal history of (Thursday, Nov. 5, the Baileys, as we told this story.” 6:30 p.m., Halloran In assembling the story of the King Centre) assassination, Pollard revisited the footage of the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, which King delivered in Memphis the night before he died. The clip of King proclaiming “I have been to the mountaintop and I have seen the promised land,” has been in hundreds of accounts of that night, but Pollard looked at the original film and used little-seen sections of Dr. King’s eloquence. “Even I realized that when we were doing this film, I don’t remember hearing that whole speech.” Even after a long and illustrious career in the documentary field, Pollard says the process can still surprise him. “The complications of being in the South have always been well-documented, but there’s always new stuff to kinda untangle.”

continued on page 10

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

PHOTOS: COURTESY INDIE MEMPHIS (right row, top to bottom) Figaro Up, Figaro Down (Sunday, Nov. 8, 5:30 p.m., Malco Powerhouse); Every Contact Leaves a Trace (Saturday, Nov. 7, 5:30 p.m., Halloran Centre); “Come On Boy” in Hometowner Music Documentary Shorts (Saturday, Nov. 7, 11:15 a.m., Halloran Centre); Ronzo (Friday, Nov. 6, 4 p.m., Halloran Centre)

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continued from page 9 The Sachs Kids The festival’s closing night feature is by a hometown hero. Ira Sachs began his career in Memphis in the mid-1990s with The Delta. His latest film, The Man I Love, has an international reach. “Ira’s new film, which was one of two American movies to play in competition in Cannes this year, is just a stunner,” says Harris. “Like so many of his movies, there’s a sort of provocative sexual politics in it. It’s this very beautiful look at at the way in which someone carries on in the throes of illness — in this case, Rami Malek’s character, Jimmy George, who was a performance artist in the late 1980s, in downtown New York and, although the movie never says it outright — it really uses ellipses in a very fundamentally savvy way — he is suffering from AIDS. I think it is every bit as powerful a performance as the one Rami won the Oscar for.” Ira’s sister Lynne Sachs hasn’t seen it yet. “I have to say, I have waited to see Ira’s movie until Sunday the 8th. So for me, it’s gonna be a premiere, so I’m excited about that.” Lynne, for those who don’t know, is also a filmmaker whose works have regularly screened at Indie Memphis. “I have such good feelings about Indie Memphis, because I found my way into filmmaking in Memphis, going back to Central High School. We had a film club, and we would collect all our change together and try to bring a few foreign films to the school. So then when Indie Memphis grew out of kind of the demimonde artsy community of Memphis, it all made sense, and it seemed like it was a place for different

(above) Hoop Street (Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m., Malco Powerhouse); (below) Hallelujah Station (Friday, Nov. 6, 5:30 p.m., Malco Powerhouse)

PHOTOS: COURTESY INDIE MEMPHIS

November 5-11, 2026

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m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

B

oy, how about that midterm GOP pulled all funding from North Caroelection, eh? Wow! That lina, basically conceding that state’s senate was really something, right? seat. Trump even went to Mississippi for And I hope it was something a rally to support Confederate Senator good, but to be honest, I really don’t know. Meemaw Hyde-Smith. Mississippi, y’all. Before you decide I’ve lost my mind, And speaking of the South … I hardly let me explain: Because the Flyer goes allowed myself to breathe the thought that to press on Tuesday afternoon, I had Tennessee’s obscenely gerrymandered to write this column before I knew the Ninth District might decide that electing election results. As my fingers merrily penis photographer and Trump tributetapped on the keyboard, I was flying artist Brent Taylor was a bridge too far. blind, chugging Hopey-Changey juice Likewise, it seemed absurd to hope that (aka sipping a nice Malbec), and mightily muffin-brained Trump-fluffer Marsha resisting all the ingrained pessimism I’ve Blackburn could lose the governor’s race carried about this country since Donald to Democrat Jerri Green. Tennessee is still Trump’s first election in 2016. I was hopone of the reddest states in the union, and ing that the pre-election polls got it right, Hopey-Changey juice only goes so far. But that somehow the majority of American I really hope I was wrong. voters would finally reject this self-abThe Democrats needed just four sorbed, mentally damaged president and seats to flip the Senate, and that seemed his amoral enablers; that somehow the like a good bet, especially when uberMAGA cult would shrink to irrelevance pollster Nate Silver said on Monday — for a while, at least. that the Democrats had a 79 percent So, to reiterate, as you read these chance of doing it. As for Congress, words, you know what I didn’t know you couldn’t find a single legitimate when I typed them. You know if a Muslim poll that saw the GOP keeping control physician named Abdul could win a there. Given all those favorable presenate berth in Michigan; if a dictions, I was fairly confi“progressive lumberjack” dent I would be watching could beat an aristocratic Steve Kornacki analyze GOP waffle iron for a a real blue beatdown senate seat in Maine; if Tuesday night. a soft-spoken minister But I also feared falsely accused of the I’d be seeing reports heinous crime of being about Trump utiliza vegetarian could ing his “Homeland defeat a philanderer Security” forces to who’s been impeached intimidate voters by his own party and at polling sites, and charged with secuabout his “Justice” PHOTO: BENJAMIN CHELNITSKY | CREATIVE COMMONS | rity fraud felonies in Department filing WIKIMEDIA COMMONS cowboy-red Texas. It frivolous lawsuits Steve Kornacki seemed crazy that any challenging any of that could happen, election results that but a guy can dream, right? At least on the didn’t please their Fearless Leader. night before the election. As we’ve learned in recent election I mean, seriously, Kansas, of all places cycles, definitive results in tight races — which hasn’t elected a Democratic can string out over several days, as milsenator since 1932 — was supposed to lions of mail-in and absentee votes are be in play. And other states that Trump counted. And in those long days, as we’ve won by double digits two years ago — also learned, we can be quite confident including Alaska, Iowa, Ohio, and South that President Man-baby will bleat and Carolina — all had polling showing tosswhine and pull out every tired trick in his up senate races. con-man toolkit to convince his followAccording to a story in Politico, the ers that the election was rigged. I mean, GOP’s problems were even creeping into the guy is still bitching about an election the Deep South, where early voting sughe decisively lost six years ago. gested Republican turnout was low and Trump is not a well man. Witnessing a Black and Democratic engagement were massive rejection from the nation’s voters at near-record levels for a non-presidential is going to be hard on the old guy. As will year. In Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana, the next two years, if what I hoped would Black voters’ early participation far exhappen has indeed happened. If it hasn’t, ceeded that of the prior midterm election. well, then we’re the ones who are in deep Georgia has already turned purple and the trouble.

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steppin’ out

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews

A Diva-Filled Holiday Show

November 5-11, 2026

Mended Therapy

Combining mental health with a love of fashion, creativity, and sustainability, Mended Therapy was born. Ashley wants to show that although things may seem like they cannot get better, there is hope. Just like a mended piece of clothing is brought new life, the same can be said of us. She is here to walk with you through this journey with laughter, creativity, and challenging your beliefs about yourself. She is MENDED (and constantly mending). She hopes you will let her join you as you MEND. Ashley specializes in working with LGBTQ+ populations and mood disorders. For more information or to book an appointment, visit mendedtherapypllc.com. Now taking clients for Mended Therapy Group. Please go to the website for more details.

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She currently accepts most insurance plans. Self-pay is $125 for individual sessions

By Kimberly Ham

Forget silent nights. Friends of George’s is bringing holiday drama, Hollywood divas, and ABBA hits to the stage with Mamma Dearest! Here We Joan Again, a campy musical comedy making its Mid-South regional premiere November 6th to 21st at Evergreen Theatre. The production also marks a first for the Memphis theater company: its first-ever live musical, complete with singing and dancing. Written by Blake Fountain, the show follows Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of Joan Crawford, who invites three Hollywood icons — Bette Davis, Judy Garland, and Eartha Kitt — home for Christmas after discovering one could be her birth mother. Armed with Joan Crawford’s scandal-filled diaries, the gathering quickly devolves into diva rivalries, power ballads, catfights, and flying martinis. “It’s our first-ever musical, and we are thrilled about it,” says Rick Bartl, board chair and president of Friends of George’s and a resident company member. After seeing the show’s world premiere at Atlanta’s Out Front Theatre Company last year, the group knew it wanted to bring the production to Memphis. It’s also the company’s first show acquired from an outside playwright, expanding beyond its signature original comedies. For director and choreographer Courtney Oliver, the production offers an exciting new challenge. Accustomed to developing original material and incorporating improvisation, the cast is now working with a structured script while taking on singing and dancing. Audiences can expect familiar ABBA favorites with a theatrical twist. Inspired by PHOTO: MARK CAMPBELL Mamma Mia!, the choreography pairs recognizable melodies with rewritten lyrics tailored Micah Winter-Cole as to the outrageous holiday storyline. One number even transforms “Dancing Queen” into Joan Crawford “Christmas Tree.” Hollywood-inspired Easter eggs add another layer of fun, including nods to the infamous Crawford-Davis rivalry, The Wizard of Oz, and Mommie Dearest. But audiences don’t need to know the stars to enjoy the laughs. Now in its 17th season, Friends of George’s continues its mission of celebrating queer culture and camp, and creating a welcoming space for audiences. The nonprofit also donates a portion of its seasonal revenue to local organizations. This year’s beneficiary is OUTMemphis, which empowers, connects, and advocates for the Mid-South LGBTQ community. Whether you’re an ABBA fan or a lover of Hollywood melodrama, Mamma Dearest! offers 90 minutes of unapologetic holiday entertainment. All seating is reserved, and the full bar opens one hour before curtain. MAMMA DEAREST! HERE WE JOAN AGAIN, EVERGREEN THEATRE, 1705 POPLAR AVE., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21.

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES November 5th - 11th Gold In Our Bones: A Soulsville + South City Play Centenary United Methodist Church, Friday, November 6-Sunday, November 8 Set in a Memphis neighborhood shaped by generations of history, Gold In Our Bones: A Soulsville + South City Play is a music-infused drama about identity, heritage, and the legacy of Black creativity. When a forgotten ancestor appears with a stolen song and a long-buried curse, a young man named Chaos must confront his past and discover the truth about his family and community. The Greenway Soirée 2026 FedEx Event Center, Saturday, November 7, 6-10 p.m. Join the Wolf River Conservancy for the annual Greenway Soirée, an elegant evening dedicated to

completing the Wolf River Greenway and creating a more connected Memphis. Guests will enjoy dinner, drinks, dancing, live and silent auctions, and immersive experiences celebrating the conservancy’s mission to connect communities through accessible trails, outdoor recreation, and protected natural spaces. Don your finest cocktail attire and gather with fellow supporters for a night of celebration and community impact. Mindfulness Walk Overton Park, Saturday, November 7, 10-11 a.m. Take a break from the hustle of daily life with this Mindfulness Walk. Led by Coach Alex Carpenter, this gentle forest walk invites participants to slow down, practice mindfulness, and reconnect with nature in a peaceful outdoor setting.

No prior experience is necessary, and the walk will take place on accessible surfaces. Narnia The Musical The Circuit Playhouse, Friday November 6-Sunday, December 20, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Step through a magical wardrobe and into the enchanting world of Narnia in this musical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved classic The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Presented at The Circuit Playhouse, the family-friendly production follows the four Pevensie siblings as they discover a fantastical land inhabited by talking animals and mythical creatures, all under the icy rule of the evil White Witch. With music, adventure, and plenty of magic, the siblings embark on a courageous quest to break the White Witch’s spell and restore hope to Narnia.

MUSIC By Alex Greene

Paid in Chitlins King of the Chitlin’ Circuit lets Bobby Rush speak his mind about the good, the bad, and the ugly of living the blues.

Bobby Rush Other glimpses into his life echo chapters Rush wrote in his 2021 autobiography, I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya, such as his father’s twin role as a farmer and a preacher, and his mother’s mixed Cherokee and white ancestry. Yet little details he adds in the film make his parents even more vivid. He stowed his first guitar, he says during one scene, in the walls of their house to hide it from his father. And, he relates succinctly, “My mom was white when she had to be, she was Black when she needed to be.” Those are but two examples of the film capturing Rush in his element, arguably better than his book does, by allowing him to speak at length about his own experiences. As one colleague notes in the film, “The man is a good storyteller, and he has humor, and he’s funny!” This film, much

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to the credit of director Al Warren, lets him show off that talent at length. This is an important corrective to the only other feature-length documentary bearing Rush’s name, 2015’s I Am the Blues, which also ostensibly celebrated Rush’s title as “King of the Chitlin’ Circuit,” but lingered more on other Mississippi blues musicians than on Rush himself. That is not an issue with the new documentary, which was produced by Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Instead, the film has the viewer riding shotgun while Rush literally crisscrosses the globe, from Mississippi back roads to Switzerland and beyond, all the while, as with any epic road trip, regaling his fellow travelers with stories. Those stories and Rush’s interior life are the real point of the film, more than any tidy timeline that maps out his experiences. Instead, Warren favors a stream of sometimes rapid-fire images and sound bites that surround the viewer without the traditional voiceovers or linear expositions of most documentaries. Questions posed by media interviewers, sometimes amusingly glib, are seemingly overheard out of nowhere, which he dutifully answers with more stories, while more intimate passages, sometimes filmed in extreme close-ups, are marked by psychedelic lighting effects and haunting ambient music that lend a dreamlike quality to those scenes. It’s a bold gambit for Warren to take, but it pays off in the stark revelations Rush offers about his life, in some cases for the first time. As lights swirl around his face and the music grows ethereal, we seem to enter into his own subjectivity, making the tragedies of his life, including seeing all of his immediate family members pass away one by one, that much more gripping. Another compelling directorial choice is having Rush sit in a screening room, with echoes of Sunset Boulevard’s Norma Desmond, reviewing old photos and footage of himself. But the tone is not wistful, as befitting a music lifer who’s still releasing albums, like the new deluxe edition of his Grammy-winning Porcupine Meat. Rush remains sharp as a tack throughout, committed to what’s next more than any nostalgia. He remains positive and engaging even when looking backward, his devotion to being a complete entertainer keeping him resolutely focused on the future, on reinventing himself. “I’m a comedian, singer, songwriter, harp player, guitar player, but I got a long way to go,” he says in the film. “No woman, no man, no one can down me. Only person that could destroy me is myself.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

T

here’s a moment in King of the Chitlin’ Circuit when Bobby Rush, the documentary’s subject, explains what playing the blues throughout the loose network of Southern clubs known as the chitlin circuit really was like: “Let me set it straight to you,” he says, “the chitlin circuit comes from [when] they were paying Black men and people like us chitlins. That was our pay!” Leaving no doubt about where he’s coming from, Rush’s face conveys the deep bitterness that, decades later, he still feels. In the same breath, he then relates how he saved most of his “pay” of chili and chitlins and resold it, turning even that insult into cold cash. Only after being asked if he played drunk does he crack a smile. “No. I play like I’m drunk, but I don’t be drinking.” That’s but one of the insights to be gleaned from the new documentary about the 92-year-old blues harpist, guitarist, singer, and songwriter, screening at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, November 6th at the Halloran Centre as part of the Indie Memphis Film Festival. Rush himself will be present.

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AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule November 05 - 11 David Nail: Down To The Studs Thursday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. MINGLEWOOD HALL

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Keeping the sounds of the big band era alive. Sunday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.

BUCKMAN PERFORMING AND FINE ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Shell on Wheels: MOSH Laser Live Concert Series Featuring UNAPOLOGETIC.

Musical groups accompanied by a laser light show. Friday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m.

MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY - AUTO ZONE PLANETARIUM

David Wimbish of The Collection

An intimate solo acoustic performance. With Jesse James DeConto. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.

With Trackside. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m. | Wednesday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m. GROWLERS

Almost Elton John Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Area 51

Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

CALENDAR

Rice Drewry Collective Saturday, Nov. 7, 5 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Eternity’s Pillar

Stephen M. Lee & Dancer Naomi Lee

With Slumdog, Slats. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m. HI TONE

The Faint

Omaha-based synth-dancepunk band. With Cloudland Canyon. Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m. GROWLERS

Fetty Wap: Nostalgia Tour Saturday, Nov. 7, 6 p.m. SATELLITE MUSIC HALL

An accomplished jazz pianist. Friday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

The Stolen Faces (Grateful Dead Tribute) Friday, Nov. 6, 9 p.m. B-SIDE

University of Memphis: Bluff City Fest Student groups from the U of M’s popular music program. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

With Seize and Desist, Stay Fashionable, The Gunpowder Plot, Kinda Mad, Pig Detective. Saturday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.

Victory Boyd

SOCIETY MEMPHIS

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Heartless (A Heart Tribute)

Yung Gravy: The Joyrider Tour

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

MINGLEWOOD HALL

Sunday, Nov. 8, 5 p.m.

With Doll McCoy. Saturday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

Jazz Nite

With the Society Combo. Thursday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m. SOCIETY MEMPHIS

Back in Time (Huey Lewis & The News Tribute)

Jookin Muzik

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

SOCIETY MEMPHIS

Clownvis Presley

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 5 p.m.

A crowd favorite at Hernando’s, blending music, comedy, and magic. Saturday, Nov. 7, 6 p.m.

RODNEY JORDAN

The Band Memo

King’s X

Pine Hill Haints

SATELLITE MUSIC HALL

MODERN JAZZ MASTERS

with THE TED LUDWIG TRIO

Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

7:30PM | THE GREEN ROOM | $25

MINGLEWOOD HALL

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6

Bowling for Soup

THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN M. LEE feat DANCER NAOMI LEE

7:30PM | THE GREEN ROOM | $20adv $30door

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7 November 5-11, 2026

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Hosted by DJ Zeus, with open floor and battles. Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5

VICTORY BOYD

feat opener DOLL MCCOY

7:30PM | THE GREEN ROOM | $20adv $30door

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12

Monday, Nov. 9, 5:30 p.m. SATELLITE MUSIC HALL

Briarcrest SoundScape

With 76-South, St. George’s American Music Ensemble. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Business In The Front, Party In The Back

With TVBOO. Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

RESIDENT ARTIST TALKS 6:00PM | THE GREEN ROOM | FREE

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12 CROSSTOWN ARTS FILM SERIES

THE BLACK POWER MIX TAPE 1967–1975 directed by GEORGE SLUIZER | 1988 | R | 107 MINUTES

7:00PM | CROSSTOWN THE ATER | $5

CROSSTOWN ARTS 14

Jordan is a modern bass virtuoso. Thursday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Gobblin with Goblins: A 901 Community Fridge Benefit 3 Years Hollow

Modern Jazz Masters: Rodney Jordan with the Ted Ludwig Trio

13 5 0 C O N C O U R S E AV E | C R O S S T O W N A R T S .ORG

Cohesion

With Fika, EOS, Gill_Yum, Fylum, and The Depths. Friday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. GROWLERS

Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends

Rock for freaks, nerds, and weirdos. Friday, Nov. 6, 9 p.m. HI TONE

PHOTO: COURTESY TVBOO

TVBOO

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m.

The Lowliest One

With Wagoneer, Livid Noise. Monday, Nov. 9, 8 p.m. HI TONE

The Merrycrest Sessions #200

Sunday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m. HI TONE

HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Auburn, Alabama’s finest country, rockabilly, Appalachian folk, blues, and punk band. Friday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Reed Turchi

Turchi celebrates his new record, Road Ends in Water. Thursday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Michael Graber and Friends Saturday, Nov. 7, 12 p.m. CENTRAL BBQ

An Afternoon with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra Brass Friday, Nov. 6, 12 p.m.

GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE

Terence Blanchard: Miles + Coltrane Centennial

Terence Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force for America, making powerful musical statements concerning painful national tragedies, past and present. Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

CALENDAR of EVENTS: Nov. 5 - 11

FE ST IVA L

P E R F OR M I N G A R TS

Memphis Crafts & Drafts Festival: Holiday Market

DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENTS LISTING, VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.

Enjoy a free, family-friendly day of shopping local and discovering one-of-a-kind gifts from talented makers and artists. Free. Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.

Presented by OffYoChest Entertainment and Abidemi Kayode Productions, this special community event brings together comedians, musicians, storytellers, authors, and creatives for a weekend filled with entertainment, inspiration, laughter, and real conversations. Friday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Nov. 8, 3:00 p.m.

FILM

Indie Memphis Film Festival

The 28th edition of the Indie Memphis Film Festival returns to the big screen in the South Main Arts District at the Halloran Centre and Malco Powerhouse, followed by encore screenings at Malco Studio on the Square. Visit indiememphis.org for details. Thursday, Nov. 5, 5 p.m. | Friday, Nov. 6, 1 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 a.m. | Sunday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.

by wagon to bury their matriarch, Addie Bundren. Gloria Baxter adapted it for the stage. Thursday, Nov. 5-Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m. THEATRESOUTH AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

THEATREWORKS @ THE SQUARE

SOUTH MAIN ARTS DISTRICT

Byhalia, Mississippi

Provocative and pensive. In this tight-knit small town, a white couple’s lives are upended when their newborn baby is born Black. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Talkin In Memphis with Maury Springer

FO O D A N D D R I N K

A brand new show discussing world events, controversies, and general non-sense. Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

Sip TN Wine Fest

The Red Barn will be full of curated vendors, including 10+ Tennessee wineries who will be on hand with their locally produced wine, mead, and cider. For ages 21+. Saturday, Nov. 7, 1 p.m. AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL

Acrylic on canvas painting by artist Hamlett Dobbins in the exhibit, “The Window of My Studio,” at the David Lusk Gallery

Lotus B: Still Blooming - I Got Some to Say!

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.

PHOTO: COURTESY DAVID LUSK GALLERY

THEATRE MEMPHIS

Mamma Dearest! Here We Joan Again

HI TONE

Expect catfights under the mistletoe, power ballads in fur coats, martinis thrown (and caught), As I Lay Dying and Oscar-worthy plot twists in this musical William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying is a tragicomedy. Friday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. comic Southern Gothic masterpiece about a 7, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m. The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation poor rural family’s arduous nine-day journey EVERGREEN THEATRE T HE AT E R

620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, August 26, 2019

A RTS AND S PEC IAL E X H IB ITS

Hamlett Dobbins: “The Window of My Studio”

A RT H APPE NING S

Holiday Show - Opening Reception

ShapeShifter celebrates their first year in business with this show by the ShapeShifter family of artists. Friday, Nov. 6, 5:30 p.m. SHAPESHIFTER ART SCHOOL & GALLERY

B OO K E VE NTS

Adam Makos: Tidal Wave

From the author of The New York Times bestsellers A Higher Call, Spearhead, and Devotion comes an astonishing true story set in an untold arena of World War II. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. NOVEL

CO MMU NITY

The Card Table Game Night

Enjoy this free adults-only game night featuring games such as Cards Against Humanity, Spades, UNO, Connect Four, and more. 18+. Saturday, Nov. 7, 6 p.m. GLENVIEW PARK

C LASS /WORKS HO P

Cheesegiving: Wine & Cheese Pairings for the Holiday Table

Whether you’re hosting a feast or bringing the good stuff to someone else’s table, this tasting class will give you the delicious edge. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. GREYS FINE CHEESES

CO ME DY

Gabriel Rutledge

Known for his laid-back delivery and clever takes on everyday life, Rutledge brings an entertaining comedy show to one of Memphis’ favorite live music and entertainment venues. Sunday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m. GROWLERS

ACROSS

61 Fairy tale question whose answer is spelled 39 Athlete who out in the starts 4 ___ Xing (road said “Silence is of 18-, 24-, 40sign) golden when you and 51-Across can’t think of a 8 Managed to 65 Fast asleep good answer” avoid 66 Mythical beauty 40 Strong-smelling 14 South America’s who lent her cheese made in name to a Carnaval city, England continent informally 67 Oil producers’ 42 Investment for 15 Not doing grp. the golden yrs. anything 68 “___ to Joy” 43 Cook’s workspace 16 Baltimore bird 69 Singer/ 17 Psychic ability, in 45 Enroll for another songwriter Crow year of duty brief 70 Shipped 46 Work by 18 Yard event to 71 Gave a meal to Wordsworth or clear out the attic Whitman 20 Manage to avoid DOWN 47 Coughed (up) 22 Big coffee holder 1 Slimeball 49 Ledger entry on 23 Applaud the minus side 2 Supermarket section 24 Louisiana’s avian 51 One barely in the nickname 3 China’s is around water? 1.4 billion 28 Giant in health 56 German 4 Without stopping insurance carmaker en route 29 Mortal dangers 59 ___ Paulo, Brazil 5 Part of a campus 33 “Phooey!” URL 60 Big name in mattresses 35 Commotions 6 “Slippery” tree 7 Co-founder ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE of Rome with Romulus S P A M B O T S P A C M A N 8 Run off with a H O M E C U R E U S H A P E boxer, maybe? O H I G E T I T R A I D E D 9 Gold waiting to P L E A S G T P E P P E R be discovered D R E L A M S A I L 10 Recognize, as differences F E E T E R A S S T U P I T T T R I T E T I X 11 Objective for a soccer player A H T H I S I S T H E L I F E 12 Fitzgerald of J O S E L R O Y S O N S jazz A N T D E A F J A N K 13 Profound R E O S D N C A W E C A T T R E A T S W E A N 19 The “A” of MoMA H A T A R I T O P F O R T Y 21 Conks out U S E R I D A T E A L I V E 25 Med school subj. B E E R M E N E R D F E S T 26 Low point 1 Mushroom part

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41 Coup for a newspaper freelancer 44 Someone dropping by 46 Something that might spring a leak 48 Dreary 50 Cut in half 52 Vote that cancels out a yea 53 Unacceptable actions 54 Musical practice piece

55 Given a PG-13, say

PUZZLE BY LYNN LEMPEL

27 Juliet Capulet or Holden Caulfield, agewise 30 Impossible to mess up 31 Set of traditional beliefs 32 Got one’s kicks at the pool? 33 Hoarse voice 34 Voice above tenor 36 Grand ___ Opry 37 Prepare for a hard test 40 Search for

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

DAVID LUSK GALLERY

Crossword

56 Bowls over 57 Thumbs-down response 58 Show gumption 62 Someone not likely to show off intelligence? 63 “Great” hominid 64 Word under this sign:

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Dobbins employs painting and abstraction to process experiences of pure consciousness. He has often been described as a “painter’s painter” for his approach to shape and form, complex surface layering, and adept color orchestration. Through Nov. 21.

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We Saw You. with MICHAEL DONAHUE

A

November 5-11, 2026

rt on Fire, the annual outdoor fundraiser at Dixon Gallery and Gardens, can be a fickle affair. In 2025, the event was canceled because of rain. In past years, it’s been cold enough to wear a jacket and hot enough to not wear a jacket. This year’s event, which featured food and drink stations, fire entertainers, a fire pit, and live music, was just about perfect. At least one man wore shorts. And there was an almost-full moon. You could say guests were fired up.

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PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE

above: (left to right) Varanda and Chris Handy; Annie Heim and Garner New circle: Jose Valverde below: (left to right) Kurt and Jackie Mullican, Paola Ingelmo; Bjarka Ciaramitaro, Cole Hix; Chris Martin, Ellen Hopper bottom row: (left to right) Andrea Soto, Michael Butler Jr., Frances Barry Moreno, Sarah Rapp; Seth and Ragan Eason

Saturday, November 7th 10am-4pm Crosstown Concourse PRESENTED BY

FEATURING

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Discover one-of-a-kind gifts from a curated collection of the very best local artists & makers, sip craft brews, and soak up the holiday spirit in the heart of Midtown.

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Coffee’s On Meet Just Coffee Company.

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alton and Courtney Eberhart’s maiden voyage with their Just Coffee Company cart was a hit. They were among the vendors at the recent Art on Fire at Dixon Gallery & Gardens. “It was crazy,” says Dalton, 26. “We were slammed for so long. It was like, ‘Ohhh, man.’ It felt so good because it was literally our first official event. And that was a heck of a way to kick it off. It kind of reassured us.” “Community” is one reason they got into the coffee business. “We believe coffee isn’t just coffee. It’s community. Cultures coming together. It’s people from different ages coming together. Different backgrounds.” His parents drank coffee, but it was “a consumer coffee from the grocery store. I didn’t enjoy coffee, really. I was probably more on the side of frappuccinos, more frozen, sugary drinks.” Then a friend invited him to Foster Coffee Company, a specialty coffee shop in Lansing, Michigan. “Which started my coffee journey. It was like a flavored latte, at first.” It took him a while to move to black coffee. “It was a cold brew at Starbucks. It was tough. I just kind of choked it down. But I was really trying to like black coffee. Once I started working at a coffee shop, which was around 2019, I really got into tasting espresso.” Although he worked his way up to a barista, Dalton didn’t think about coffee as a career. “I was in the middle of my degree in photography at Lansing Community College. I really wanted to start my own photography business and do portraits.” He moved to Memphis in 2022 after a friend invited him. But he discovered the photography market was “super saturated.” A week after he arrived in Memphis, his friend got him a job at The Hub, a coffee shop inside Mission Church. “Working there was a blast. Super awesome people and community. And, personally, I still think that The Hub is one of the best coffee shops around.” That’s where he met Courtney. She wasn’t much of a coffee drinker. “She liked more lattes and flavored things. Really, since we’ve been together she’s adapted to more unflavored lattes and some pour over black coffee.” “I do enjoy flavored lattes, but probably not as sweet as I used to,” says Courtney, 26. They began to think of starting a

10/20/26 1:30 PM

coffee business. “I had always been intrigued and wanted a coffee business of my own,” Dalton says. Courtney, who has a marketing degree, also wanted to start some sort of a business. She thought coffee would be a good idea after she and Dalton attended a gathering where coffee was the center of the event. She found it was “something fun and welcoming and a time in my life that I really enjoy and look back on,” she says. Seeing that community “really encouraged us to start something like this.” They felt a coffee cart instead of a shop or a food truck was the best way to start. “A cart is just like a cabinet that has the espresso machine and everything on it,” Dalton says.

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE

Dalton and Courtney Eberhart at Art on Fire As for coffee, Dalton adds, “We know a lot of different roasters that we love.” They went through about five or six pounds that night. “I was expecting a little bit of traffic, but not that much. That was overwhelming and just great.” And, he says, “My in-laws were there as well. And they said that for the whole two hours they were there, there were consistently 20 to 25 people in line.” They want to do more pop-ups so people can try their coffee. “We can only be hired for events right now, but we do desire and really want to be out there and set up on some type of corner or in a complex of some sort,” Dalton says. They both came up with the name “Just Coffee Company” for their business. “I originally wanted it to be ‘Justified Coffee Company.’ But as we were thinking about it, it sounded a little bit too churchy.” “Just Coffee” is “more to the point.” To book Just Coffee for events, visit thejustcoffeeco on Instagram.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A finely crafted mechanical watch depends upon many gears moving at different speeds. Some spin rapidly, while others barely move. Yet each contributes to the overall success of timekeeping. Please remember this when you get restless about your uneven progress. Not every area of your life can or should be in dynamic motion simultaneously. One project may require vigorous action while another benefits from patient incubation. A single standard of productivity isn’t right for you these days. Harmonious coordination among different rhythms serves you best. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I invite you and urge you to ruminate about the stories you’ve been telling about yourself. Are they still accurate? Still empowering? Or have some become outdated myths that no longer honor your ripening identity? During the coming weeks, I predict you will be energized as you revise your personal mythology with imaginative generosity. It’s time to retire narratives that shrink you. Reinvent an old saga so it makes you more of a hero and less of a victim. Compose two fun new tales that are spacious enough to accommodate the curious beauty you’re on your way to becoming. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Among elephants, older matriarchs lead the herd. They carry detailed memories of watering holes, migration routes, and old brushes with danger. During tough times, their accumulated experience becomes indispensable. This fact of nature reminds me that your own history contains wisdom you haven’t fully appreciated. And now is an excellent phase to bring it all into your conscious awareness. Instead of dwelling on old disappointments or sad mistakes, focus intensely on what durable knowledge you’ve harvested from living through them. Your future and the futures of those you care for will improve in direct proportion to the respect you show your past. The point is to recognize yourself as an increasingly skillful keeper

of hard-earned sagacity. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A bird doesn’t perceive reflective glass as we do. To it, the spotless glass façade of a building may look like a continuation of the outdoors, with blue sky, clouds, tree canopy, or water. But humans have the know-how to create bird-friendly patterns that interrupt this illusion by giving the glass enough visual “texture” to register as a solid obstacle. With these visual clues, birds are less likely to collide with the structure. In the coming weeks, Leo, I hope you will summon comparable thoughtfulness. Your small gestures can protect others from unnecessary confusion or pain. You’ll have extra power to express subtle kindnesses that free people to navigate the world more safely and confidently. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You may be feeling so physically well right now that it seems almost implausible. Your mind may be operating so sharply that you wonder whether you can trust it. Even love may appear so straightforward and righteous that part of you suspects you have misunderstood the signs. But that’s the cosmic joke: These blessings don’t come with an invoice or a looming punishment. You’re allowed to receive them freely. Tell your harsh inner critic that its counsel isn’t needed. Then make ample room for the release and freedom that are unfolding. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m not right 100 percent of the time, but even when I’m not completely correct, I usually get close to at least one of the key truths simmering in your story. In the oracle you’re reading now, I’m offering a concise burst of guidance that I believe is even more likely than usual to be 100 percent accurate. I’m urging you to examine the balance of give-and-take in one specific relationship. Your gift for harmony can sometimes tip into always being the one who accommodates, adjusts, and gives more, until the scales sit lopsided and you barely notice. Investigate that possibility, please. Fixing the imbalance is an act of care for a bond that’s worth keeping healthy. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): There’s a Welsh word, hiraeth, that refers to a longing for a home that may never have existed. It’s a homesickness for a place or a way of being you can’t actually return to and aren’t sure was ever fully real. I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I suspect you’re feeling the tug of distant horizons lately, a restless ache for an elsewhere you can’t name. Don’t dismiss this longing as mere wanderlust to be scratched with a plane ticket. Sit with it. Ask what it’s pointing toward. The far country you ache for may be a quality of soul you’re being called to cultivate right where you are. Your true destination might be more interior than you assume.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Engineers who design a suspension bridge know the structure must be able to sway slightly in wind and weather. A perfectly rigid structure would eventually crack under stress. In the coming weeks, I’m hoping you’ll incorporate extra doses of this paradoxical attitude. It’s crucial not just to grudgingly acknowledge but to fondly celebrate the fact that stability will thrive on generous flexibility. Some plans and convictions will grow even stronger because you’ll be willing to adjust and tinker with them. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Astronomers sometimes revisit old telescope data using improved software. In doing so, they may discover planets or galaxies that had been hidden from them for years. The information was always there. Only the methods of perception changed. I suspect you’re ripe for similar types of revelation, Aquarius. I invite you to return to old notebooks, abandoned ideas, neglected friendships, or forgotten ambitions. You may not have extracted all their value yet. Your present self possesses interpretive abilities that your former self lacked. Yesterday’s overlooked clue may be tomorrow’s breakthrough. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Nineteenthcentury Piscean composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin poured an almost unbearable tenderness into his nocturnes and preludes. His delicate, intimate music is among the most emotional ever created. Evoking potent, mysterious feelings was his specialty. I propose we make him your inspirational role model. Please do everything you can imagine to express your deep feelings with artistry and intelligence. Be as sensitive and impassioned as you dare.

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries psychologist Abraham Maslow coined the term “peak experiences”: surging upflows of heightened clarity, awe, vitality, and love. He also identified another category, “plateau experiences.” These are gentler but more enduring states, characterized less by ecstatic fireworks than by a leisurely delight in being alive. I believe you’re in a phase that favors those plateau experiences. So the semi-bad news is that you may not be besieged by a nonstop flood of spectacular epiphanies. The good news is that you’ll harvest a steady stream of subtle amazements. Your gratitude may be less dramatic but more sustained. A calm, glowing contentment can teach you all you need to know right now.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): How long has it been since you’ve meandered around a library? I’m old-fashioned about books, so that experience is high on my list of pleasurable adventures. I enjoy searching for specific books, but I also love browsing the shelves without a fixed destination. Both approaches are valuable, though browsing often produces happy surprises. One unexpected title leads to another, opening pathways no search engine could have predicted. With this in mind, Scorpio, I recommend that you browse freely in the coming weeks. Wander through ideas, friendships, music, bookstores, museums, forests, conversations, and neighborhoods without demanding a predetermined outcome. Serendipity is preparing a curriculum especially suited to restless brilliance.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny

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COVER STORY By Chris McCoy continued from page 10 parts of the, the community to come together and celebrate the city. So I feel really excited that I can bring my films back to my hometown.” Carr says that while Ira’s films, like Keep the Lights On and Love Is Strange, and Lynne’s films like Film About a Father Who, have played at Indie Memphis, “This year marks a first, in that, while we’ve programmed them both at different festivals, this is the first Indie Memphis where they both have a feature.” Lynne’s film is called Every Contact Leaves a Trace, and it grows from a mundane object: the business card. The film business is all about connections, and Lynne has kept all the business cards she has received over an independent film career spanning decades. One day during the pandemic, she thought about how the business card is vanishing in favor of electronic contact lists, and decided to scan her collection. “It’s not necessarily putting your best foot forward, but it’s how you distill who you are. I really did find that when I was holding the cards, I was overcome with memories of the person or of our interaction or of a moment in my life. And then it all became this theater that I was returning to. The cards really did that to me.” She decided to track down seven people whom she may have only met once, and asked them to be in her documentary. “I actually chose people who would offer me some kind of obstacle that would allow me to understand something about my whole investigative process. For example, with Lawrence Brose, I was daunted by his story and the complexity and whether I was gonna be able to resolve in my own head that he

had been accused of a crime that upset me, but also I didn’t feel I really understood. It made me think about the ways that we judge people too quickly or without knowing the details, that almost every aspect of our selection process for people we will be close to and people we keep a distance from involves some kind of judgment.”

“I love a good coming-of-age story.” - Princeton James In the film, Lynne’s interactions with people from her past become meditations on the nature of memory. But she couldn’t find everybody. In one case, a memorable conversation leads her to search for a former therapist for two years before she begins to wonder whether or not the conversation actually happened with the therapist, or if it was with someone else. So Lynne hires an actor to help her recreate and expand the moment that she had in her head. “Occasionally people have said to me, ‘Oh, Lynne, I’ll give you my box of cards.’ I said, 'Your box of cards is just a box with little pieces of paper for me. That doesn’t send me back to any moments in my life, but I hope that my film allows you to rebuild some aspects of your life.’” Hoop Street “I grew up in Coldwater, Mississippi, so all we did every

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day was play basketball,” says Princeton James. James’ film Hoop Street is one of four Hometowner Features in this year’s festival, along with Christian Walker’s Hallelujah Station, Glenn Payne’s Safe and Sound, and Malik Tha Martian’s Outside Ain’t Free. James, who is also the creator of the popular theatrical experience Soulful Murder Mystery, says he was drawn into Indie Memphis by the Black Creators Forum, which Carr and George hope to revive. “It’s always been a space where there was a community of filmmakers, and I have always been able to meet filmmakers that were from around the world that would come into Memphis and have this experience.” James says he was attracted to take on writer/ producer Theresa Dickerson’s script because “I love a good coming-of-age story.” Set in South Memphis, the story follows Mason, played by Benjamin Holmes, a teenage basketball talent whose father has been incarcerated after being caught dealing drugs. The bitter Mason tries to use basketball to avoid his father’s fate, and Coach Williams, played by Demone Dickerson, believes in him. But his explosive temper repeatedly puts his career in jeopardy, and when the same gangsters with whom his father worked come calling, the temptation to take a risk for an easy buck is real. “It’s always good to have stories that are direct reflections of our experiences because it was based on her [Dickerson’s] actual nephew,” James says. “I was super excited that she wanted to shoot in Memphis because I’m very, very passionate about that. And then when I saw the challenges that she was encountering, I realized that, oh, you need a team that’s gonna be on

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oh, have we seen that story before? But I think Princeton really imbues Hoop Street with a specificity and with a sort of uniqueness.” “It is a Memphis story from a Memphis lens, and I want people to have an open mind when experiencing it, and I want them to also find a character that is experiencing something that they can relate to,” says James. “I hope that they get inspired by the journey that the movie is gonna take them on. So have an open mind, get ready to experience Memphis, and also get ready to be inspired and encouraged.” The Indie Memphis Film Festival runs November 5-8 at the Halloran Centre and Malco Powerhouse Cinema. Encore screenings will take place on November 9-10 at Malco Studio on the Square. For passes, tickets, and the full schedule of films, go to indiememphis.org.

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your side of the ring with you fighting, because it’s so hard. Making a film is literally a miracle, you know? So you need to be on the same team. At first, I said no to directing it. I said that I would produce it. But then, after I prayed about it and did some thinking and went and talked to my business partners, Jordan [Danelz] and Mark [Williams], about it, they said ‘We should do this and then you should direct it.’ This is a great movie, a great script, but most of all, the cast and the crew that was around it was incredible.” “The movie really sings,” says Harris. “I think from a look and feel and sound standpoint, it stands with anything in our national program. In the African American filmmaking community, people are often tired of the story of the kid who struggles with the lure of the life in streets. There’s that sense of like,

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T H E L A S T W O R D B y Pa t r i c i a L o c k h a r t PHOTOS: PATRICIA LOCKHART

Reading the Rooms

Hanging and reading at Pho 64 (left) and Ritual Coffee (below)

Celebrating those perfect spots around town to savor the written word. There is nothing — and I mean NOTHING — about Memphis that I love more than grabbing a good book and finding somewhere in this city to read it. Give me a cozy corner, something delicious to eat or drink, and a few uninterrupted chapters, and I’m a happy woman. I know I typically talk about my three teenagers and one college student, but here’s a little secret: they do not share my joy of reading. Their loss, honestly. So while they’re off living their best lives, I’m out here living mine, one book and one Memphis spot at a time. From pho and dystopian fiction to dark beer and Appalachian monsters, here’s what I’ve been reading around the city lately. Pho 64 and Building 903 by Lois Lowry Pho 64 is one of my favorite pho restaurants. Good, simple, clean food. Nothing too fancy, but everything delicious. I always order the same thing: beef pho and an order of chicken and shrimp spring rolls. On this particular day, I brought along an old love: Lois Lowry. Her book The Giver is the reason I fell head-over-heels in love with reading back in middle school. Sure, I read it in elementary school and enjoyed every minute of it, but Lois Lowry turned me from a casual reader into a full-blown book devourer. Building 903 is a classic dystopian novel that ponders what life could be like when the world is ruled by a tyrannical leader, and books and creativity are illegal (insert side-eye). Soul & Spirits Brewery and When the Night Comes Knocking by Katherine Daniel I absolutely love this brewery. Not only do they have some of the best beer in Memphis, but their Low Tones room is perfect for reading and relaxing. Soul & Spirits recently celebrated its fifth birthday with a flight full of stouts and dark beers, and I was EXTREMELY happy. I paired the celebration with When the Night Comes Knocking by Katherine Daniel. Y’all, this book was creepy! But in a good way. It brings together Appalachian monsters, guilty people, and liars trapped inside a convenience store. And someone always makes someone else get killed. When the owner of Smoke & Toast stopped by our table to hand us our food, I jumped so hard!

THE LAST WORD

Ritual Coffee and Witch Is the Enemy of Magic by Adele Abbott I’m going to be honest. I don’t remember much of what I read that day because I was sipping on a VERY strong drink. The Naked and Famous from Ritual had me struggling to make sense of what was happening on the page. But no worries. I prevailed! That day, I was carrying my Kindle and was deep into Witch Is the Enemy of Magic by Adele Abbott. This is book number 53 in her Private Investigator series. Yes, you read that correctly. FIFTY-THREE. And yes, I’ve read all 52 books before it, plus a few from some of her other series. Good reading is good reading. This series follows a private investigator who uses her witchy powers to solve murders, mayhem, and mysteries. It’s the kind of series that keeps you coming back for more, which is probably why I’ve made it all the way to book 53. The next book is scheduled for February 26, 2027. That’s a Friday, and I’ll be taking the day off work to give it my undivided attention. The beauty of reading around Memphis is that I never have to choose between a good book and a good time. I can have my pho, sip my beer, drink my coffee, and get lost in another world without ever leaving the city. So if you see me sitting in a corner somewhere, turning pages and ignoring the world around me, don’t worry. I’m exactly where I want to be. Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. By day, she’s a librarian and writer, but by night … she’s asleep.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

City Silo and Make Friends with Anyone by Wayne Francis Memphis, I don’t know if you know this or not, but we’re all friends. ALL OF US. Even them over there. Okay, maybe some of us need a little help making those connections. While at City Silo, I ordered my current City Silo hyperfixation meal of the year: the chicken chipotle salad with their house kombucha. I love the crunchy tortillas, the feta, the avocado, the pickled red onions, the chicken, the chipotle sauce, and the ... well, I just love the whole dang salad. With my fork in my right hand, I held Make Friends with Anyone by Wayne Francis at eye level with my left. This book explores how to make friends and build lasting relationships through a biblical lens. It’s filled with Bible stories, practical wisdom, and applications for building meaningful connections. Now, with the whole city being my boyfriend, some may say I don’t need any more friends. But what do they know?

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