Show Schedule

Proteus Festival is The Z’s annual celebration of creativity. In keeping with the festival’s namesake, Proteus, the festival’s form shifts slightly each year. This year we are soliciting submissions in music, theater and film for featured performers.

With music described as “old-timey,” the East Tennessee native adds her own unique contemporary blend of roots music that is equal parts Americana, Bluegrass, Gospel, Blues, and Jazz. Critics have compared her to a young Janis Joplin, Iris Dement, and Dolly Parton.

VB Comedy Fest highlights early-career stand-up and improv comics, with a strong emphasis on both growing the regional comedy base and showcasing nationally emerging comics. This year’s festival will expand a bit in duration to be as inclusive as possible while ensuring appropriate distancing practices.

Jen Kober is the star performer and recipient of NPR “Snap Judgment Comedic Performance Of The Year” Award! The Girl Scout Cookie Caper is the new Snap classic and has toured to sold out houses across the country.

The Z’s inaugural Shakespeare festival last season was a runaway hit. From the blockbuster re-imagining of “Voodoo Macbeth” through the riotous Bootleg-style production of “Romeo and Juliet,” No Holds Bard established itself as a wholly new kind of Shakespeare festival with a broad appeal to both the Billy Shakes novitiate and the Bard of Avon connoisseur. 

The Vocal Jazz Summit brings together jazz enthusiasts, artists, and the greater jazz community in celebration of the art form. The weekend will engage festival-goers with live performance, interactive workshops and masterclasses, and networking opportunities.

TasteBreakers music festival is a daylong festival featuring exceptionally talented local and regional music acts from The Z’s annual TasteBreakers concert series.