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As American Ninja Warrior sweeps the airwaves, hopefuls train at an Edmond gym. BY JACOB THREADGILL P.21
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hopeful used his training knowledge and passion for fitness to open a gym offering everyone from children to seasoned fitness enthusiasts workouts modeled after the popular show. By Jacob Threadgill | Photo Garett Fisbeck
NEWS 4
City Sept. 12 election update
American Indian Cultural Center and Museum plans resume
hope in opioid epidemic
6 City
8 State naloxone education provides 10 Chicken-Fried News
12 Letters
EAT & DRINK 13 Event Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x
Lounge Fork + Bottle Bourbon Dinner
14 Feature The Press readies to open
in 16th Street Plaza District
16 Gazedibles fried chicken
ARTS & CULTURE 18 OKG Shop autumn
21 Cover Phamily Fun & Fitness in
Edmond uses show to inspire training
23 Art Michael Pearce’s The Secret
Paintings at Oklahoma City University 24 Art We the People: A Portrait of
Early Oklahoma at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
26 Culture young local amateur
competes on MasterChef
27 Culture Oklahoma State
Fair is back
28 Youth Calm in Your Palm helps
children beat anxiety
30 Active OKC AIDS Walk 2017 at
OKC Farmers Public Market
opens in OKC
31 Active Bad Axe Throwing 32 Calendar
MUSIC 34 Event Kruger Brothers headline
American Banjo Museum’s Banjo Fest 2017
36 Event Susan Herndon, Mike Hosty
and Larry Spears Song Swap at The Blue Door
37 Live music
FUN 38 Puzzles sudoku | crossword 39 Astrology
OKG Classifieds 39
Gazette Weekly Winner!
Donnie Gillespie
To claim your tickets, call 528-6000 or come by our offices by 9/13/17!
O kg a z e t t e . c o m | S e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 7
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NEWS Concern for streets
cit y
Future blueprints
Tuesday, OKC votes on Mayor Cornett’s plan for the city’s future. The ballot includes a $967.4 million bond referendum as well as two sales tax propositions to address safety and streets. By Laura Eastes
When Oklahoma City voters cast ballots on Tuesday, they will decide whether or not to raise taxes to boost public safety spending, specifically hiring more police officers and firefighters. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett explained the proposal goes beyond more officers patrolling the streets and fire engines in service. If voters agree to the quarter-cent permanent sales tax, Oklahoma City Police Department will continue to mobilize around community policing and practices of policing in the 21st century, which the U.S. Department of Justice recommends. “There is a greater need for community policing,” Cornett said in an interview with Oklahoma Gazette. “We need to get our police officers out in the community more to establish relationships with our citizens before there is a need to call 911 for criminal activity. We don’t want the first time a person interacts with a police officer to be when they did something wrong or someone is hurt. We need a greater amount of trust between the police department and community.” Two years ago, the city’s police department adopted procedural justice, the practice of fair and impartial policing, as one of its four key issues. Other issues included police presence and services, violent crime and advancing technology. The department has embraced bias awareness training and de-escalation tactics, giving officers the tools to dial down tense encounters with the public. For the department to be successful in deploying these policies and procedures, more officers are needed. “We’ve all seen the news accounts over the last few years of situations involving police,” Cornett said on de-escalating 4
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During Mayor Mick Cornett’s four terms, he has led the city through one general obligation bond program and the MAPS 3 sales tax initiative. Tuesday, voters decide whether to back the 2017 General Obligation Bond program and two sales tax initiatives. | Photo Gazette / file
trainings and policies. “These are highly stressful situations where something goes wrong and someone gets hurt. Sometimes it is best to back off, call additional officers for help and to give the issues a little bit of time. That is a wonderful strategy. I think everyone would say that is a wonderful idea, but it takes more officers.” Within the city’s current general fund, where public safety spending makes up 64.6 percent, extra funding for hiring more officers is absent. In recent years, following the national trend of the growing popularity of online shopping, city leaders have witnessed diminishing sales tax revenues. Since sales tax dollars are a major source of revenue for the city’s general fund, city departments have been hit with budget cuts and hiring freezes. The proposal, crafted by Cornett and approved by the council for this month’s ballot, is expected to raise $26 million annually for general operations, with 65 percent dedicated to public safety. Supporters, including the police and fire unions, tout that the proposal increases sales tax by one quarter for every $100 spent. If voters support the quarter-cent sales tax increase, it will be the first general operations sales tax rate increase in 41 years. Potentially, the city’s sales tax rate would rise from 3.875 to 4.125 percent with most Oklahoma City shoppers paying an 8.625 percent sales tax rate in Oklahoma County.
The quarter-cent permanent sales tax is just one of the proposals on a lengthy ballot featuring 15 total proposals for Oklahoma City voters alone. (OKC residents who reside in Oklahoma County will also vote on the next sheriff, a race between interim sheriff P.D. Taylor, Ed Grimes and Mike Hanson.) The second sales tax proposal before voters is extending the 1-cent MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects Plan) tax for 27 months to benefit street infrastructure. If voters approve the temporary penny sales tax, along with three of the bond propositions — streets, traffic control and bridges — the city would invest $730.5 million into its street system over the next decade. “We know, based on our feedback from our annual survey, people want better streets,” Cornett said. “If this package is remembered for anything, I think it will be taking on the core issues. … People in Oklahoma City love their streets. It comes up No. 1 on every citizens’ survey. Interestingly, No. 2 is traffic congestion, which is also addressed in the bond issue. We are really looking at what the citizens think is most necessary and trying to address it.” The penny sales tax for streets would raise $240 million to “enhance and extend multiple forms of transportation and improve the quality of neighborhoods across Oklahoma City,” according to a city document. While the city council has approved a list of projects connected to each of the 13 bond propositions, there is no list of projects connected to the penny sales tax proposal. Kristy Yager, City of Oklahoma City public information director, said the council will look to the public works department’s list of needed street resurfacing, streetscapes, sidewalks, trails and bike infrastructure projects not included in the bond program. OKC residents helped in the creation of the 10-year general obligation bond issue, which will appear as 13 ballot propositions and authorize a $967.4 million plan to invest in the city’s current and new infrastructure. Last November, neighborhoods across the city completed surveys to let city leaders know their areas of concern, which varied from streets and parks to drainage and transit. More resi-
dents contributed to the bond referendum’s planning through online surveys and attending workshops hosted by the eight council members. The 2017 General Obligation Bond program is divided into 13 propositions: streets, traffic control, bridges, parks and recreation, drainage control, economic and community development, fire, police, libraries, transit, civic center complex, city maintenance facilities and the downtown arena. City leaders designed the bond as a “no tax rate increase bond” referendum, meaning the 2017 bond program replaces the 2007 bond program. There is no increase to the current property tax.
We need a greater amount of trust between the police department and community. Mick Cornett Since 1995, Oklahoma City voters have approved all bond propositions proposed by the council, which has contributed to a nearly $1.4 billion impact on infrastructure throughout the city. While bond projects range in size, from constructing new libraries, parks and municipal courthouses to road widening and streetscape projects, Cornett said the projects can increase property values and serve as a catalyst for redevelopment. “I think back to the Capital Hill streetscape project on SW 25th Street and the streetscape project along Film Row,” Cornett said. “It hasn’t been that long ago that Film Row was one of the most regrettable places of Oklahoma City. Once the city did a facelift on the infrastructure, the private sector moved in and filled it out. Now, we have the 21c [Museum Hotel]. This is an example of a public-private partnership where we came in with new streets, sidewalks and curbing and there was an enormous reaction from the private sector.” The special election is Tuesday with polling sites open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Early voting is 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday at county election board offices.
Under Proposition 7, city leaders propose spending $20.18 million for renovations to Civic Center Music Hall. | Photo Gazette / file
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NEWS
The Bethany Stage Oscar Wilde's
The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum will now resume construction under an agreement reached by the City of Oklahoma City, the State of Oklahoma and the Chickasaw Nation. The museum is expected to open during the spring of 2021. | Photo Gazette / file
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The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum’s second chance is cemented with an agreement reached by Oklahoma City, the state and the Chickasaw Nation. By Laura Eastes
Significant milestones haven’t come along often in the quest to complete The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum. After extensive negotiations among the State of Oklahoma, the City of Oklahoma City and the Chickasaw Nation over the past year, construction is set to begin once again. First proposed in the 1980s by state lawmakers as a way to draw tourism into the state, it wasn’t until 1994 that legislation paved the way for the construction and operation of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum (AICCM). While state lawmakers tasked themselves with raising the funds, the newly created state agency, the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority, was charged with developing the center. Twelve years later, following City of Oklahoma City leaders deeding 60 acres along Interstate 40 for the project, construction began. In 2012, construction crews suspended their work when funds were exhausted. While lawmakers debated how to complete the project, travelers along Interstate 40 saw an unfinished museum with the potential to showcase the history and culture of the 39 tribes of Oklahoma. Additionally, state lawmakers had issued $63 million in bonds toward the museum’s construction. Eighteen months ago, Oklahoma City Council entered into an initial agreement with the Chickasaw Nation to complete and operate the AICCM. The partnership between the tribe and the city fulfilled the requirements of state legislation proposed by former House Speaker Jeff Hickman and signed by the governor that granted the city authority to operate the museum. The city leaders
were on the brink of rejecting involvement with the museum when the Chickasaw Nation offered its help both in finances and museum operations. “The Chickasaw Nation has long been a strong supporter of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum,” Bill Lance, tribe commerce secretary, said in an email to Oklahoma Gazette in December 2015. “As an investor, operator and owner in a variety of diverse businesses, we are pleased to offer to invest in the AICCM for the benefit of the city, the state and the Chickasaw Nation.”
I am confident that this project would not be moving forward and have a path to success if it wasn’t for the involvement of the Chickasaw Nation at this point in time. Jim Couch The future of AICCM was sealed last week when the council approved agreements and a number of measures allowing construction to begin once again. “I am confident that this project would not be moving forward and have a path to success if it wasn’t for the involvement of the Chickasaw Nation at this point in time,” City Manager Jim Couch told the nine-member council before the unanimous vote.
To complete the AICCM, leaders are looking at a $65 million price tag. Back in 2012, the city pledged $9 million to the project, which it plans to contribute to the next round of construction. Additionally, the state committed an additional $25 million in bonds when it passed the legislation initially granting the project to the city. Private contributions add the rest at $31 million. Agreements signed by state, city and tribal leaders last week authorize all parties authority in reviewing and participating in the construction process. It is estimated that construction will take 36 months and the museum could set an opening date during the spring of 2021. One of the parties included in the agreement is AICCM Land Development, LLC, an entity created by the Chickasaw Nation for developing the commercial land around the museum. In 2015, when the tribe approached the city to partner on the museum, the tribe offered to cover construction costs that exceed $65 million and provide museum operations costs of $2 million annually for seven years. In exchange, the city would allow the tribe to commercially develop the museum’s surrounding properties along the Oklahoma River near S. Eastern Avenue. The American Indian Cultural Center Foundation will provide museum operations under contract with the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust. The foundation recently hired James Pepper Henry, who previously served as executive director of Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum, as its executive officer and director of the museum.
Coming soon
When the 125,000 square-foot AICCM opens, visitors can expect to learn about the state’s 39 federally recognized tribes through history, language, arts, dance, music, literature, crafts and native traditions. Since the museum’s initial creation, leaders have touted the future exhibits as Smithsonian-quality and emphasized the museum would attract state residents as well as visitors from out of state. In addition to exhibits, the center will be home to a gift shop, a cafe, meeting rooms and spaces for private ceremonies and the cultural park.
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s tat e
NEWS
Preventing death
Saving someone from a prescription pill overdose is as easy as knowing about naloxone. By Laura Eastes
There is no shortage of questions that Laura Brennan, an education coordinator with the Oklahoma Center for Poison & Drug Information, hears when stationed at a health fair or community event. As an employee of the public health agency charged with operating the state’s poison hotline, Brennan encourages Oklahomans to call the number (1-800-222-1222) if they or someone they know has taken the wrong medication, ingested pesticides or household products or just has a question. In the wake of the state’s opioid epidemic, when nearly four out of five unintentional poisoning deaths are a result of prescription drug abuse, Brennan encounters an increasing number of questions and personal stories surrounding prescription painkillers. “Everywhere I go, I meet someone who has been touched by the opioid epidemic,” Brennan told Oklahoma Gazette. “I travel the entire state, all 77 counties. … It doesn’t matter who they are, what they do for a living or where they live — they’ve been affected. People are sharing stories of stolen medicine, and others are asking how to dispose of medicines.” Around the country, the misuse and abuse of opioids is an escalating and preventable public health crisis. Opioid drugs include opium, morphine, heroin and similar drugs used to treat acute pain following trauma or surgery or to aid patients with painful terminal or chronic diseases, such as cancer. In Oklahoma County, where Karin Leimbach teaches the general public the right way to store and dispose of prescription drugs — an approach to prevent opioid abuse and misuse from the beginning — she answers questions centered on treatment and what to do in an overdose situation.
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“While our main focus is on safe use, storage and disposal, we do speak to people who are past the point of prevention,” said Leimbach, who is a member of the Substance Use Prevention Alliance (SUPA), a local coalition brought together by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) and DCCCA to address the epidemic of abuse and misuse of legal and illegal substances. “We share 211 (OKC HeartLine) as a resource for who to call to find out about treatment facilities. Then, naloxone.” Oklahomans past the point of prevention comes as no surprise in the wake of the statistics. Oklahoma ranked No. 1 nationally for non-medical use of painkillers for all age groups 12 and older during 2012 to 2014, according to a July report issued by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. With a high number of Oklahomans using prescription pain pills — even responsibly, under a doctor’s care — more attention is being placed on preventing opioid-overdose deaths with naloxone, or Narcan, the drug that can reserve the overdose.
Reversing the damage
Fighting opioid drug overdose with naloxone became a goal of the Oklahoma State Department of Health in 2013. At that time, the agency joined other state health and law enforcement agencies in developing Oklahoma’s plan, Reducing Prescription Drug Abuse in Oklahoma, which listed programs, policies and initiatives to address the state’s opioid epidemic. One such initiative was expanding access to naloxone. Following legislation changes, the health department began training
Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse an overdose, is available for sale at many pharmacies without a prescription and can be obtained at no cost at seven treatment centers in Oklahoma City. | Photo Garett Fisbeck
emergency medical personnel across the state on the use of naloxone. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services trained law enforcement agencies. Eventually, the health department’s training expanded to fire departments and rural volunteer fire departments. “Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, and what that means is naloxone reverses an opioid-related overdose, whether that is prescription painkillers, opioids or heroin,” said Avy Redus, a project coordinator for unintentional poisoning and overdose with the health department. While naloxone has become more widespread in the last few years among first responders and law enforcement, the health department advocates for public use for preventing overdoses. In May, the potential for naloxone’s use in Oklahoma grew even further when Gov. Mary Fallin signed a law to allow pharmacies to dispense the medication to anyone. As part of an effort to increase access to naloxone, there are seven sites in Oklahoma City where naloxone kits can be obtained for free. Additionally, pharmacies across the state carry the kits for purchase. “There is still a learning curve in rural Oklahoma,” Redus said about awareness around naloxone and how it can prevent opioid overdose. “With our emergency medical personnel trained
and with law enforcement trained, along with public awareness through local coalition and more clinicians coprescribing naloxone, that has helped drum up attention and information.”
Local response
Last week, as part of International Overdose Awareness Day, Leimbach held up a package of Narcan to show students on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma. She recommended giving Narcan to someone showing signs of an overdose — pale skin, loud gurgling noises and blue lips and fingertips. As a nasal spray, it can be administered by tilting the head back and spraying the dosage up the nostril. Once administered, she advocated for calling 911. The drug replaces the opioids and allows the body time to recover and breathe again, but she said further medical assistance is needed. Leimbach’s message goes beyond what the drug can do. First, drug overdoses don’t just happen to those struggling with drug abuse, as they can happen by simply misunderstanding a legal prescription. Second, the first responders at a potential overdose, before emergency personnel arrive, are often family members and friends. Being familiar with Narcan could help save a life, just like CPR.
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On Sept. 12, vote YES on all 15 ballot items to rebuild Oklahoma City’s streets, improve drainage, hire more police officers and firefighters, and invest in Oklahoma City’s infrastructure needs – all without raising property taxes.
WHY VOTE YES:
• Oklahoma City has the eighth-worst streets in the nation. Roads are the top concern for residents. Vote YES on Sept. 12 to make the largest investment in improving Oklahoma City’s streets in its history. • Since 1993, Oklahoma City has grown by 200,000 people, but it has essentially the same number of patrol officers. Vote YES on the quartercent sales tax to hire 129 additional police officers and 57 firefighters that will keep the community safe. • Vote YES to invest in our community’s infrastructure needs, giving us improved libraries, parks, drainage and other projects that will bring jobs to Oklahoma City and diversify its economy.
Your precinct will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Find your polling location at www.ok.gov/elections, www.ok.gov/ elections, and learn and morelearn about more the ballot about the items ballot at www.betterokc.com. items at www.
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chicken
friedNEWS
Exigent educators
What is the fastest growing profession in Oklahoma? We’re not sure if it’s official, but it just might be emergency certified teachers. Oklahoma has set yet another record in education. As usual, we at Chicken-Fried News are dubious about the “achievement.” The Oklahoma Board of Education has approved 1,429 emergency teaching certificates so far this year. That’s already 269 more than the entirety of last year. Aug. 24, NewsOK.com reported that emergency certifications, while rarely used in the past, have become the norm in the last four years. Educators and administrators know that issuing emergency certifications to untrained applicants isn’t by any means an ideal situation but are at a loss when it comes to fixing what seems to be a growing problem. “Even if they perhaps have certification in another field ... they are walking in the door without the training or experience to be able to meet the needs of kids on day one,” Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said at a school board meeting Aug. 24. “Even if you have 20 years of experience as a Boeing engineer ... dealing with children who have special needs, who have experienced a life of trauma, requires a skill set that requires training.” Oklahoma State School Boards Association recently released the results of a survey showing 536 vacancies in the state, and NewsOK.com reported that schools around the state are seeing little, if any, response to job postings. Funding cuts, low pay, lack of classroom resources and other factors have added to the stresses of filling the vacant positions.
“WAIT WAIT… DON’T TELL ME” IS THE PERFECT SOUNDTRACK TO A TAILGATE. TRUST US ON THIS ONE.
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Indigenous Peoples’ Day
We at Chicken-Fried News think Norman is pretty awesome. For one, it’s a college town, so there’s an ample supply of great bars and restaurants. Two, it’s home to cool museums like Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Sam Noble Museum and National Weather Museum and Science Center. Three, the city’s tagline is “Building an Inclusive Community.” In other words, Norman values diversity and promotes equal treatment and opportunity. On Aug. 22, Norman City Council unanimously voted in favor of a resolution declaring the second Monday in October to be Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the city. You might recall from your elementary school days that since 1971, the federal government has recognized Columbus Day on the second Monday in October. The day signifies Christopher Columbus’ arrival in America. According to NewsOK.com, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an alternative to Columbus Day. It honors the culture of Native Americans who lived in North America before Columbus or other European settlers.
“The [vote] in Norman not only recognizes the history of indigenous people but also raises the viability of our community and current issues,” Summer Wesley, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, told NewsOK.com. “This is part of a larger national movement and it also demonstrated the importance of this to other cities.” Norman joined other Oklahoma cities Anadarko and Tahlequah in recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. For the past two years, citizens have approached the Oklahoma City Council about supporting it. A resolution has failed to pass the nine-member council despite support from a few council members. After the Norman vote, Norman Councilwoman Breea Clark tweeted, “Norman City Council just recognized the 2nd Monday of Oklahoma as Indigenous Peoples’ Day! What about you, @cityofokc?” Two days later, Live Indigenous OK, a Facebook group, wrote on the social media platform, “It’s time, City of Oklahoma City - Government.” Might this be the year that the OKC Council supports a resolution in favor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October? ChickenFried News has no insider knowledge; however, we know Norman is keeping things cool.
Bad connection
As news junkies, we here at ChickenFried News get excited when we see examples of quality journalism. So excuse our joy as we cheer the fine reporting of Texoma’s KXII News 12 and reporter Rachel Knapp, who asked all the right questions in connecting Colbert interim police chief Bart Alsbrook with a Southern Poverty Law Centeridentified hate group. In the aftermath of deadly August protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, the law center (SPLC) released an updated map of white supremacist hate groups in the United States. The map included Texoma’s ISD Records, a music label and merchandise vendor that sells racist messages. After the map brought the news station’s attention to the site, someone at KXII noticed Alsbrook’s name listed as the site owner — a problematic connection considering he was coincidentally named Colbert interim police chief in the same week. When asked about the connection, Alsbrook told Knapp his identity had been stolen by skinheads at heavy metal shows in the 1990s. He claimed they have been using his name in connection to many racist activities and groups through the years.
Alsbrook’s explanation seems plausible, if unlikely. Identity theft is a significant problem, after all. Alsbrook later told Tulsa World the allegations of racism have ruined his life. Though it is possible his identity was stolen at some point, follow-up reporting by SPLC draws an undeniable link between the interim police chief and a personal history with white-supremacist movements and skinhead metal. The nonprofit, in an Aug. 30 post on its website, cites past photos and video that show Alsbrook, at the least, comes from a checkered past. In one photo, a masked man with identical tattoos to Alsbrook can be seen holding a large assault rifle. In a video, he talks about the encroaching extinction of the white race. Alsbrook actually offered his resignation to the Colbert city council, but council members voted not to remove him. A city spokesman told KXII the council did not believe Alsbrook had done anything that warranted firing. As of Oklahoma Gazette’s print deadline, Alsbrook is still Colbert’s acting police chief. Incidentally, remind us not to travel to Colbert anytime soon.
Needle damage
In our reflexively nostalgic culture, comebacks are everywhere. But Chicken-Fried News wants to know who thought it was a good idea for syphilis to stage a comeback. Al Capone fanatics? In an Aug. 24 New York Times article, reporter Jan Hoffman tracked a new wave of syphilis outbreaks in Oklahoma. Keep in mind syphilis was practically wiped out not long ago, and most doctors who have been in practice for two decades or less never or rarely treated the disease. Yet, as with other entirely treatable maladies like hunger and Islamophobia, Oklahoma is out in front of the pack. The cause for this resurgence is directly tied to the opioid and methamphetamine epidemics as users begin to trade sex for drugs. Because the disease is rapidly spreading in Oklahoma, state health inspectors are deploying to investigate residential areas where people known to be carriers of the disease live. Hoffman describes the phalanx of inspectors as “syphilis detectives,” which really takes the romanticism out of those Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett novels that CFN loved as preschoolers.
Nationally, syphilis has tripled its incidence since 2015, going from 24,000 cases nationwide to 75,000, and while the disease can be cured with a shot of Pfizer’s Bicillin, the antibiotic is on the Federal Drug Administration’s list of current shortages. Furthermore, the Trump Administration is proposing a 17 percent cut to programs designed to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. State health inspectors tracked the disease to the activities of 17 gangs, who were spreading syphilis through sharing needles or sexual activity. Babies are being born with this disease and are dying needlessly as the opioid crisis grimly marches on. The resurgence of syphilis and the growing incidence of the disease in 2017 Oklahoma feels not just a little like bubonic plague or cholera making a red dirt comeback. We’re not ready for people’s noses to start falling off like they did 90 years ago in the prepenicillin age. It was a disease most epidemiologists thought was going the way of dark, backalley opium dens, but as the staggering toll of the current opioid epidemic continues to emerge, it seems everything old is new again.
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letters
NEWS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to editor@okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette.com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification.
MAPS 3 blessing
I am 67 years old. I live alone, and I work at home. There have been many days when I did not leave my house, many on which I did not talk to any other human being (other than Lucy, who is actually a cat). I’ve been living alone for a long time and had come to prefer that lifestyle. But that all changed on April 14, when I made a radical decision to join the new City of OKC-sponsored Wellness Center on North Rockwell. That decision changed my life. I went to my first Tai Chi class there three days later. What a great experience that was! We have an excellent young instructor named Corey. He is very patient with us old geezers and geezettes. I’m sure we must have looked ridiculous for the first few weeks, but
we’re looking pretty good these days. On May 3, I attended my first chair yoga class. The course is designed for people who might have trouble getting down on the floor (or, more accurately, getting back up). Using variations of traditional yoga poses, we get lots of great stretches, increasing our strength and flexibility. Dee Ann is the instructor for this class, and she is superb — a great teacher and motivator.
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Dee Ann also teaches traditional yoga, which I started in August. I could go on about how great that class is, but I won’t belabor the point. I added a second yoga class shortly after that. The teacher for this class is Monica, and she is also extraordinary. I am currently going to the Wellness Center six days a week, averaging two classes per day. As a result of the classes I’m taking, I am stronger, more flexible
and more coordinated. I have better balance, and I feel better than I have in years. There’s a lot going on besides the classes I mentioned. There’s a gym, a weight room, a swimming pool, arts and crafts classes, cooking classes and much more. The first-rate faculty, staff, volunteers and the members are all just so happy to be there. It’s a great environment and great place to meet people and make new friends. With the opening of this wellness center (the first of four), the City of OKC has made a brilliant investment in our community. The returns on that investment may not be easy to measure, but they are very real. I’m just one example. There are about 4,000 more examples on North Rockwell, and there will be thousands more as the other centers are completed and opened. Thanks to Oklahoma City for providing this life-changing opportunity. Rusty Muns Oklahoma City
EAT & DRINK
Mary Eddy’s executive chef Jason Campbell prepared a five-course meal for the
event
latest Fork + Bottle dinner. | Photo 21c Museum Hotel / provided
Bourbon blast
A special dinner at Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge highlights bourbon’s rise in popularity. By Jacob Threadgill
The last episode of Mad Men might’ve aired two years ago, but the era of bourbon and whiskey cocktails that it helped usher into the zeitgeist can still be felt, especially at Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge at 21c Museum Hotel, 900 W. Main St., which has a special dinner and drink menu in honor of National Bourbon Month in September. As recently as 2002, the export market for all whiskey was $326 million and had fallen steadily for three decades, but now the export market annually tops $1 billion of the total $2.9 billion industry, which grew by 7.8 percent in 2015, according to Fortune magazine. “The Old Fashioned is really popular, and we can be very thankful to Mad Men,” said Michael O’Hara, Mary Eddy’s assistant food and beverage manager. “I’ve worked in fine dining for awhile now, and after work, people would drink wine or scotch and it became, ‘I know more about scotch than you.’ A lot of people aren’t drinking scotch anymore, and a lot of people aren’t drinking wine. Bourbon is becoming extremely popular in our state and across the country.” Bourbon plays a big role in the legacy of Mary Eddy’s owner, the 21c Museum Hotel chain, which was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, and co-founder Laura Lee Brown is the great-granddaughter of the founder of BrownForman, the largest American-owned
Mary Eddy’s features six special bourbon cocktails the entire month of September. | Photo 21c Museum Hotel / provided
liquor company. It’s a common misconception that bourbon must be distilled in Kentucky, but the state does produce 95 percent. According to federal regulations, bourbon must be made with a minimum of 51 percent corn content, distilled to a maximum 160 proof and barreled in charred oak containers with no mention of location. The bar at Mary Eddy’s stocks over 60 varieties of bourbon, some of which can be difficult to find. For a variety like a 24-year-old Parker’s Heritage Collection, the entire state of Oklahoma might only get six bottles, and Mary Eddy’s has two. “A lot of these products are never posted in market,” O’Hara said. “It’s about making a call and knowing the right people.”
Fork + Bottle dinner
Bourbon is the feature of the month at Mary Eddy’s, where the spirit is the star of a special drink menu and the restaurant’s second Fork + Bottle dinner 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 with a five-course special menu that includes six bourbon pairings. Tickets are $89 (plus tax and gratuity), and reservations are required. “We’d don’t make a whole lot of money on these events. We try to make
it as special as possible for the guest,” O’Hara said. “We want guests to feel like they ate way too much, drank too much bourbon and had too much fun.” Executive chef Jason Campbell said he began to appreciate bourbon after living in Kentucky while working at a 21c hotel in Cincinnati. “When [the temperature] starts to get cooler, you can start to smell the bourbon,” Campbell said with a laugh. When preparing the Fork + Bottle dinner, Campbell was weary of cooking with bourbon because adding heat to the spirit denatures the flavor, negating the difference between 12- and 20-yearold varieties. Instead, he focused on highlighting individual flavor notes of bourbon in each dish. The dinner opens with crispy Brussels sprouts with hot honey, feta cheese and lemon; a pork rillete; and crab hushpuppies in a mustard green aioli. The second course, a beef tartar, mimics the smoky and citrusy notes of bourbon with burnt orange and a bacon fat crouton. The dish is served with an Old Fashioned featuring Old Forester 1870. A squash panzanella salad arrives third and uses rye croutons as a nod to the rye used in bourbon. The drink pairings for this dish are a Sonoma-Cutrer chardonnay and a Woodford Reserve rye. The main course is a cold smoked duck breast with a foie gras pierogi, cacao nib vinaigrette and charred cabbage. “Duck and bourbon go so well together,” Campbell said, noting that the duck is smoked to mimic the characteristics of the charred bourbon barrel. “I’m Polish, so I have to do a pierogi. Using foie gras is an example of what we can do at the one-off dinners. It’s a high-end item that we might not get away with putting on our menu with the labor and everything, but it’s worth it to do it.” The dinner concludes with a cream puff stuffed with chocolate mousse, Amarena cherry ice cream and candied orange peel served with an Old Forester
Birthday Bourbon. “It’s almost a food cocktail because it has all of the same ingredients as an Old Fashioned,” Campbell said.
Freedom reigns
Coming up as a young chef in Orlando, Campbell said working in the hotel industry was frowned upon because chefs didn’t have much opportunity to experiment, as menus were often controlled by corporate to keep costs down. 21c gives Campbell a blank slate with which to experiment. The same applies to its bartenders, who are tasked with creating six special cocktails available for the entire month of September. From the light and sweet Kentucky Rose, which combined Four Roses Bourbon’s yellow label and cucumber bitters to the Faint of Heart cocktail, which adds absinthe to Bulleit Bourbon, the drinks go from refreshing to heavy. As a nod to the Presidents of the United States of America song, the Moving to the Country cocktail adds peach syrup and bitters to Maker’s Mark bourbon surrounded by a red wine float, which is all hidden under an amaretto foam. For the harvest cocktails, bartenders concocted their own cider-cayenne syrup, and for the .357, like a more potent Revolver cocktail, they made a banana and coffee syrup. “We’re trying to be funky and elegant,” O’Hara said. Visit maryeddysokc.com.
Fork + Bottle: Bourbon Heritage Month 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge | 21c Museum Hotel 900 W. Main St. | maryeddysokc.com 405-982-6960 $89
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EAT & DRINK
now open
Lunch Combo Special Mon-Fri 11- 2:30pm
Happy Hour Mon-Fri 3- 5pm
405-285-2396
TEACHERS 1/2 TO EAT TOO! Teachers and administrators can ring in the school year with a sweet deal. Half-priced 4-course Fondue Every Sunday through Thursday during the month of September. It's our way of saying "thank you" for all you do!
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
(405) 235-1000 14
S e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m
F e at u r e
3209 s Broadway in Edmond
Plaza pioneers
Opening in early October, The Press is the latest restaurant from Hungry Town Concepts. By Jacob Threadgill
Long before friends Roger Eleftherakis, John Harris, Joey Morris and Cody Rowan opened their first restaurant, The Mule, the joke between college friends was that they should open a combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell but have a bar and call it Hungry Town. Started as a joke, Hungry Town Concepts is now the name of the friends’ successful restaurant group, which has expanded to include Deep Deuce’s Anchor Down and another Plaza District restaurant, The Press, located at 1610 N. Gatewood Ave., one block west of The Mule.
Hungry plaza
The arrival of The Mule signified the start of a change in the Plaza District. When it opened five years ago, Harris said, Saints was one of the few other restaurants in the neighborhood. “The growth has been insane,” he said of the Plaza District, which is now home to 12 eateries. “We came in because of price, and we were looking for somewhere because we didn’t have a lot of money. Rent is three times as much now.” The 4,400 square-foot building for The Press is more than twice as large as The Mule. It is a former garage and printing press, which serves as inspiration for
From left Joey Morris, Jenna Lewis, Roger Eleftherakis, Beth Ann Lyon and John Harris combined forces to open The Press. | Photo provided
the name. It is undergoing heavy renovation that includes ornate woodwork in the two main eating areas and sleek tile in the bathrooms.
The design pays homage to what the place was, and that’s the idea with the food too. It’s Oklahomastyle food. Jenna Lewis The building’s history plays a role in design of the menu and interior of the restaurant, which will include photos of old cars and printing presses. “The design pays homage to what the place was, and that’s the idea with the food too. It’s Oklahoma-style food,” said Jenna Lewis, who will serve as general manager for The Press.
Oklahoma-inspired
The move to open The Press is a paradigm
shift for the Hungry Town crew, what Harris referred to as their first “grown-up restaurant.” After starting with grilled cheese at The Mule and adding corn dogs at Anchor Down, The Press will serve traditional Oklahoma comfort food modeled after the state’s official dinner but also offer vegetarian options and craft cocktails. Chef Beth Ann Lyon, who also consulted on the menu for its first two restaurants, reunites with the group to design the menu and train its staff. “I’ve known them since they waited tables at The Wedge,” Lyon said. “It’s amazing to see their journey from opening their first place and finding success to where they are now, especially since they’re local. We’re so stoked about this menu.” When it comes to devising a menu based on the official state dinner, which was ratified by the Legislature in 1988, it starts with a chicken-fried steak and chicken-fried chicken, Lyon said. The Press puts its own spin on the chicken-fried steak by using high-quality rib-eye, which is hand-cut, pounded thin and marinated in buttermilk before being fried and topped with a buttermilk gravy Lyon said is “so thick you can build a house with it.” Classically trained in French cooking, Lyon also is co-owner of Routed Connection, which offers yoga retreats around the world, where she prepares plant-based food and medicine for its guests. With the help of Lewis, she puts together vegan and vegetarian meals on The Press menu. “There aren’t a lot of vegan options in Oklahoma, so I’m really excited that
they’re going to let me have some grain bowls too,” Lyon said. “Everyone has dietary restrictions, so The Press will embody everything.” The menu will have options and corresponding icons for those on carb-free paleo and keto diets or who are vegan or vegetarian. The latter will be available in both healthy (grain bowls and salads with fresh produce) and non-healthy options (Indian tacos with potato and beans or sweet potato fritters.) “You can be vegan and eat Oreos; it doesn’t have to be low-calorie,” Lyon said. The Press will be open seven days a week and serve brunch, lunch and dinner. The drink menu will cater toward beers on tap and herb-heavy cocktails designed by Lewis. “Jenna is a scientist and doing some amazing tinctures and tonics for the bar,” Lyon said. Lewis said the bar will have its own version of switchel, which is also called haymaker’s punch, that was very popular on Oklahoma farms. It will combine a mixture of citrus, chamomile, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and ginger. The Press is hoping to open in early October, which Lyon described as prime time for family-style meals as people come into town for the holidays. Harris and Lyon envision guests will be able to call in for reservations to order a large meal based on Oklahoma’s state dinner, which includes barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage gravy, fried okra, squash, cornbread, grits, corn, black-eyed peas, strawberries and pecan pie. A truly Oklahoma-themed restaurant is how Hungry Town is giving back to the customers that have supported them, Harris said. “The clients of Oklahoma City, I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “When we started at The Mule, we didn’t expect it to be so busy, and we had a lot of people be really patient. They waited outside for their sandwich for a long time and still thanked us when they left. The reception [for The Press] has been great, and people love seeing new stuff.”
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For voting us best post-game best post-concert spot!
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Construction is in progress at The Press, which is scheduled to open in early October |
615 E. Memorial | Oklahoma City (405) 755-8600 8009 W. Reno | Oklahoma City (405) 792-2020 Patriciasgiftshop.com
Photo Garett Fisbeck
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g a z e di b l e s
eat & DRINK
Good cluck
There are few dishes more universally loved by this city’s meat eaters than chicken freshly fried and seasoned to order. The local food scene has a hen house of options to choose from, including some that are downright delectable. Feeling peckish? There is no need to wing it searching for OKC’s best chicken fry. Instead, let Oklahoma Gazette be your guide to crisp, golden happiness. By Ben Luschen | Photos by Garett Fisbeck and Gazette / file
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Nashbird
Chick N Beer
The Drum Room
Though a relative newcomer to the 405’s fried fowl cage match, Nashbird is far from a featherweight. In fact, most will find that the Automobile Alley restaurant now found in the former home of Hillbilly’s packs quite a punch with its cayenne pepper-spiced chicken. Nashbird specializes in the kind of hot chicken made famous in Nashville, Tennessee, but it also sells buttermilk ranch and Southern fried flavors for those who would rather tap out on the sweat-prompting spice.
The Chick N Beer formula for success is as straightforward as the eatery’s title: tasty hot chicken wings paired with your favorite ice-cold local brews. What might not be apparent to newcomers based solely on name is the restaurant’s use of Koreanstyle wings, which often offer more depth of flavor than standard Buffalo-style varieties (with as much or more heat). Kimchi beef sliders are recommended as an alternative to poultry.
While often called drumsticks, we’ve found from experience that chicken legs don’t make the best percussive tools. Thankfully, those who order a Drum Stix Set for $13 will only be expected to eat their four Southern-fried legs, which they will do more than gladly thanks to an irresistible blend of spices that puts certain white-haired colonels to shame. One sign of a great chicken restaurant is when waffles can be found on the menu’s list of sides, and The Drum Room’s are some of the city’s best.
1 NW Ninth St. nashbirdchicken.com | 405-600-9718
715 NW 23rd St. chicknbeerokc.com | 405-604-6995
4309 N. Western Ave. drumroomokc.com | 405-604-0990
Chef Ray’s Street Eats
Mobile facebook.com/chefraysstreeteats 405-531-2871
The metro area’s best-kept secret on four wheels won’t stay that way for long as new customers are added to the food truck’s local cult following with each passing day. Like previously mentioned Nashbird, Chef Ray’s truck specializes in the red-hot chicken made famous in Tennessee. While nothing could ever overshadow the succulent magic found in each delicious basket of fried goodness, Ray’s banana pudding is as good as can be found anywhere in Oklahoma.
Guernsey Park
2418 N. Guernsey Ave. guernseypark.com | 405-605-5272
Fried chicken is a down-home soul food favorite, but for an Asian twist on a classic dish, there is no topping the delightfully delicate version offered at Guernsey Park. The bird is cooked before frying, resulting in a heavenly crisp skin around meat that seems impossibly tender. As an appetizer, Guernsey’s chicken lollipops are practically meat candy. People all over the city rave about the chicken-wing starter with its meat pushed conveniently up on the bone.
Park Harvey SuSHi wine & SPortS lounge
lunch Special
2 rolls $10.95 • mon-fri inside or outside on the patio
Ann’s Chicken Fry House & Gift Shop 4106 NW 39th St. 405-943-8915
Whether it is chicken or beef on the receiving end of Ann’s genius chickenfried treatment, diner patrons will leave satisfied. Ann’s, much like its decor and gift shop memorabilia, is a classic piece of Route 66 Americana rightfully endeared to many Oklahomans for its delicious white gravy and generous portions. The establishment is small and cozy, and the nostalgic fare makes for a warm reminder of home. Don’t forget to check out the diner’s Facebook page.
Drink and Sing Karaoke
Every Wed & Sat Nights
Pool Tournament Every Sun/Mon/Thurs
Cajun King
5816 NW 63rd St. 405-603-3714
In need of the kind of cozy bliss that only a heaping helping of comfort food can provide? Look no farther than Cajun King, the grand emperor of Southern buffets. Patrons can pile their plates high with fried chicken, biscuits, red beans and rice and every imaginable type of Louisiana goodness. If you don’t pace yourself in the portion department, someone will probably have to carry you out, and we don’t mean in a royal rickshaw. Visit Cajun King’s Facebook page for more information.
301 W. Main St Moore, OK 73160 (405) 794-4584
Family owned since 1972
Happy Hour Everyday 12-7pm Daily Food Specials
Now serving Coop Horney Toad
All Sports Bar and Grill 200 n. Harvey | 405.600.7575
211 N. Trade Center Terr | Mustang 405.256.5005 |
#eatMoorelocal
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SHOP
shop
Adventurous autumn Do you feel the crisp, humidity-free air on your skin? Does that make you want to pull out your fleece and consume all things flavored with pumpkin spice? Here is a guide to the places you need to visit to get everything from fall treats to apparel and camping gear. By Jacob Threadgill | Photos by Garett Fisbeck
• L&B Yarn Co.
425 W. Gray St., Norman lbyarnco.com 405-310-3636
While knitting is the perfect hobby because not only is it fun to pass the time, it also leads to useful products for the coming winter. If you want to knit your own scarf, sweater or blanket, there is no better place to go than Norman’s L&B Yarn Co. The store also offers classes on a variety of knitting styles each Saturday if you’re interested in getting started or expanding your knowledge.
selections like ooey, gooey apple praline pie.
Triangle A&E
•Cuppies & Joe 727 NW 23rd St. cuppiesandjoe.com 405-528-2122
There is something about the marriage of cupcakes and coffee that makes Historic Uptown’s Cuppies & Joe the perfect place to warm up as the temperature begins to drop. Bippity Bobbity Boo, a pumpkin spice cupcake with cream cheese icing, makes an appearance on the seasonal menu, which pairs nicely with gourmet coffee from Tulsa’s Topeca Coffee. Cuppies & Joe bakes an assortment of other goodies every day, including pies, which will be supplemented this fall for seasonal 18
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7201 N. Broadway Extension triangleae.com 405-848-4661 Has the fall got you thinking about crafting? Triangle A&E is Oklahoma City’s preeminent store for all your decoration projects, serving the city since 1919. Peruse everything from fine art to drafting supplies while in the store or take advantage of its printing services for an autumn home makeover.
Culinary Kitchen + Home
7222 N. Western Ave. culinarykitchen.com 405-418-4884 Open since 2007, Culinary Kitchen + Home has the largest locally owned selection of everything you’ll need to cook and host your own fall-themed dinner. Have you ever wanted to perfect that holiday tiramisu or autumn centerpiece? Check out the selection at Culinary Kitchen + Home for everything from kitchen utensils to spices like nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cloves needed to make pumpkin spice.
Karen’s Flea Market •Native Summit
STAy SAFe
100 N. Broadway, Suite 118, Edmond thenativesummit.com 405-513-5050
As the leaves begin to change, there is no better way to experience nature than to live amongst the beauty. If you’re looking to take a camping expedition this fall, Edmond’s Native Summit is the place to stock up on everything from protective wear to tents and accessories like climbing gear and outdoor cooking products.
After you’ve baked your own fall treats and are decked out in knitted scarves, what better way to complement the crisp fall air than with an outdoor fire pit or patio heater. Amini’s on Northwest Expressway offers nearly 100 varieties of wood and gas fire pits perfect for roasting marshmallows and keeping your toes warm.
• Blue Seven 7518 N. May Ave. myblueseven.com 405-604-5199
Blue Seven strives to be a place that keeps you warm with apparel this fall but also connects Oklahoma’s community of artists and merchants. Pretty much everything sold in the boutique comes from the creative mind of an Oklahoman, for Oklahomans. As winter approaches, it might be a good idea to purchase one of Blue Seven’s blanket-lined jackets or a fashionable hoodie.
OFF SALE
Door Guard Alarm
hangs on knob | 98 decimals
$15 or 2 for $25
Booth Space Available 50% OFF first month’s rent with 6 month lease
Clocks Records & Games Custom Framing
House Hold Items Personal Protection Items and More!
4700 S Bryant Ave | 405.550.2689 Tues-Fri 10AM-7PM | Sat-Sun 9AM-6PM
Starting Sept. 1 new vendor’S & State fair SaleS...
Come See Us!
Furniture • Antiques Uniques & Collectibles Mon - Sat | 10a - 5p | 603.8878 3901 n College | Bethany
Visit Sharon’s Boutique inside
the cottage Mon-Fri 10-6 Sat 10-5
3921 N. College, Bethany | 603-7493
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•Amini’s Galleria
6627 Northwest Expressway aminis.com 405-722-2400
up to 50%
Where we have your
“Gotta Have’s” Apple Tree AnTique GAllery 6740 nw 39th expressway bethany, oK | 405.495.0602
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7302 N. Western Ave. shoprosegold.com O kg a z e t t e . c o m | s e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 7
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2 0 1 7 O K L A H O M A S TAT E FA I R
Great Ticketed Events!
PRCA XTREME BULLS TOUR & CONCERTS September 14-19 TICKET PRICES START AT
$
15
Thursday, Sept. 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. . . . 11:30 a.m., 3:30 & 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:30 & 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18 . . . . . . . . . 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 p.m.
C A R N I VA L R I D E
Armbands!
SAVE $
10
when you purchase an Unlimited Carnival Ride Armband at the Jim Norick Arena Box Office or through our other ticket buying options.
(Outside Gate Admission NOT INCLUDED)
HURRY, OFFER ENDS SEPTEMBER 13!
Free ! s t r e c n o C
GARY ALLAN
Friday, September 22 7:30 p.m.
JOSH TURNER Saturday, September 23 7:30 p.m.
3
WAYS TO BUY TICKETS! JIM NORICK ARENA BOX OFFICE,
okstatefair.com OR 405.948.6800
E N T E RTA I N M E N T S TAG E September 18 HAWK NELSON & ZACH WILLIAMS 7:30 p.m.
(with Outside Gate Admission) September 14 WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN 7:30 p.m.
September 16 BEATLEMANIA LIVE! 8 p.m.
September 19 GARY PUCKETT and the UNION GAP 7:30 p.m.
September 15 THE OAK RIDGE BOYS 7:30 p.m.
September 17 LA MAFIA 3 p.m.
September 20 ELVIS EXTRAVAGANZA 7:30 p.m.
okstatefair.com
17_OKLAHOMA_GAZETTE_COLOR_9.25X12.25.indd 1 20 s e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m
The Official Soft Drink of State Fair Park
September 21 CHASE BRYANT 7:30 p.m. September 22 TONY! TONI! TONE! 7:30 p.m. September 23 DENNIS DeYOUNG: The Music of STYX 8 p.m. September 24 SUGAR FREE ALLSTARS 3 p.m.
7/29/17 11:11 AM
cov e r
ARTS & CULTURE
Ninja stars
As the popularity of American Ninja Warrior rises, a local gym is providing an opportunity to join in the fun. By Jacob Threadgill
When the hit NBC television show American Ninja Warrior came to Oklahoma City last May to film a qualifying round outside the Capitol, Edmond resident Dominic Pham knew, after sending in multiple video submissions over the years, it was his best chance to get on the show. Three times a day for three weeks, Pham would go to Stars and Stripes Park at Lake Hefner to make sure his name was on the walk-on list for the chance to complete the 10-obstacle course and be entered into the qualifying show, which culminates with a $1 million finale in Las Vegas. Despite being 16th in line, the call for Pham to run on the course never came. Instead of allowing another rejection from the show get him down, Pham, a licensed trainer, decided to improve his skills and help others by opening his own ninja gym. Outside Ardmore’s Gauntlet Fitness, Oklahoma did not have another gym dedicated to obstacle course training.
Taking a leap
Pham found a warehouse space near his Edmond home and got to work building obstacles in early July 2016, a task he accomplished thanks to his day job as sheet metal fabricator. Phamily Fun & Fitness opened at 404 Wimbledon Road in early August last year complete with a 14-andhalf-foot-tall warped wall, the signature final obstacle of every ninja warrior course. “I had to take a leap of faith,” Pham, 39, said of opening the gym. “I’m in my late 30s, and you go through life looking for the
next goal. Whether it is high school, college or your job, you go through this marathon race, and it’s like, ‘What is the purpose?’ The purpose is seeing the happiness in people when they come into the gym, see the course, and eventually the gains that they can make; it’s enough for me.” Pham opened with the intent on targeting adults, and many — including American Ninja Warrior season nine competitor and former University of Michigan gymnast Rohan Sebastian — do train there, but the gym has found its niche, Pham said, training kids from ages 4 to 14. “It’s a struggle if [the kids] don’t get it or start crying, but it gives you sense of patience and perseverance,” Pham said. “When they start making those gains, that’s the brightest thing when they start smiling.”
It’s like falling through a frozen pond of water. People’s heart rates get erratic and they don’t know what to do. If you can remain calm in the air, you can control your limbs. Dominic Pham Dominic Pham coaches Jacob Wells, 11, and Cheyenne Conner, 11, during a class. | Photo Garett Fisbeck
Audrey Rose Price trains at Phamily Fun & Fitness. | Photo Garett Fisbeck
Popularity rises
Pham said the decision to market and cater the gym to children was done in part because the show is very popular among younger demographics. Modeled after the successful Japanese show Sasuke, which originally aired on video gamefocused channel G4, American Ninja Warrior (ANW) has become a runaway hit after its rights were acquired by NBC. In the age where millennial and Generation Z is increasingly eschewing broadcast television, ANW routinely draws a 1.9 rating in the key 18-49 age demographic and sports a healthy 6.4 million viewers overall. It has become NBC’s second highest rated show, only trailing juggernaut America’s Got Talent and routinely beats other reality hits like ABC’s The Bachelorette and Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. The show’s popularity, along with the rising preference for high-impact interval training (HIIT), like CrossFit or P90x, has lead to a number of Ninja Obstacle Course gyms opening around the country. Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association, a corporation that promotes and organizes regional ninja obstacle course competitions nationwide, lists over 50 ninja course gyms across 35 states. Sebastian won two national championships with the University of Michigan during an All-American career and was selected by ANW producers to compete in the Kansas City qualifier, which aired this July. Sebastian did a few workouts at an obstacle gym in Michigan, but once he came home to start medical school at the University of Oklahoma, he began training with Pham. “I would not have done as well if it weren’t for Dom’s training and the course
he’s built,” Sebastian said, noting that the course helps with grip strength and endurance. “He’s the perfect coach. He adapts martial arts training to the obstacles, and you can tell he works really hard. It makes you not want to give up.” Sebastian’s run on ANW ended in the balance portion of the course. “The previous person had splashed my balance obstacle, so I slid in the middle. At least it was an epic fall. I was disappointed because I could’ve killed the rest of the course, for sure.” Audrey Rose Price, a former University of Central Oklahoma track and field long jumper and relay sprinter, discovered Pham’s gym not long after it opened and took her exercise science class, as she finishes her master’s degree, to check it out and eventually became a member. “It was like a dream come true,” Rose Price said of discovering the gym, noting that she was looking to improve her upper body strength after relying on her lower body in track. “HIIT has routinely been the No. 1 or No. 2 most popular workout the last few years because of ease of access, and it’s not as monotonous as traditional workouts. … [Ninja obstacle course training] makes you more in-tune with your body. Being a ninja, you have to be agile, have power and coordination.” First walking into Pham’s gym, a series of agility-testing jumping pads lead into a rounded sonic corner, which goes into box hurdles and a giant foam ball in which to leap. Around the corner, there is a maze of interlocking frames, each supporting a network of obstacles like a ring jump or rotating metal prongs that take coordinating and timing to finish. continued on page 22
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When he first opened the gym, there were 20 obstacles, including the warped wall and the salmon ladder, which requires the user to jump a metal bar to each level to the top. Now, there are over 70 obstacles. Pham said he likes to add to the course every two weeks with a new obstacle modeled after something from the show. “I never do the same workout,” Rose Price said. “You can change it up by going through the course a different week, but every week, you come in and there is something new. His creativity is amazing.”
Ninja mentality
Pham leaps, spins and contorts his body with ease while showing off the course. He said the hardest part of the ANW course is balance because it is always changing. Each frame can be lowered and extra protective padding added for when kids train on the course. They use a scaled-down version of the warped wall, which Pham said is key to conquering in three steps. “It’s all about taking the leap of faith; the last step has to make the jump,” he said. Pham’s demeanor is soothing, which is what he said is key to mastering the variety of obstacles on the course. “It’s like falling through a frozen pond of water,” he said. “People’s heart rates get erratic and they don’t know what to
do. If you can remain calm in the air, you can control your limbs.” As he demonstrates the proper way to climb a peg wall, which requires users to keep one peg inserted into the vertical board while swinging to the higher level, he shows that bodyweight must transfer away from your destination, against conventional thinking. “He teaches you that you have to fail first,” Rose Price said. “You can tell he really cares about his clients. His personality is very motivating and makes you feel like you’re not terrible, but there were a lot of obstacles that I tried and did terrible my first time.” Pham works on the confidence of his clients. Many of the adults compete in outdoor obstacle runs like Conquer the Gauntlet and Spartan Race, and he offers team-building exercises for offices. For a team-building activity, participants go through the course individually to find their strengths and weaknesses. It then becomes a tag team competition in which individuals complete the parts where they feel most comfortable. They finish by playing a memory-based game on the rock wall, swinging from color to color in increasingly difficult patterns, like the lighted kids game Simon. On Sept. 23, Phamily Fun & Fitness hosts its first Ninja Obstacle Course Challenge. Competitors from four age groups go through the course two full
times. Unlike the show, where if you fail at a challenge, you are eliminated, Pham’s challenge adds time to their total for each mistake, allowing them to complete the course. Rose Price said Pham’s challenge is the first in the area of its kind. She competed in a four-mile Conquer the Gauntlet competition in Ardmore earlier in the year. “It’s slowly growing in Oklahoma,” Rose Price said. “It’s really good for the state, and hopefully it will become part of the culture. It’s saturated down in Texas. It seems like every big city has multiple gyms.” Pham hasn’t given up hope of making an appearance on American Ninja Warrior. He once again sent in a video submission for the upcoming season, but
Andrew Lowes competed on American NInja Warrior, which was filmed at the Oklahoma Captiol in 2016. | Photo Brett Deering / NBC / provided
he won’t rely on it for happiness. “The show’s producers want a story, and I’m not going to fabricate anything,” he said. “My family came to the United States from Vietnam as political refugees in 1976 with some pots and pans, but I don’t want to exploit that. If I’m not destined to be on the show, that is fine. If I can get other people on there, energize a few kids and then it all makes it worthwhile.”
A SeASonAl Guide to CentrAl oklAhomA
There is a lot to see and throughout Autumn, and Gazette gives its readers direction on where to find the best festivals, shows, foods and more! FeAturinG A 3 month CAlendAr inCludinG labor day events Fall theater Season Fairs, Festivals Special events Concerts, music and Clubs Art exhibits and Shows and more!
Along with expanded editorial content PubliShinG SePt. 20, 2017 Ad deAdline tueS., SePt. 12, 2017
Call 405.528.6000 or email specialsections@okgazette.com to reserve ad space or for additional information. 22
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ARTS & CULTURE
“I Want the World and I Want It Now” by Michael Pearce | Image Michael Pearce /
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Oklahoma City University / provided
Masterful meaning
An exhibit at OCU draws on mythic landscapes and multiple time periods. By Penny Snyder
Keith Richards as the personification of death, icons from tarot cards, alchemical rules, travelers, harlequins and more intermingle in the fantastical world of Michael Pearce’s larger-than-life oil paintings. Often set in mythic landscapes of craggy mountaintops or impassable bodies of water, Pearce’s works tie together an incredibly rich group of symbols and stories in an exploration of the universal truths of human existence. Pearce’s works, collected in the exhibition The Secret Paintings, comes to Oklahoma City on a tour of the Southern states. With support from Rosemary & Co, which makes brushes, and Michael Harding paint, the exhibition will also travel to Alabama, Florida and Texas. The Secret Paintings will be on display at Oklahoma City University’s (OCU) Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery through Oct. 20. The gallery is located in Norick Art Center, 1609 NW 26th St., on OCU’s campus.
Old masters
Composed of 26 massive oil paintings ranging in size from 4 to 12 feet high, The Secret Paintings traverses both familiar and unfamiliar territory for representational paintings. With a background in oil painting, set design and writing, Pearce is a well-known practitioner and champion of representational art. He founded The Representational Art Conferences
(TRAC) held annually at California Lutheran University, where he is a professor. The conference offers a platform for research and discussion about representational art in the 21st century. Unlike abstract art, representational art attempts to depict figures and objects realistically. “Representational work at the moment is really vital and really alive,” Pearce said. He believes the art world is moving away from abstraction, which reigned supreme for much of the 20th century. For Pearce, one of the draws of representation is that it allows viewers to connect to artwork easily. “It really goes a long way to drawing you into a world,” he said, “and that’s the pleasure of a painting.” Pearce’s traditional techniques were a great fit for the ethos of OCU’s School of Visual Arts. “We give our students a lot of the more traditional foundational skills,” said director Holly Moye. “Then we also incorporate those into things like installation art and new media.” The school plans to take advantage of the exhibition and Pearce’s presence on campus. He will give an artist talk and teach a class on representational painting while the exhibit is on display.
Contemporary topics
At first glance, the paintings’ style and
much of their subject matter recalls the grandeur of the old masters, but The Secret Paintings is anything but historicism. Pearce engages wholeheartedly with contemporary themes, drawing from a well of pop culture — figures wear jeans and T-shirts and play on their cellphones, characters inspired by David Bowie and Marilyn Manson make appearances and Harry Potter even figures into the mix. Refreshingly, the works also break free-from archetypical depictions of women in favor of a more empowering stance, with strong female figures throughout the exhibition symbolizing justice, mercy and wisdom. He approaches his work by finding “themes that seem like they’re eternal truths and paint[ing] them with images that are past and present.” Drawing from such diverse sources as the imagery of tarot cards, the history of alchemy and contemporary pop culture, he pieces together historical and modern sources to explore timeless themes such as love, justice and the afterlife.
Multiple moralities
Pearce’s long-standing interest in the iconography of tarot is a consistent themes. Although it is now most closely associated with fortune-telling, many of its symbols originate from European emblem books dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, which featured allegorical images that offered moral instruction. Pearce’s paintings provide a similar type of moral guidance. “Sometimes the imagery can seem very weird and esoteric,” Pearce said. “But actually, generally speaking, it’s rather instructive and designed to help you get through life.” Even though the exhibit recalls the
“Star” by Michael Pearce | Image Michael Pearce / Oklahoma City University / provided
ethical teachings of emblem books, Pearce’s works offer many more possibilities than just one moral dictum. Rather, the works have many levels of meaning and invite close observation and personal reflection. Each painting is embedded with several layers of meaning ranging from theology and alchemy to the artist’s personal history, which viewers can understand or interpret in different ways. Coupled with their size, the complex imagery in the works of The Secret Paintings leads viewers to look closely on a journey of reflection and interpretation. “They’re massive; they’re really overwhelming,” Moye said. “But that’s the point, right? To be lost in them and to also find something new every single time. Or to read it differently every single time.” Although the title of the exhibition might suggest that Pearce’s paintings are hard to interpret, the “secrets” in the paintings are hiding in plain sight. “If you look closer you’ll start noticing things about them that might lead you to other explanations and other meanings, deeper meanings,” Pearce said. OKCU’s Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and admission is free. Visit okcu.edu/events/the-secretpaintings-exhibit.
The Secret Paintings 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery | Norick Art Center Oklahoma City University | 1609 NW 26th St. okcu.edu/events/the-secret-paintings-exhibit 405-208-5000 Free
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OCCC and CityRep present National Theater Live
Events are encore presentations pre-recorded at London’s West End in High Definition (HD), shown in the Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater. For more information, go to tickets.occc.edu. No Man’s Land • September 17, 2017
Following their hit run on Broadway, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart return to the West End stage in Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land.
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead • October 22, 2017
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter, The Woman in Black), Joshua McGuire (The Hour) and David Haig (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Witness for the Prosecution) star in Tom Stoppard’s brilliantly funny situation comedy.
Angels in America, Part 1 & 2 • November 12 & 19, 2017
Andrew Garfield (Silence, Hacksaw Ridge) plays Prior Walter, along with a cast including Denise Gough (People, Places and Things), Nathan Lane (The Producers), James McArdle (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Russell Tovey (The Pass).
Amadeus • December 10, 2017
Lucian Msamati (Luther, Game of Thrones, NT Live: The Comedy of Errors) plays Salieri in Peter Shaffer’s iconic play and with live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia.
Henry Wantland’s studio, seen here in a 1900 photo, captured much of life in pre-statehood
Obsession • January 21, 2018
Stillwater. | Photo National Cowboy & Western
Jude Law (The Young Pope, Closer, The Talented Mr. Ripley) stars in the stage production of Obsession. Ivo van Hove (NT Live: A View from the Bridge, Hedda Gabler) directs this new stage adaptation of Luchino Visconti’s 1943 film.
Heritage Museum / provided
Pioneering photos
Who’s Afraid of Viginia Woolf? • April 15, 2018
Yerma • May 6, 2018
The incredible Billie Piper (Penny Dreadful, Great Britain) returns in her Evening Standard Best Actress award-winning role.
All film screenings at 6:00 p.m. Tickets: $15 adult tickets available online, $5 children and student tickets available at the door. º 877-285-9286
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Presenting Imelda Staunton (Gypsy, the Harry Potter films); Conleth Hill (Game Of Thrones, The Producers); Luke Treadaway (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Fortitude, The Hollow Crown) and Imogen Poots (A Long Way Down, Jane Eyre) in James Macdonald’s new production of Edward Albee’s landmark play.
Some of Stillwater’s earliest settlers make their photographic debut in We the People, an upcoming exhibit at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. By Ian Jayne
Long before photo albums and curated Instagram feeds came onto the scene, Oklahomans utilized photography as a means to document their lives and, inadvertently, leave a treasure trove of information for future historians (and museumgoers). We the People: A Portrait of Early Oklahoma features approximately 60 photos of early Oklahomans from the Robert E. Cunningham Collection at Dickinson Research Center. The exhibit runs through Oct. 22 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St. Borne out of an abundance of archival material, We the People represents a cross-section of early Americana captured by photographer Henry Wantland. Composed of both staged portraits and scenes of Stillwater, the exhibit offers a window into life before and after Oklahoma’s statehood. Along with his family, Wantland moved to Oklahoma Territory in 1891, two years after the land run. Consequently, Wantland’s photographs reflect the wide range of people living in the region. “When he set up his photography studio, for the next two decades, he recorded the people in the town around him, and so you get this glimpse at the diverse and vibrant community he was a part of,” said Kimberly Roblin, director of Dickinson Research Center and curator of archives. “We’re fortunate that these exist. A lot of photographs were lost. The detail that’s captured in these is quite remarkable.”
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Diverse details
According to Roblin, Stillwater would have been considered a metropolis at the time, and the exhibit features enlarged photos of the town to give visitors a sense of the town’s different elements. Some of the photos also depict the campus of Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University), Roblin said. While We the People contextualizes its photos in a geographic way, the focus remains on the titular people: Stillwater’s inhabitants and those who traveled to the town. Largely centered on the everyday lives of its subjects, the photos document entire families and their most important moments. For Roblin, who went through an extensive selection process for the exhibition, the photos enliven the past in new ways. “Sometimes, we think of history as just a series of dates and events,” she said. “That’s just a list; that’s not history to me. At its core, history is about people.” Roblin pored over census records and newspapers from the time period. During the early 20th century, Oklahoma Territory included immigrants from multiple countries and from many other states, and Wantland’s subjects came from a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, occupations and ages. “I was struck by the diversity,” Roblin said. Wantland’s medium provided a fairly accessible way for the residents of Stillwater to preserve their memories. Some of Wantland’s more prominent
subjects, such as bankers, doctors and groundbreaking social worker Fern Lowry, were identified. Others, unnamed by their photographer, remain shrouded in anonymity. Roblin said the photos represent a microcosm of society, and she included the nameless portraits as part of the exhibit’s holistic approach to history. “Even though we don’t know the names of these individuals and families, they still tell us something,” she said. “For some of them, I’m sure it was a significant event to come into town and have their portrait taken.” Roblin said one of her favorite photographs depicts a family standing in front of their house. “It’s a modest house. … You can tell life is not easy for them; their clothes are worn, their shoes are in need of repair,” Roblin said. A closer look at the photo reveals an American flag in the background. “There’s something so moving and significant in that detail,” Roblin said.
Playfully profound
Perhaps an interesting precursor to the debates that rage today about the ethics of altering images, Wantland’s work offers a reminder that photographs, often assumed to be realist by nature, are not always what they seem. Just as modern photographers wield the ability to airbrush and alter depictions of reality, so too did Wantland utilize all the tools of his trade to present the best vision of his subjects, and his images reveal technical prowess and playful editing. According to Roblin, Wantland manipulated the chemical processes in photo development in order to soften the complexions and features of some of his subjects. He also conducted what Roblin described as a “Frankenstein Photoshop experiment,” in which he spliced an image of an absent brother into a group photo. “It just goes to show that technology and tools might change, but photographers have always liked to tweak and improve the image,” Roblin said. Wantland’s photographs also reveal unintentional traces left by history — scratches, imperfections and thumb-
prints — that Roblin said she wants to leave as they are. Despite some touch-ups and splicing, Wantland’s photographs reveal a collective portrait of early life in the newly created state of Oklahoma, which Roblin said was noted for its high rates of literacy and homeownership. The divergent figures of We the People signify something as American as the Constitution’s Preamble or Walt Whitman’s poetic catalogue of people: a group united by a common thread. “At the end of the day, these individuals shared something profound,” Roblin said. “Not everyone is going to take a risk and choose the unknown, but they did. Stillwater was a new start for them and an opportunity to forge a better life. Together, they created this community.” Visit nationalcowboymuseum.org.
We the People: A Portrait of Early Oklahoma 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 22 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd St. nationalcowboymuseum.org | 405-478-2250 Free-$12.50 Henry Wantland took this portrait in 1910. | Photo National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum/ Provided
Henry Wantland shot this photograph of a dry goods store, circa 1910. The photo is part of We the People: A Portrait of Early Oklahoma. | Photo National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum / provided
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Gourmet games
Love for family drove a Putnam City North High School graduate to compete on Fox’s MasterChef. By Ben Luschen
Gabriel Lewis still vividly remembers every detail of the first time he met celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. “It’s the first time I’ve ever been able to say I was starstruck,” Lewis said. Lewis, a 19-year-old who graduated from Putnam City North High School in 2015, has seen Ramsay countless times on the chef’s many reality television shows, including the popular Hell’s Kitchen and MasterChef series. That made it all the more surreal when he saw him with his own eyes as a MasterChef contestant. The studio lights were bright on Ramsay and the show’s other judges — Christina Tosi and Aarón Sanchez — the first time Lewis presented one of his dishes for tasting. “They’re almost glowing, so I was baffled thinking, ‘I’m 15 or 20 feet away from someone I’ve idolized since I was 10 or 11 years old,’” Lewis said in a recent Oklahoma Gazette interview. “It’s remarkable for me to be able to cook for him — I was speechless.” As of Gazette’s print deadline, the young Midwest City resident and Chipotle cook is still a live contestant on season eight of the popular Fox cooking competition. New episodes of MasterChef air 7 p.m. Wednesday nights.
Stepping out
If there is a show out there starring Ramsay, you can bet Lewis is a fan. “I watch anything Gordon Ramsay,” he said. “I’ve been watching MasterChef since the first season.” MasterChef intrigued Lewis from its initial season in 2010 largely because of its unique openness to home and amateur chefs. When Lewis or another contestant wins this season of the show, they will be rewarded with $250,000, their own cookbook and a MasterChef trophy. The show held open casting calls March 2016 in Oklahoma City. Lewis said his sister found a post about the auditions online and encouraged him to look into it because he was such a fan. Lewis said he is a longtime believer in stepping out of one’s comfort zone and taking risks, so it did not take much convincing to register for the call. As part of his audition, Lewis had to prepare a signature dish for judges on-site. Lewis, who enjoys a cooking style influenced by several Asian cuisines, made a crispy Japanese-style pork belly with pea shoots and a red wine reduction. He tried not to let nerves get to him. “I just decided I’m not going to do anything different,” he said. “I’m just going to go into the kitchen, do what I love to do, 26
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which is cook, and come out with a dish that is worthy of MasterChef.” When Lewis heard he was selected to be on the show, he said he was not overly surprised. His family believes in the power of positive thinking. As Lewis said, “What one thinks about comes about.” “I honestly just started laughing [when they called me],” he said, “because it’s something I set in my mind as a goal.”
Family first
Lewis first became interested in cooking at age 7 or 8. His grandmother and mother both cooked a lot. Family holidays and birthdays were always huge food events. The love, patience and time they both put into their food came through in the flavor. Lewis said his dad had a stroke when he was 11. As his father was limited in what he could do, Lewis felt like he needed to help around the house more, so he volunteered to prepare family meals. “That made that fire turn into a big inferno,” he said. “It grew from there.” Everyone has a favorite dish that someone in their family makes. For Lewis, it’s his mother’s fried chicken. He said he has not had anything that is remotely comparable to her recipe. “It’s so simplistic,” he said. “There’s limited ingredients in it and it’s so simple to make, but I can’t replicate it. All I can think is the amount of love, time and patience that my mom puts into it that changes it and makes it nostalgic for me.”
Food has the power to bring back something you thought was lost in your mind. Gabriel Lewis Lewis said his personal specialty is salmon in any and all its variations. “I can prepare it eyes-closed with my hands tied behind my back,” he said. Despite his youth, a love for family and cooking gives Lewis a strong sense of nostalgia. For him, cooking is more than a hobby; it is an important part of his identity. Lewis is constantly amazed at what certain flavors can trigger in his mind. “I love going back and experiencing memories I thought I forgot,” he said. “That, to me, is remarkable. Food has the power to bring back something you thought was lost in your mind.”
Gabriel Lewis | Photo MasterChef / provided
Master class
Lewis said MasterChef pretty accurately portrays what happened during filming in each episode. He also said he formed many authentic friendships with the show’s other cast members. “Being together with a group of people who all share your same interests — even though you’re all competing for one thing and know you’re going to have to go against each other — you become remarkably close just because of the interest and passion you have for food,” he said. We do not yet know whether Lewis will take home the $250,000 prize as MasterChef winner, and he is contractually bound from sharing results of the show before they have aired. However, win or lose, he sees the show as an opportunity to better himself. “My cooking ability and knowledge has grown exponentially,” he said. “MasterChef is not just a competition; it’s a way to learn. You’re growing by being around these incredible chefs who have put time and energy into learning their craft. They’ve mastered that over time, and they’re passing it on to the contestants.” Nancy’s 57th Street Lighthouse, 5708 N. May Ave., and Francis Tuttle Technology Center, 12777 N. Rockwell
Ave., have been hosting Wednesday night MasterChef watch parties, where Lewis watches along with an excited crowd. He is still adjusting to seeing himself on the TV screen. “I’m not used to hearing myself or my speech patterns or the quickness in which I speak,” he said. “I didn’t know that I spoke so quickly.” Lewis said his family has been very proud and supportive of him throughout the show’s run. Their approval means a lot to him because he owes his cooking interest to his upbringing. That is why it doesn’t bother him to have them as his biggest cheerleaders. “Honestly,” he said, “they pretty much promote me on their own because they talk about it so much.” Past episodes of MasterChef ’s current season can be seen on Fox’s website with a cable or online subscription and on Hulu, YouTube, iTunes and other online outlets.
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Fresh fair
Oklahoma State Fair is back with new attractions. By Sean Isabella
The orange, green and yellow Ferris wheel serves as more than just a marketing tool for this year’s Oklahoma State Fair. On paper, it accompanies the 2017 theme “Bigger, Better, Best.” Physically, it serves as one of the new marquee attractions. Sky Eye Wheel, a 155-foot structure, is marketed as the largest traveling Ferris wheel in North America. Using at least 10 trucks as transport, the 400,000pound monstrosity equipped with 36 gondolas, debuts at the fair Sept. 14-24. Sky Eye Wheel, coupled with the opening of Bennett Event Center and the addition of attractions like The JFK Exhibition, highlights new opportunities for fairgoers. “The fair business needs to stay relevant to the current trends. If not, people will choose to spend their money elsewhere,” said Scott Munz, longtime vice president of marketing and public relations at Oklahoma State Fair. “We don’t want to completely upset the apple cart and throw everything out and start from a completely blank canvas … but we also want to provide them with new stuff that catches their interest, and hopefully they can create some new memories and new traditions. It’s a fine balance between old and new.”
Pivotal piece
Fair planning takes years. The majority of time leading up to September’s opening is spent on 2017, but a team of staff members are working on 2018, 2019 and beyond. “It isn’t just we wait until Aug. 1 and stick a plug in the wall and it blows up and there’s a fair,” Munz joked. Considering how far out plans are made, 2017 is a year organizers circled for quite some time. Why? It centers on the new Bennett Event Center, a massive, 279,000 square-foot expo building that cost more than $50 million to construct using funds from the MAPS 3 project. “It’s very fair to say that crown jewel addition to the property is probably not only the biggest change, but it’s the most pivotal change that has allowed everything else to fall into place,” said Gina Burchfiel, vice president of Oklahoma State Fair. “It’s the capstone that turned everything.” The space gave the fair freedom to change layouts, add vendors and bring in new exhibits and attractions. For example, the state fair, via a partnership with the Oklahoma Department
of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, constructed a permanent store of retail space for companies with the Made in Oklahoma program. In years past, organizers housed the store, which features everything from jams, jellies and spices to furniture, in a 300 square-foot space inside Oklahoma Expo Hall. It has since moved to a 3,600 square-foot space in Bennett Event Center. “It ties everything into a nice, big package,” Burchfiel said. In addition, the auto show is utilizing 70,000 square feet in the event center. It spent the past two years outdoors after the Travel & Transportation Building came down to make way for new construction. The moving pieces freed up space for The JFK Exhibition, a 15,000 squarefoot traveling library exhibition of sorts, in The Pavilion. “If you think that by leaving things in their space they’ve been in for a very long time makes it the same old, same old fair, then for sure we’ve blown that out of the water this year because almost nothing is in its same old space,” Burchfiel said.
Sharks, dogs and glamping
For those not interested in agriculture or cars, the fair beefed up its entertainment this year, ranging from a live shark encounter to performing pets. Burchfiel said lemon sharks and nurse sharks, ranging from six to eight feet, are included in the encounter. While Panfilov’s Performing Pets, featuring five Jack Russell terriers and several cats, is more for entertainment value, the shark encounter serves a dual purpose to introduce the often-feared creatures to fairgoers. “In what would typically be billed as an entertainment show, it’s really our purpose and mission to work with people,” Burchfiel said. “You gotta be entertaining or you’re not going to have
Sky Eye Wheel is one of this year’s new attractions at Oklahoma State Fair. | Photo Oklahoma State Fair / provided
someone stay around. We know that, but we really enjoy bringing groups that have some sort of educational message.” Fairs are known for food, and organizers are tapping into that element with the Vintage American Glamping Cooking Show. Glamping, dubbed as a glamorous camping experience, took off in the 20th century with the popularity of aluminum trailers. Burchfiel said the show brings a vintage 1950s feel with the inclusion of an Airstream trailer. On the fairgrounds, more than 100 food locations will serve up quirky offerings. There are more options this year thanks to Bennett Event Center. As of Aug. 25, 594 contracts were written for the fair, including 445 shopping contracts and 149 food contracts. Of the 594 total contracts, 66 (10 food) were new, good for an 11 percent increase. “Fair food is very much ‘What have you done for me lately?’ and the vendors answer that call very well,” Burchfiel said. Other main entertainment draws include 10 new Disney On Ice shows running Sept. 14-19 with a Follow Your Heart theme, a compilation show featuring Dory, characters from Frozen, Buzz and Woody from Toy Story, Cinderella, Ariel and Rapunzel. Xtreme Bulls Tour & Concerts returns Sept. 22-23 with two new concerts at Jim Norick Arena: Gary Allan (Sept. 22) and Josh Turner (Sept. 23). Visit okstatefair.com.
Oklahoma State Fair 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sept. 14-24 State Fair Park | 3001 General Pershing Blvd. okstatefair.com | 405-948-6797 Free-$10
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Reading redefined
Oklahoma author Renee Adams makes reading more interactive than ever before through her new startup and book. By Ian Jayne
Most people probably conceive of reading as a solitary pursuit, as a matter of eyes scanning silently over pages. Renee Adams, author of the book Calm in Your Palm, approaches reading in a different way. Adams described her debut children’s book as having “a multisensory approach.” Released in mid-December 2016, Calm in Your Palm is not simply text and pictures on pages; rather, the book includes a blanket, a mobile app and a song to create an experience both familiar and new that requires participation from the reader — or readers. Calm in Your Palm can be purchased for $48.77 at calminyourpalm.com. Each purchase includes a book, blanket, app and song, and 10 percent of proceeds go to charity. Adams conceived the idea in the car on the way to her daughter’s musical theater audition. “We had just finished a voice warm-up CD in the car, and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have something that would calm [her] before an audition?’” said Adams, who recently moved from Edmond to Boulder, Colorado. Adams’ daughter responded that a book and a blanket would be great for such a purpose. “I immediately, even that very day, started researching anxiety and nervousness,” Adams said. “As I researched, the idea just developed and took off from there. What I was after is making reading the picture book more of an experience on different levels.” Calm in Your Palm incorporates 28
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Calm in Your Palm is a book designed to calm children who feel anxious. | Photo Calm In Your Palm / provided
imagery, physical touch and electronic augmented reality to help children cope with anxiety. The book is also designed to equip children with the tools to be calm even without the book or blanket. “They can mentally go through that same process,” Adams said. “It’s teaching a child to use their imagination … to tap into calming images.” Adams said the blanket — which features quadrants of yellow, green, white and blue that signify seasonal change — requires hand movement, and this physical motion helps take the
It’s really hard to be anxious and worried and laugh at the same time. Renee Adams reader’s mind off his or her anxiety. According to Adams, the book “begin[s] with a prayer and end[s] with a dare.” She said the prayer works for people of many different faiths and the dare, a call to laughter, helps combat stress. “It’s really hard to be anxious and worried and laugh at the same time,” Adams said. In order to best allow each reader to adjust the book to her or his situation, the dare stays away from specificity; the reader can laugh at whatever is funny to him or her.
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“It makes it personal,” Adams said. “The conversation that results from talking about these things creates stronger bonds between people, whether it’s between siblings, or the parent and child or grandparents.” While the age range for Calm in Your Palm includes children between the ages of 4 and 8, Adams said that she received positive feedback from younger and older readers. “Even adults are commenting on how much they’re enjoying it,” she said.
Beyond books
In order to bring her multimedia vision to life, Adams collaborated with Oklahoma illustrator Lauren Holloway and Trifecta Communications, a PR/ tech firm based in Moore. Trifecta Communications worked on the app, including its 4-D and video elements. While using the app, the reader hovers his or her device over the book in order to experience reading as augmented reality featuring videos, interactive screen images and song. The app is available on both Apple and Google platforms. It also features a karaoke-style song that Adams said is both fun and allows children to learn the words easily. Even as Adams wrote Calm in Your Palm, she continued to get inspiration for other projects, including her up-
Calm in Your Palm comes with a blanket that gives children something to do with their hands to help distract them. | Photo Calm In Your Palm / provided
coming book The Birthday Angel. “When I started thinking, ‘How am I going to get all these ideas into reality?’ that’s when I decided to form an LLC,” Adams said. After consulting with the Chamber of Commerce and various businesspeople, Adams decided to create the brand Calm In Your Palm (CIYP). “It’s a startup,” Adams said, “and 10 percent of every sale goes towards helping with child poverty relief.” Oklahoma sales benefit Positive Tomorrows, a nonprofit focused on educating children in poverty. “Poverty is very real here in our own country, and there’s a lot of great work being done, and they need more money,” Adams said. As CIYP expands, Adams said Calm in Your Palm will be available on Amazon and later in bookstores and gift shops. Adams’ startup and books, with their focus on interaction and innovation, might make room for a new type of reading in the digital age. “It really brings the book to life like I’ve never seen before,” Adams said.
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Ac t i v e
ARTS & CULTURE
Running red
OKC AIDS Walk returns for its 19th year. By Mark Beutler
Nearly 20 years ago, the folks at AIDS Walk of Oklahoma City organized its first walk through the downtown streets. Now, it is preparing once again to turn Oklahoma City red on Sunday for the 19th annual walk and the 5K RED Run. And this year, for the first time, it is adding an inaugural 10K run. The events begin 8:30 a.m. Sunday at OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 N. Klein Ave. The 5K and 10K runs take off at 10 a.m., followed by the walk at 2 p.m. “This event brings together a wide range of people,” said Verna Meadows, AIDS Walk board president. “The funds go toward education and prevention to reduce new infections and allows us to provide valuable financial support to metro-area nonprofits who continue this life-saving work.” More than 2,500 participants typically come out for the family-friendly event. Online fundraising is the easiest and most secure way to donate, Meadows said. Prizes will be awarded to those who raise the most money, and each participant in the 5K and 10K runs will be given
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a medal, with trophies for the top male and female finisher in each race. HIV and AIDS occupy fewer headlines today than they did in the early days of the disease. The first cases were diagnosed in 1981 and were essentially a death sentence to those who became infected. Back then, life expectancy was typically 18 months as the disease progressed from HIV infection to AIDS. Today, the face of HIV and AIDS has changed dramatically. Advancements in drug technology in the 1990s transformed the disease into more of a chronic, manageable illness. Yet the stigma remains. “The biggest issue I see facing us today is the stigma,” Meadows said. “You would think that with all the education there is on this disease, the stigma wouldn’t still be an issue.” According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, more than 5,700 Oklahomans are currently living with the disease. And 65 percent of the newly diagnosed cases of HIV and AIDS are between the ages of 20 and 39.
“As with any sexually transmitted disease, HIV is preventable, and the only way to help reduce new cases is to talk about it openly and understand that casual contact will not transmit the disease,” Meadows said. Local nonprofit groups like RAIN Oklahoma are on the receiving end of funds raised through OKC AIDS Walk. “Because of funders like the OKC AIDS Walk and Red Run, we can offer direct services to those impacted by HIV/AIDS,” said Julie Lovegrove, RAIN Oklahoma executive director. The walk and run is open to people of all ages, and Lovegrove said even though she doesn’t typically run, she did participate last year. “I was very proud to participate in
This year’s OKC AIDS Walk includes 5K and 10K runs that start at 10 a.m. Sunday. | Photo Blake N. Photography / AIDS Walk of Oklahoma City / provided
my first 5K Red Run, along with my 76-year-old aunt, JoAnn,” Lovegrove said. “She finished first in her class and even dragged me across the finish line! So, if we can do it, anyone can! It’s not only for a good cause; it’s also a lot of fun. I urge everyone to please come out and support this very worthwhile event.” Visit aidswalkokc.org.
OKC AIDS Walk 2017 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday OKC Farmers Public Market | 311 S. Klein Ave. aidswalkokc.org | 405-673-3786
Leslie Hensley prepares to throw an ax at Bad Axe Throwing in Oklahoma City’s Farmers Market District. | Garett Fisbeck
Ac t i v e
Axe master
Life hack
Bad Axe Throwing opens a new location in OKC with the hope that the sport could become a regular pastime. By Ben Luschen
Tell a coworker you’re going to spend the weekend hurling axes over your head and they are likely to have a few followup questions — after they’ve backed a safe distance from your cubicle. “Where?” they might ask. “And why?” Eventually, they might get to, “Is it safe?” and after you have eased concerns about your emotional volatility, even, “Can I join?” People tend to have lots of questions for the staff of Canadian-based Bad Axe Throwing’s new Oklahoma City location. When Oklahoma Gazette recently stopped by to fling hatchets firsthand and pose some of the most common queries, it was greeted with unexpectedly simple answers.
Answering questions
Where is Bad Axe Throwing? The new location officially opened in July at 1201 W. Reno Ave. near the OKC Farmers Market District. Why throw axes? That’s easy. Because it’s fun. Bad Axe Throwing, founded in Ontario in 2014, is aggressively expanding into new markets across Canada and the United States in an attempt to take the sport of ax throwing into the realm of hobby and leisure physical activities currently occupied by sports like bowling and rock climbing. OKC is one
of 16 current Bad Axe locations. The simplest way to think of ax throwing is like a game of darts. The player flings an ax (usually three to five pounds) over their head, sending it hurtling end-over-end at a target painted over a broad sheet of plywood. The most basic tossing form is like throwing a soccer ball. Gripping the long-handled ax like a baseball bat, throwers lift the blades straight over their heads and rest the dull end against their backs. While stepping forward with their dominant foot, the thrower quickly raises the blade and releases the handle when it is directly overhead. It is important to merely release the ax handle and not flick one’s wrist as if shooting a basketball. The centrifugal force of one’s forward momentum will be enough to send the ax into the target, which is about 12 feet away. Is ax throwing safe? There is potential for injury in any sport, especially one with sharp blades involved. Despite that potential, Bad Axe claims on its website that there has never been a case of injury at any of its locations. Individual players throw axes in their own caged-off lanes. Newcomers are first asked to sign a waiver and are then given a short demonstration on the proper way to toss an ax. If throwers follow straight-
forward instruction, there is no reason the ax blade should hurt them. “It’s 100 percent safe,” said Katie Morlock, axe master at OKC’s Bad Axe Throwing location. “But, obviously, there could be accidents if people don’t use common sense or pay attention to the rules.” Bad Axe’s most common safety hazard is not a gash from an ax, but a prick of the finger. “Splinters are the biggest threat here,” Morlock said. The wooden targets get pretty beat up after they have taken a few throws. The wood peels up and could possibly stick one’s hand as they retrieve their ax. Throwers are instructed to dislodge the ax from the target by jostling its handle until the blade comes loose.
It’s seriously a sport/activity that anybody can do. Katie Morlock Who can join in the fun? Anyone strong enough to stick the ax to the target, which is doable for most able-bodied people older than, say, 10 years old. “Really, it’s a strength thing,” Morlock said. “It’s really not something that can be matched with age.” Bad Axe primarily caters to special events — bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays and corporate teambuilding. Reserved sessions usually last two and a half to three hours. Walk-in times ($20 an hour) are set each week and can be checked on the website.
Another question Morlock often gets is how one finds themselves with a job in the ax-throwing business. It would be nice to imagine Morlock as a former Canadian lumberjack (lumberjill?) who spent years splitting timber with the mighty swing of a steel blade. Instead, her history with the ax is more limited. Morlock, an Oklahoma native, was trained for less than a week in OKC. Before that, she managed fastfood restaurants for more than a decade. “I was working for 11 years, and the highest they would pay me was $9 an hour,” she said. “They treat you like crap, so [Bad Axe] is a wonderful change, honestly.” Morlock had been searching online job listings for months before she came across a post about Bad Axe Throwing. The business name alone caught her interest. “I thought, ‘What’s that?’” she said. “‘That has to be cool.’” When Morlock was named the new location’s ax master — essentially the site manager — she immediately looked into getting a gym membership. “I have no upper body strength,” she said. “I was flipping burgers and carhopping and stuff, but it’s nothing compared to this.” Simply getting an ax to stick to the target takes surprisingly little effort. Morlock said it is probably easier than bowling. But throwing an ax for hours at a time can be quite a workout. However, for the most part, throwers are having too much fun to think about being tired. “It’s not so physically overwhelming that you don’t want to do it,” Morlock said. “If you don’t get it the first couple of times, you can kind of get bummed out, but as soon as you get it to stick, you’re like, ‘Oh, dude! Now let’s do it again!’”
Split decision
The thought of throwing an actual weapon for sport can be intimidating to those who have never attempted it, but Morlock encouraged anyone curious to give it a try. “It’s seriously a sport/activity that anybody can do,” she said. “During the open house, I had my 6-year-old nephew come up here and he threw. He was pretty excited.” While Bad Axe spends most of its time hosting special events, Morlock said she would like to see the sport become a common pastime in the city. As more people in OKC experience the cathartic thrill of tossing an ax, she expects the effect to ripple across the state. “I feel like the more people who come out and experience this, the more we’re going to have a wave of happiness,” she said. “You can kind of de-stress a little bit — a little less anger. It’s going to be a good addition, especially when traffic is really high and you’re on edge a little bit.” Visit badaxethrowing.com. O kg a z e t t e . c o m | S e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 7
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CALENDAR Renaissance Ball Late Night, enjoy a late-night after-party with cocktails, good vibes, light bites, beautiful decor, music by DJ Lucy and an opportunity to show off your dance moves, 9:30 p.m. Sept. 8. Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand Blvd., Nichols Hills, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. FRI
are events recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.
Junklahoma, the Piedmont Annual Founder’s Day celebration featuring a wide variety of junk, vintage, antique, handmade and boutique style vendors. The day kicks off with a hometown parade, live entertainment, inflatables, a petting zoo and more, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 9. The Old Store, 100 Monroe NW, Piedmont, 405-3732093, facebook.com/theoldstoreok. SAT
BOOKS One Fell Swoop, author John White signs and discusses his novel based on the true story of two runaway elephants during the summer of 1975 who bolted from the hands of circus trainers into the impenetrable forest of remote southeastern Oklahoma, 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 7. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. THU Second Sunday Poetry Reading, former Oklahoma Poet Laureate Benjamin Myers is the author of two books of poetry: Lapse Americana and Elegy for Trains. His poems can be read in The Yale Review, 32 Poems, Ninth Letter, Image, Nimrod and other literary journals as well as in magazines such as Oklahoma Today and The Christian Century, 2 p.m. Sept. 10. The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., Norman, 405-307-9320, pasnorman.org. SUN Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor, author Bruce Campbell signs and discusses the new raucous and sardonic memoir and a followup to the New York Times bestselling If Chins Could Kill, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. MON
FILM The Trip to Spain, (USA, 2017, Michael Winterbottom) Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon embark on a six-part episodic road trip through Spain, sampling the restaurants, eateries and sights along the way, through Sept. 10. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. Western Movie Matinee: Cimarron, (USA, 1931, Wesley Ruggles) a newspaper editor settles in an Oklahoma boom town with his reluctant wife at the end of the 19th century, 1-3:30 p.m. Sept. 6. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. WED Western Movie Matinee: In Old Oklahoma, (USA, 1943, Albert S. Rogell) In 1906, on Oklahoma’s Indian lands, a cowboy fights for oil lease rights against a greedy oilman while a pretty schoolteacher steals both men’s hearts, 1-3 p.m. Sept. 13. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. WED
HAPPENINGS Brown Bag Lunch Series: It’s Relative: Genealogy and Collections Research, join Kimberly Roblin, director of the Dickinson Research Center and curator of archives for a closer look at the temporary exhibition We the People: A Portrait of Early Oklahoma. See how the combination of research and genealogy can unlock a town and its people, 12-1 p.m. Sept. 6. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. WED
Alzheimer’s Hoedown, a family-friendly event featuring live music from country artist Ben McKenzie, dancing, a silent auction, vendor booths, refreshments and more to benefit special programs offered by The Fountains at Canterbury and the Alzheimer’s Association, 6-8 p.m. Sept. 9. The Fountains at Canterbury, 1402 NW 122nd St., 800-272-3900, alz.org. SAT
Hatch Chile Fest Delmar Sunday Market kicks off the fall market season with a chile fest! Enjoy live acoustic music, kids activities, beer by Anthem Brewing Company, wine tastings, chile roastings and food trucks. The district’s restaurants, The Loaded Bowl and Power House, are providing chilithemed brunch menus and drinks. Visit Delmar Food Truck Park, 1225 SW Second St., to browse local produce and craft vendors 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Visit facebook.com/delmarsundaymarket. SUNDAY Photo bigstock.com
Shade Gardens, a workshop to help discover alternative landscape solutions for the shade, including how to design and implement your shade garden without damaging your treasured trees, 1:30-3 p.m. Sept. 7. Oklahoma County OSU Extension Service, 2500 NE 63rd St., 405-713-1125, oces.okstate.edu. THU Real Men Wear Pink, a distinguished group of community leaders raising awareness and money to support the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer initiatives with a fundraising event and by wearing pink throughout the month of October, 5:30-7 p.m. Sept. 7. Packard’s Rooftop Bar, 201 NW 10th St., 405-841-5800, MakingStridesWalk. org/men. THU Meet Your New Park, join Maureen Heffernan, executive director of Myriad Botanical Gardens, as she presents images of Scissortail Park, highlighting its new features and elements that will further the downtown renaissance, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 7. Park House, 125 Ron Norick Blvd., 405-445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com. THU Live! on the Plaza, join the Plaza District for an art walk featuring artists, live music, street pop-up shops, live performances and more, 7-11 p.m., Sept. 11. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 405-3679403, plazadistrict.org. FRI
Pawsitively Pampered, offering dog washing, grooming and shopping to benefit Pets and People Humane Society during an outdoor pet-friendly event, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 10. YNB Bank Branch, 1550 Garth Brooks Blvd, Yukon, 405-210-8001, facebook.com-pampered-pet. SUN Celebration of the Animals, extreme animals show off their rare wildlife in a petting area, local clergy are onsite to bless your animals, the OKC Animal Shelter have an adoption booth and a remembrance tree where you can celebrate your pets of the past, 3-5 p.m. Sept. 10. Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. SUN Ableson Religious Reconciliation Lecture, Chophel and his fellow monks craft a mandala, a sand painting filled with sacred iconography, that will be swept away at the end of the event. The painstaking craftsmanship and its erasure symbolize the impermanence of all things, one of the major tenets of Buddhism, 7-9 p.m. Sept. 12. USAO Ballroom, 1727 W. Alabama Ave., Chickasha, 405-224-3140, usao.edu. TUE Oklahoma Venture Forum Speaker Series, join Chad Jordan CEO of Arrow Global Capital to foster the growth of new and existing small business ventures by creating the setting for entrepreneurs, investors, service industries, incubators and collegiate organizations to generate the relationships necessary to promote economic growth in Oklahoma, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 13. University of Oklahoma PHF Conference Center, 655 Research Parkway, 405-604-4775, ovf.org. WED
Renewabrews, bringing together those who are interested in renewable energy, energy efficiency and other complimentary technologies over local brews in a new way to network through OREC, 5-8 p.m. Sept. 7. Anthem Brewing Company, 908 SW 4th St., okrenewables.org. THU Nicnos Dinner Show, enjoy a show exuding high energy, strong vocals and talented instrumentation that intrigues you with classic rock influences and deep bellied soul. Nicnos is sure to bring an action-packed night along with VZD’s providing a delicious two course dinner beforehand, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9. VZD’s Restaurant & Bar, 4200 N. Western Ave., 405-602-3006, vzds.com. SAT
Comets, Asteroids & Meteors: Great Balls of Fire, the threat of a catastrophic impact from an asteroid or comet is a staple of popular culture, learn about asteroids, comets and meteorites and where come from, through Sept. 10. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu. YES, a radically inclusive LGBTQ youth group for ages 13-21 featuring movies, music, dinner, monthly fandom nights with positive, knowledgeable staff and peers, 7 p.m. Sept. 7. Expressions Community Center, 2245 NW 39th St., 405-570-1638, bethechange.org. THU Septemberfest, Mary Fallin and Wade Christensen host a free family festival celebrating what makes Oklahoma unique with arts and crafts, museum exhibits, laser tag, pony rides and more, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 9. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, 405-522-0765, okhistorycenter.org. SAT
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Photo Todd Stewart / Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art / provided
FOOD
YOUTH
Cat Video Fest What’s that thing people say about cats having multiple lives? Well, this year’s Cat Video Fest is now on its third scheduled time after rain cancelled two earlier dates. The reschedule begins after Myriad Botanical Gardens’ free Celebration of the Animals festival, which begins 3 p.m. Sunday. The cat video screening begins 6 p.m. on Myriad Botanical Gardens’ Great Lawn, 301 W. Reno Ave. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit myriadgardens.com or call 405-445-7080. Sunday Photo provided
Picher, Oklahoma exhibit closing reception Join a special closing reception with Alison Fields, the Mary Lou Milner Carver Professor of Art of the American West and Assistant Professor of Art History, as she leads a talk about the exhibit Picher, Oklahoma: Catastrophe, Memory, and Trauma. Following the lecture, stay for a public reception featuring complimentary hors d’oeuvres from El Toro Chino Latin + Asian Kitchen, a cash bar and live music 7 p.m. at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., in Norman. Visit fjjma.ou.edu or call 405-325-4938. Thursday
Backyard Hens, join instructor Sara Braden to learn about local hens and learn the basics about these fun and rewarding pets. Meet several hens and discuss how to care for them properly, including food, housing and protection from predators, 11 a.m.-noon Sept. 9. CommonWealth Urban Farms, 3310 N. Olie Ave., 405-524-1864, commonwealthurbanfarms.com. SAT Bodies Revealed, exhibition showcasing real human bodies preserved through a revolutionary process allowing visitors to see themselves in a fascinating way like never before, through October. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org.
PERFORMING ARTS To Kill A Mockingbird, in a quiet Southern town, a young girl named Scout learns many life lessons with her brother Jem and their father, lawyer Atticus Finch, through Sept. 10. Jewel Box Theatre, 3700 N. Walker Ave., 405-521-1786, jewelboxtheatre.org. Disney’s The Little Mermaid, in a magical kingdom beneath the sea, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above, through Sept. 10. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 405-297-1575, okcbroadway.com. I Am My Own Wife, experience the true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, Berlin’s most famous transvestite, who survived two of the most oppressive regimes of the 20th century, the Nazis and the Communists, through Sept. 24. Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E. Second St., Tulsa, 918-596-7122, tulsapac.com. Ripcord, at the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, a bet over some prime real estate and a sunny room with a view leads to a hilarious, but dangerous game of one-upmanship in a Golden Girls meets The Odd Couple performance by David Lindsay-Abaire, through Sept. 30. Carpenter Square Theatre, 806 W. Main St., 405-232-6500, carpentersquare.com. OKC Improv, Oklahoma’s premiere showcase of the best local and regional improvisational comedy and theater, you will never have the same experience twice, 9:30 p.m. Sept. 8-9. The Paramount Theatre, 11 N. Lee Ave., 405-637-9389, theparamountokc.com. FRI-SAT Lucie Pohl’s Hi, Hitler!, UCO Passport to Germany presents the story of a German-Jew who grows up in a wild family of artists and is fascinated by der Fuhrer from age 4 and uprooted from Hamburg to NYC at 8, Sept. 11. UCO ACM Performance Lab, 329 E. Sheridan Ave., 405-974-4700, acm-uco. com. MON Whales and Beasts Comedy Tour, New York comedians Patrick Hastie and Gideon Hambright along with Iowa comedian James Doyle perform on a 30 day, 20 city tour all across the south and the midwest and are making a stop in Oklahoma City, 8-10 p.m. Sept. 11. Grease Trap Gallery, 5100 Classen Cir., 405-625-9100, drunkenfry.com/ greasetrapgallery. MON
James Nghiem, comedian, writer and funny man James Nghiem speaks with the public at Rose State in a free and public event. He started a local comedy label Robot Saves City, currently writes culture pieces for NonDoc and curates large pop culture art shows, 7-9 p.m. Sept. 12. Rose State College/Tom Steed Center, I-40 and Hudiburg Drive, Midwest City, 405-737-1532, rose.edu. TUE
Life and Legacy: The Art of Jerome Tiger, one of Oklahoma’s most celebrated artists, Jerome Tiger, produced hundreds of works of art and won numerous awards throughout the country. Celebrate the life and legacy of this remarkable painter, through May 13, 2018. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.
ACTIVE
Encounters, view the exhibition featuring the works of artists Leo Corbett and Hailey Craighead, through Sept. 12. Nesbitt Gallery, 1727 W. Alabama Ave., Chickasha, 405-416-3524, usao.edu/gallery/about.
Sunrise Yoga at Guerrilla Art Park, Nas Crystal Wherry of Yoga Lab lead the class that encourages students to cultivate their practice not only for personal wellness, but also to make positive social change in families, communities and the world at-large, 7-8 a.m. Sept. 6. Oklahoma Contemporary Showroom, 1146 N. Broadway Drive, 405-951-000, oklahomacontemporary.org. WED Full Moon Bike Ride and Run, enjoy a run through scenic downtown led by Ultramax Sports Oklahoma or a leisurely bike ride planned by Schlegel Bicycles, 8-10 p.m. Sept. 6. Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 855-750-2273, stephensoncancercenter.org. WED Oktoberfest 100 Bike Ride, enjoy a fun morning of cycling in coordination with Old Germany’s Oktoberfest celebration with all proceeds benefiting the Choctaw Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps maintain and service the public parks and areas in the City of Choctaw, 7:30 a.m. Choctaw Creek Park, 2001 N. Harper St., Choctaw, 405-390-8198, choctawcity. org. SAT Stand-up Paddle Board Yoga, This Land Yoga partners with Flat Tide Surf to take your yoga practice on the water with paddle boards, 8:15 a.m. Sept. 9. Lake Overholser, 1800 E. Overholser, 405529-6428, thislandyoga.com. SAT Volunteer Urban Cleanup, volunteer with The Nature Conservancy and give back to the community by doing some good for the environment. Join the first urban cleanup along the Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oklahoma River, 725 S. Lincoln Blvd., 918-585-1117, nature.org. SAT Yoga to Empower, join Jasper House Haiti and This Land Yoga for a fundraising event benefiting women who have been a victim to sexual trauma in Haiti, 6 p.m. Sept. 13. Myriad Botanical Gardens, Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-529-6428, thislandyoga.com. WED
VISUAL ARTS Art After 5, enjoy a late-night art gallery experience and live music on the roof terrace with the best views of downtown OKC and a relaxing atmosphere, 5-9 p.m. Sept. 7. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. THU Totally Emerging, enjoy an artist reception with creators Bryon Perdue Jr, Scott Baird, Jules Kisor, E.A. Kelley and Darrell Carter of Shawnee. Experience artwork and bring any paint and brushes to donate to help local Shawnee schools, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 9. Studio112 and a half, 112 1/2 E. Main St., Shawnee, 405-314-4702, sutio112andahalf.com. SAT
Art Gone Wild Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden hosts its eighth annual Art Gone Wild art show at Myriad Botanical Gardens featuring unique paintings created by an eclectic array of zoo animals. Purchase original works of art made by an Indian rhinoceros, baby flamingos, a group of Galapagos tortoises and many other wildly talented animal artists to raise proceeds for the zoo’s conservation initiatives. To witness the exciting new showcase, visit the gardens’ Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory at 301 W. Reno Ave., noon-6 p.m. ThursdaysFridays and noon-5 p.m. SaturdaysSundays through Sept. 30. Visit okczoo. org or call 405-425-0262. Wednesday-Wednesday, ongoing Photo Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden / provided
Sole Expression: The Art of the Shoe, featuring the creations of 25 local, national and international shoe designers and artists; guests examine how the shoe has been interpreted in art throughout history and the science and engineering behind specific shoe designs, through December. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org. Morgan Robinson’s solo exhibition, view sculptures created by the artist, carpenter and designer who makes nature-inspired pieces and wall ornaments that are both calm and chaotic, through Sept. 23. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 405-604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com. Making your Mark: Oklahoma Printmaking Network Statewide Exchange Portfolio, view 25 prints featuring a range from lithography to woodblocking, from monotype to silkscreen and many more. The artists range from students to career artists and come from all across the state of Oklahoma, through Sept. 8. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma.
The Pancakes and Booze Art Show, a premier underground art show featuring over 60 emerging artists, live body painting, live music and a free pancake bar, 8 p.m. Sept. 8. OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave., pancakesandbooze.com. FRI Hidden Messages, investigating identity and place through ceramics and mixed media featuring artists Marilyn Artus and Amy Sanders, Sept. 9-Nov. 25. Oklahoma Hall of Fame, GaylordPickens Museum, 1400 Classen Drive, 405-2354458, oklahomahof.com.
Homecoming Art Show, Oklahoma’s premier Cherokee art show featuring a variety of authentic Cherokee art divided into two divisions: traditional and contemporary, 6-8 p.m. through Sept. 30. Cherokee Heritage Center, 21192 S. Keeler Drive, Park Hill, 918-4566007, cherokeeheritage.org. The New Art: A Controversial Collection Fifty Years Later, the 150-piece permanent collection purchased from the Washington Gallery of Modern Art is dedicated to the collection of contemporary art and features abstract expressionism, postpainterly abstraction, color field painting and pop art, through May 13, 2018. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. Cartoons & Comics: The Early Art of Tom Ryan, the drawings of acclaimed Western artist Tom Ryan are displayed showcasing his creativity, talent and humor from his teenage imagination, high school and coast guard years and his school paper’s sports page, through April 1, 2018. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. Vintage Black Heroes: The Chisholm Kid, featuring panels from the original comic strip, the namesake hero of The Chisholm Kid was portrayed as a positive black character equal to contemporaries like Hopalong Cassidy, Dick Tracy, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon a full decade before the Civil Rights Movement in America, 10 a.m-5 p.m. through Sept. 17. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic, presenting an overview of the artist Kehinde Wiley’s career including sixty oil paintings, stained glass and sculpture, through Sept. 10. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. Body, curated to examine how the body has been used to address the themes of movement, fragmentation and mechanization, geometry and identity, through Dec. 30. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. Spring show exhibit, enjoy the works of oil painter Phebe Kallstrom and handmade jewelry artist Whitney Ingram, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. through November. The Studio Gallery, 2642 W. Britton Road, 405-7522642, thestudiogallery.org. Janet O’Neal, Jim Keffer and Gayle Singer, featuring Santa Fe mixed media artist Janet O’Neal, Southwest primitive painter Jim Keffer and ceramic artist Gayle Singer with an opening reception during Paseo’s First Friday Gallery Walk, through Oct. 1. JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 405-528-6336, jrbartgallery.com.
Historic Black Towns Honors 13 Community leaders from 13 of Oklahoma’s historically black towns will be honored at a special banquet by The Coltrane Group, an organization devoted to preserving the history of Oklahoma’s all-black towns. Participating towns include Boley, Brooksville, Clearview, Grayson, Langston, Lima, Redbird, Rentiesville, Summit, Taft, Tatums, Tullahassee and Vernon. The event begins 6 p.m. Thursday at Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive. Tickets are $65 and can be ordered by calling 206-9488852 or 206-949-5012. Visit facebook. com/stjohnokc.Thursday Photo bigstock.com
Lynden Wilcoxson Exhibition, view the works of Lynden Wilcoxson and experience his sense of humor that is obvious in his reinterpretation of found objects as well as in his acrylics and watercolor paintings, through Oct. 1. Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 405-601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com. FRI The Power of Children: Making a Difference, experience a stirring exhibit that will move and inspire you with remarkable stories of Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges and Ryan White, examining how the power of words and actions can make a positive difference in the face of hatred, racism and discrimination, through Oct. 20. Edmond Historical Society & Museum, 431 S. Boulevard Ave., Edmond, 405-340-0078, edmondhistory.org. Imprinting the West: Manifest Destiny, Real and Imagined, a Mid-America Arts Alliance Tour featuring art of George Catlin, Frederic Remington, Karl Bodmer and others, from the years 1799-1890. Included are hand-carved lithographs, wood engravings with watercolors, aquatint, engravings and etchings, through Oct. 21. Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, 1000 Chisholm Trail Pkwy, Duncan, 580-252-6692, onthechisholmtrail.com.
Mario Kart 64 Tournament If you owned a Nintendo 64 in the 1990s or early 2000s, there is a good chance you spent more than a few hours dodging shells in Mario Kart 64. Those with skill (or just looking for a good time) can compete in FlashBack RetroPub’s open tournament. The competition runs 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at the arcade bar, 814 W. Sheridan Ave. Registration is $5 and free for the bar’s USER members. Sign-up is at the door. Cash prizes are awarded to first-, second- and thirdplace finishers. Visit facebook.com/flashbackretropub. Sunday Photo provided
Fluvial Terra and Book Arts, featuring paper and installation work by Megan Singelton that was inspired by her travel west from Missouri to Oklahoma and Kelly Campbell Berry who resurrects beauty in salvaged books, Sept. 7-Oct. 28. [Artspace] at Untitled, 1 NE Third St., 405-8156665, artspaceatuntitled.org.
go to okgazette.com for full listings!
Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.
For okg live music
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MUSIC
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Submissions must be received by Oklahoma
Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible.
event
Submit your listings online at okgazette.com or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.
American picker A fascination with the banjo led Jens Kruger from Switzerland to the United States.
By Ben Luschen
An esteemed member of the American Banjo Museum’s board of directors will help usher in a new hall of fame class during the downtown Oklahoma City museum’s biggest annual weekend. The internationally touring Kruger Brothers trio, which features renowned banjoist and museum board member Jens Kruger, headlines this year’s Banjo Fest, set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center, 6000 S. Prosper Road, in Midwest City. The trio also includes guitarist and lead vocalist Uwe Kruger (Jens’ brother) and bassist Joel Landsberg. In addition to Kruger Brothers, other 2017 Banjo Fest draws include Gary “Biscuit” Davis, a banjo summit with Paul Erickson, Lance Dieckow, Johnny Baier and several informal performances and jam sessions. This is the festival’s second year. Reservations for the event can be made online. Concert tickets can be purchased separately. Banjo Fest follows the American Banjo Hall of Fame induction ceremonies Friday at the museum. This year’s inductees include Hee Haw’s Roy Clark, five-string performer John McEuen, four-string performer Paul Erickson, 1800s banjoist Joel Walker Sweeney and influential banjo instructor Tony Trischka. The 34
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museum will also honor longtime collector James Bollman with its Jack Canine Award. Jens Kruger is a Swiss-born banjo player who now resides in North Carolina. The lifelong lover of the instrument called the banjo museum one of his favorite places in the United States in a recent phone interview with Oklahoma Gazette. “The museum is spectacular,” Kruger said. “It’s an amazing collection, but besides that, it’s a stunning display. The whole building — the entire facility — is first-class.” The American Banjo Museum has been open in OKC for nearly a decade. It began in 1998 as a museum in Guthrie before moving to its current location on Sheridan Avenue. Kruger said the trio has been visiting and working with the museum since its Guthrie days. “We have a lot of people we know, and we have a lot of people who come to our concerts that we’ve known for a long time,” he said.
Engineering excellence
Before Kruger moved to the United States and furthered his banjo career, he taught banjo to students in Europe, where quality models of the American instrument are a lot harder to come by. He used to refer
Kruger Brothers | Photo Wayne Ebinger / provided
instruments sound good for what they are and how they’re played,” he said.
American ideal
all of his students to a local music store that sold instruments made by Californiabased Deering Banjo Company. “They made the best banjo for an affordable price,” he said. At that point, Kruger never imagined that he would one day become Deering’s director of research and development, a title he has held for the last 12 years. Kruger works researching the best types of wood and metal to use for certain instruments to create an optimal sound for each particular banjo variety. He said he met the company’s founders — Greg and Janet Deering — at a banjo festival in 1997. He later developed a couple of signature banjo models for the company. Impressed with what they saw, the Deerings hired Kruger to assist in the development of all their instruments. Unlike some other instruments, there is no ideal banjo. Kruger said each style of the instrument — four-string, fivestring, bluegrass, country, classical and more — has its own optimal look and feel. “With pianos, you can narrow down to a certain model for a good piano,” he said. “You have manufacturers who are pretty much building the same instrument. With the banjo, it really depends on the style that you play.” Kruger said what he tries to achieve with Deering is an instrument that is very playable and will not lose its shape over time. It needs to be something durable and stable with minimal tonal mistakes. Even small mistakes in sound can become quite noticeable when a banjo is electronically amplified. Each type of banjo presents its own unique challenges, which keeps work fresh and exciting for Kruger. “The challenge is to make all these
Kruger’s first banjo was a four-string tenor. He said it was fine for a child, but he wondered why he was never able to replicate the banjo sound on the bluegrass records he constantly heard. Unknown to him at the time, bluegrass banjos have five strings. Bluegrass and other banjo music always felt to Kruger like it was transporting him to a place far from his Swiss home. “When I heard the banjo sound — just the tone — it didn’t matter if it was an old-time or bluegrass banjo sound,” he said. “It seemed like there was a world connected to the banjo that interested me as a child.” Kruger grew up reading Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The banjo was more than a pleasant sound for him — it was a symbol of America. “It was the idea of a land far away, where you were more free and could do as you please,” he said. Kruger’s childhood quest to get his banjo to sound like his favorite bluegrass music led him to his own research of the instrument and its history. The more he learned, the more he became fascinated with it. Many hobbyists, he said, can relate. “People who play golf, all of a sudden, they’re interested in its history,” he said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, golf! It originated in Scotland! I would like to go to Scotland once and experience one of these golf courses.’ All of a sudden, there is a certain interest, so, for me, it came gradually as a child.”
Fri & Sat, Sept 08 & 09
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Jonny lang W/ guThrie broWn Mon, Sept 18
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TWo door cinema club W/ circa Waves Sun, oct 01
gary clark Jr. W/ Jackie venson thurS, oct 05
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lecrae - all Things Work TogeTher Tour Sun, oct 10
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tueS, oct 17
The magPie saluTe Tulsa ok
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TickeTs & info cainsballroom.com
Historic treasure
The banjo is perhaps the most inextricably American instrument, and Kruger said its history often mirrors U.S. history. As important innovations in technology arise, the instrument changes along with them. Kruger holds two personal banjo patents: his signature Deering models. He said the banjo is likely the most patented instrument and among the most patented inventions of any kind. He finds the diversity of what is sometimes called a niche instrument inspiring. “Once you see that, you get fascinated with it,” he said. “That’s also why there’s quite a few collectors of these things around. There’s so much variety.” Visit krugerbrothers.com.
Wed, sept 6
lazy J walker thurs, sept 7
clinT hardesTy Fri, sept 8
wighT lighTers and sTeve sTapler sat, sept 9
MaTT sanders Wed, sept 13
JOshua pOlaschek thurs, sept 14
sTephen baker Fri, sept 15
lazy rOOsTer rhyThM cO. sat, sept 16
Jarvix and rOck paper gary Wed, sept 20
danny harp thurs, sept 21
Banjo Fest 2017
clinT hardesTy Fri, sept 22
7 p.m. Saturday
haruMph
Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center | 6000 S. Prosper Road, Midwest City
Weekly events
banjofest2017.com | 405-604-2793
Open Mic w/caleb Mcgee
$25-$35
Mondays
tuesdays
Tanner Miller O kg a z e t t e . c o m | s e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 7
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MUSIC
Steady hand
Susan Herndon successfully maintains life as a working musician in an ever-changing world. By Ben Luschen
Singer-songwriter Susan Herndon is known for many things, but her reputation as Oklahoma’s consummate example of a working folk songstress might be how she is most remembered. The internationally touring live-music veteran has worked as a full-time musician for the majority of the last two decades. According to her website, Herndon plays around 200 shows a year. Her very personal and often relatable lyrical style most recently graced fans’ ears on the EP Spin, released in November with her band the Bella Counsel, which also consists of talented multi-instrumentalists Bob French and Randall Coyne. Bella Counsel recently finished recording its new studio album. The fulllength effort, Herndon’s ninth album total, will be released in the near future. Herndon will participate in a live song swap event with fellow singer-songwriters Mike Hosty and Larry Spears Thursday at The Blue Door, 2805 N. McKinley Ave. The trio of musicians will play their own music and engage in an improvised collaborative jam session. Admission for the all-ages show is $20.
I do think music is healing. It does bring people together. Susan Herndon Herndon — a guitarist, pianist and upright bass player — does not regret her decision to leave her old job teaching French at a Tulsa high school 18 years ago to become a full-time musician. Still, she stops short of recommending others follow in her footsteps for a life of relentless touring. “Only 2 percent of it is great, which is the 2 percent you’re playing a gig that’s really great,” Herndon said. The other 98 percent, she said, is lessglorious hustle and hard work. Herndon said anyone who cannot bring themselves to love, or at least tolerate, the behind-thescenes work that goes into being a musician should probably keep it as a hobby. Herndon still loves music, but she said the only secret to keeping her focus is not having a viable fallback plan. “I can’t get out now,” she said. “I mean, I could, but what am I going to do?”
World turns
Herndon wrote the material on Spin months before the 2016 presidential elec36
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tion reached its wild climax, but she embraced the connection when her self-reflective lyrics began to so strongly and serendipitously align with the chaotic political season. On the title track, she sings, “I’d rather be right and lose than be wrong and win, taking me so deep down in the spin than I’ve ever been.” She said hope that a shift from the election cycle would restore some kind of national or global order quickly evaporated and the world continued to whirl out of control. Like many others, Herndon has grown somewhat jaded to the news that pops up in headlines these days and she’s desperate to return to a time with fewer scandals and violence. “I never trust anything,” she said. “It’s all just smoke and mirrors.” Herndon has a degree in French and spent a few years teaching English in the country in her 20s. To this day, she still tours Europe as often as she can. What seems like an uptick in terrorism-related violence on the continent has been very disturbing for her to watch from afar and is sometimes too close for comfort. During a recent tour through England, Herndon said her band left the country just the day before the May 22 attack in Manchester most famous for the bombing that killed 23 people following an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Herndon said her band rented their instruments out of Manchester. It also nearly flew in and out of the city. “It was very close,” she said. “It was all right under our noses.” The seemingly unpredictable nature of the world today brings more importance to the idea of musical healing. Herndon said gigging can be as beneficial to the musician as attending a gig can be for fans. “It doesn’t matter what size [show] and for whom or how big the place is,” she said. “It just feels right to be doing that.”
Being real
While she recognizes the power of music to heal, the career musician does not claim to be offering anything holy or altruistic at her shows. “I’m pretty selfish about it,” Herndon said. “I feel like if we strive for our highest aim, then we’re kind of doing it for everybody. I don’t take on an attitude of, ‘Oh, I’m doing this for the poor people.’ But I do think music is healing. It does bring people together. There’s nothing like a great song to unite.” Herndon often sees the singer-songwriter lifestyle glamorized by outsiders. The reality, she said, is rarely as ideal as it appears. Herndon is not a homeowner and has no children and no health insur-
Susan Herndon | Photo Paul Wilson / provided
ance. She recently had no choice but to perform a week’s slate of shows while sick. “I had to go and do those gigs,” she said. “Otherwise, I’d have no income.” Songwriters are often asked where they get their inspiration. Herndon said for her, it is a true mystery. She believes in divine inspiration and muses, but, as is true in the other aspects of her career, Herndon also looks at the art of songwriting from a pragmatic point of view. “It’s a mystery, but it’s also really mundane and craftwork — a real bitch,” she said. “I hate it sometimes because it’s not easy. It’s great if it is and it comes in 10 minutes. That’s cool, and sometimes it happens, but more often than not, it takes working through ideas.”
Worth it
Herndon said when she started her music career, the local folk scene was strong but segmented. There were pockets of talented artists across the state who more or less remained in the same circles without interacting. These days, perhaps due to the connective power of the internet, those boundaries have faded away. Oklahoma’s folk scene, built on the foundation of Woody Guthrie and his legacy, is currently seen as one of the healthiest and
most vibrant in the nation. Herndon said the state has also become more accepting of female artists and their work. She remembers the early struggle of getting some club owners to recognize her as a legitimate artist. “I remember even 15 years ago finding myself beating my head against clubs in Tulsa,” she said. “That was before I got hip to, ‘Why am I beating my head against this wall? It doesn’t feel good.’ Now I realize to never do that again.” Herndon, one of contemporary Oklahoma folk’s most recognizable names, said while working as a full-time musician can be personally grinding, the reward it offers easily overshadows any negatives. “Meeting people who love the music,” she said, “that makes it all worthwhile.” Visit susanherndon.com.
Susan Herndon, Mike Hosty and Larry Spears Song Swap 8 p.m. Thursday The Blue Door | 2805 N. McKinley Ave. bluedoorokc.com | 405-524-0738 $20
LIVE MUSIC These are events recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.
WEDNESDAY, 9.6 David Cook/Kathryn Dean, Tower Theatre. ROCK Lydia Can’t Breathe, Red Brick Bar, Norman. ROCK The Ongoing Concept/Eidola/Save Us From The Archon, 89th Street-OKC. ROCK Zigtebra/Ugly Gold/APMFG, Resonator, Norman. INDIE
THURSDAY, 9.7 EOTO, Tower Theatre. ELECTRONIC Good Company, Oklahoma City Museum of Art. R&B
Greg Wells/Feline Valentine/Elektra, Sauced on Paseo. VARIOUS Kent Fauss Trio, Louie’s Grill & Bar. COUNTRY Kyle Lacy and The Harlem River Noise/The Lazy Rooster Rhythym Co, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. BLUES
Master Class with Garland Jeffreys Eclectic singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys offers advice on navigating the music industry for students and the curious public. Jeffrey is known for the 1973 song “Wild in the Streets” and as a model of longevity with a music career that now exceeds 50 years. The event begins 2 p.m. Sept. 14 at The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO), 25 S. Oklahoma Ave. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit acm.uco.edu or call 405-9744700. Sept. 14 Photo Myriam Santos / provided
Lew Card/Brad Fielder, The Deli, Norman. COUNTRY
NeoRomantics/Johnny Manchild/The Ivy and more, The Paramount Theatre. VARIOUS
John Winston, [Artspace] at Untitled. R&B Left/Right, OKC Farmers Public Market. ELECTRONIC
Poolboy/Shishio/Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re and more, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS
Less Than Human/Among the Missing/Voodoo Dolls, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK
Shelly Phelps, Bourbon St. Cafe.
Los Lonely Boys, Hudson Performance Hall. ROCK
SINGER/SONGWRITER
Toadies/Local H/The Normandys, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK
Marley’s Ghost, The Blue Door. FOLK Octopus Project/Horse Thief/Ester Drang and more, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS
FRIDAY, 9.8
RedWitch Johnny, Red Brick Bar, Norman. ROCK
Always The Alibi, Farmer’s Public Market. INDIE
The Chad Todd Band, Jacky’s Unique Club. COUNTRY
Beach Language/the Nghiems/Teenage Self, The Blue Note. INDIE
SUNDAY, 9.10
Branford Marsalis Quartet, UCO Mitchell Hall Theater. JAZZ Brent Blount, The Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro. JAZZ Caitlyn Gann/Amy Duffy/Kristin Long and more, Rodeo Opry. COUNTRY Laine/Chainsaw Kittens/Helen Kelter Skelter and more, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS Lisa and Laura, Full Circle Bookstore. FOLK Midas 13, Sherlock’s. COVER
Amanda Cunningham, Hollywood Corners Station, Norman. SINGER/SONGWRITER Castle/Lost Empires/Turbo Wizard, The Blue Note. ROCK
MONDAY, 9.11 TUESDAY, 9.12
Monikers, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. INDIE
Annie Moses Band, OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center. VARIOUS
Randall Shreve, Bourbon St. Cafe. INDIE
Ghost Bath, 89th Street-OKC. ROCK
Randy Cassimus, Bricktown Brewery. ACOUSTIC
Kristin Diable, The Factory Showroom.
Slow Speed Breaker, Anthem Brewing Company. COVER
The Big News, Bison Witches Bar & Deli, Norman. PUNK
Otonana Trio, The Root. VARIOUS
The Michael Updegrove Band, Mooney’s Pub and Grill, Norman. BLUES
MC Black Jesus, The Venue OKC. Hip-Hop
Toby Love, La Brasa. SINGER/SONGWRITER
CIGARETTES
WEDNESDAY, 9.13 Invoker & Reign/Aberrant Construct, 89th StreetOKC. ROCK
BLUEGRASS
VISIT AMERICANSPIRIT.COM OR CALL 1-800-435-5515 PROMO CODE 96726
SINGER/SONGWRITER
The Black Moriah/Big Okie Doom/Horde Casket, 89th Street-OKC. ROCK
The Plums, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery.
INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC TOBACCO ORGANIC MENTHOL
North By North, The Deli, Norman. ROCK
©2017 SFNTC (3)
*Plus applicable sales tax
Offer for one “1 for $3” Gift Certificate good for any Natural American Spirit cigarette product (excludes RYO pouches and 150g tins). Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer and website restricted to U.S. smokers 21 years of age and older. Limit one offer per person per 12 month period. Offer void in MA and where prohibited. Other restrictions may apply. Offer expires 12/31/17.
Michael Kelsey/Edgar Cruz, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. ACOUSTIC Yeahman/P.Z.Y., Red Brick Bar, Norman. HIP-HOP
Uncle Freddy/Kirra, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK Young Thug, The Criterion. RAP
SATURDAY, 9.9 2 AM, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. POP Armchair Martian/Magic Cyclops, The Blue Note. PUNK
Boss County, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK Erick Taylor, Bricktown Brewery. ACOUSTIC Jared Deck, Bedlam Bar-B-Q. SINGER/SONGWRITER
Live music submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.
go to okgazette.com for full listings!
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puzzles New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION By Jeff Chen | Edited by Will Shortz | 0903 ACROSS 1 Way around London, with “the” 5 ER VIPs 8 Haunted house sound 13 Backflow preventer in a drain 18 Brief, as a visit 20 Sub 21 Oscar role for Vivien Leigh 22 Astonishing March Madness success, e.g. 24 He denied Christ three times 25 Device with a Retina display 26 The opposition 27 “Madame X” painter John Singer ____ 29 23-Across, literally? 33 Cozy 35 Actor ____ Buchholz of The Magnificent Seven 36 Epitome of simplicity 37 Sour 39 Spicy fare? 41 “Where America’s Day Begins” 43 Made an impression? 45 Iron: Fr. 46 Get ready to be dubbed 50 Machine-gun while flying low 52 Stereotypical oil tycoon 54 Remains unused 56 Sweets 58 Take both sides? 60 Word on a jar 61 Muskmelon variety 65 Bombs developed in the 1950s 66 Some airport figures, for short 67 Eminently draft-worthy 68 Pitch 71 Wiped out 72 Middling 73 Plenty sore, with “off” 74 Heat 76 Antiparticle first observed in 1929 78 Noon, in Nantes 79 Disaster film? 82 Singer Simone 83 Doomed 85 NBA Hall-of-Famer Thomas 87 Ladies’ shoe fastener 91 Staff openings? 92 By way of 94 Wine bar order 96 Elusive
97 ____ Lenoir, inventor of the internal-combustion engine 100 Location of Waimea Valley 101 What one will never be, in golf 102 Tended, with “for” 104 Comedian’s stock in trade 106 118-Across, literally? 110 Africa’s oldest republic 112 Result of some plotting 114 Bingo square 115 Old Russian ruler known as “Moneybag” 116 Detective in a lab 122 Frisbees and such 123 Like spoiled kids 124 Metallic element that’s No. 21 on the periodic table 125 Like many concept cars 126 Gregor ____, protagonist in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis 127 Snack food brand 128 Latin years DOWN 1 Sign of nervousness 2 Sea urchin, at a sushi bar 3 Declare verboten 4 Break off a romance 5 Takeaway, of a sort 6 When a baby is expected 7 1904 world’s fair city: Abbr. 8 Utilities, insurance, advertising, etc. 9 Loosely woven fabric with a rough texture 10 Try to find oneself? 11 ____ quotes 12 What a designated driver takes 13 Candy that fizzes in the mouth 14 New Hampshire 15 Gives stars to 16 Have no existence 17 Line usually on the left or right side 19 Tonto player of 2013 20 ____ characters (Chinese writing) 23 Murderer of Hamlet 28 Tuna, at a sushi bar 29 Doesn’t keep up 30 Go up against 31 Facial feature of the Bond villain Ernst Blofeld 32 Jargon
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63 Hospital sticker 64 Handling well 69 Winner of four 1990s-2000s golf majors 70 1953 Leslie Caron film 75 Other: Abbr. 77 Networking assets 80 “Ta-ta!” 81 Former world capital called “City of Lights” 84 Shift+8 86 “Everybody’s a comedian” 88 Certain cheap car, informally 89 Mathematician Turing 90 Apt rhyme for “fire” 93 Asked for a desk, say 95 That the sum of the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666, e.g.
98 Uganda’s Amin 99 Marsh birds 102 Showing politesse 103 Lower 105 International package deliverer 107 Desi of Desilu Productions 108 Show a bias 109 Nintendo game princess 110 Lens caps? 111 Where fighter jets are found: Abbr. 113 “Gangnam Style” hitmaker 117 ____ pro nobis (pray for us) 118 Sch. in Fort Collins 119 The dark side 120 Symbol on the flag of Argentina or Uruguay 121 “Eww, stop!”
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P h o n e (4 0 5 ) 5 2 8 - 6 0 0 0 | E - m a i l a dv e r t i s i n g @ o kg a z e t t e . c o m
free will astrology Homework: Why is this a perfect moment? To hear my reasons why, tune in to my podcast: http://bit.ly/PerfectionNow. ARIES (March 21-April 19)
You're half-intoxicated by your puzzling adventures -- and half-bewildered, as well. Sometimes you're spinning out fancy moves, sweet tricks, and surprising gambits. On other occasions you're stumbling and bumbling and mumbling. Are you really going to keep up this rhythm? I hope so, because your persistence in navigating through the challenging fun could generate big rewards. Like what, for example? Like the redemptive transformation of a mess into an asset.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
"Free your mind and your ass will follow," sings funk pioneer George Clinton in his song "Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts." And what's the best way to free your mind? Clinton advises you to "Be careful of the thoughtseeds you plant in the garden of your mind." That's because the ideas you obsess on will eventually grow into the experiences you attract into your life. "Good thoughts bring forth good fruit," he croons, while "Bullshit thoughts rot your meat." Any questions, Taurus? According to my astrological analysis, this is the best possible counsel for you to receive right now.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
James Loewen wrote a book called Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. He said, for instance, that during the Europeans' invasion and conquest of the continent, it wasn't true that Native Americans scalped white settlers. In fact, it was mostly the other way around: whites scalped Indians. Here's another example: The famous blind and deaf person, Helen Keller, was not a sentimental spokesperson for sweetness and light, but rather a radical feminist and socialist who advocated revolution. I invite you to apply Loewen's investigative approach to your personal past, Gemini. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to uncover hidden, incomplete, and distorted versions of your history, and correct them.
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CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Roger Hodge writes books now, but when he worked for Harper's magazine, he had an unusual specialty. He gathered heaps of quirky facts, and assembled several at a time into long sentences that had a nutty poetic grace. Here's an example: "British cattle have regional accents, elephants mourn their dead, nicotine sobers drunk rats, scientists have concluded that teenagers are physically incapable of being considerate, and clinical trials of an 'orgasmatron' are underway in North Carolina." I'm offering Hodge as a worthy role model for you in the coming weeks, Cancerian. Be curious, miscellaneous, and freeflowing. Let your mind wander luxuriantly as you make unexpected connections. Capitalize on the potential blessings that appear through zesty twists and tangy turns.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
In Japan you can buy a brand of candy that's called The Great Buddha's Nose Snot. Each piece consists of a rice puff that resembles the Buddha's nose filled with bits of brown sugar that symbolize the snot. The candymaking company assures customers that eating this treat brings them good luck. I invite you to be equally earthy and irreverent about your own spiritual values in the coming days. You're in prime position to humanize your relationship with divine influences . . . to develop a more visceral passion for your holiest ideals . . . to translate your noblest aspirations into practical, enjoyable actions.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Will a routine trip to carry out an errand take you on a detour to the suburbs of the promised land? Will you worry you're turning into a monster, only to find the freakishness is just a phase that you had to pass through on your way to unveiling some of your dormant beauty? Will a provocative figure from the past lead you on a productive wild-goose chase into the future? These are some of the possible storylines I'll be monitoring as I follow your progress in the coming weeks.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Let's meet in the woods after midnight and tell each other stories about our origins, revealing the secrets we almost forgot we had. Let's sing the songs that electrified our emotions all those years ago when we first fell in love with our lives. Starlight will glow on our ancient faces. The fragrance of loam will seep into our voices like rainwater feeding the trees' roots. We'll feel the earth turning on its axis, and sense the rumble of future memories coming to greet us. We'll join hands, gaze into the dreams in each other's eyes, and dive as deep as we need to go to find hidden treasures.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
I don't usually recommend giving gifts with strings attached. On the contrary, I advise you to offer your blessings without having any expectations at all. Generosity often works best when the recipients are free to use it any way they see fit. In the coming weeks, however, I'm making an exception to my rule. According to my reading of the omens, now is a time to be specific and forceful about the way you'd like your gifts to be used. As an example of how not to proceed, consider the venture capitalist who donated $25,000 to the University of Colorado. All he got in return was a rest room in a campus building named after him. If you give away $25,000, Scorpio, make sure you at least get a whole building named after you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Now that you're getting a taste of what life would be like if you ruled the world, I'll recommend a manual. It's called How To Start Your Own Country, by Erwin Strauss. (Get a free peek here: tinyurl.com/YouSovereign.) You could study it for tips on how to obtain national sovereignty, how to recruit new citizens, and how to avoid paying taxes to yourself. (P.S.: You can make dramatic strides toward being the boss of yourself and your destiny even without forming your own nation.)
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
There was a time when not even the most ambitious explorers climbed mountains. In the western world, the first time it happened was in 1492, when a
Frenchman named Antoine de Ville ascended to the top of Mont Aiguille, using ladders, ropes, and other props. I see you as having a kinship with de Ville in the coming weeks, Capricorn. I'd love to see you embark on a big adventure that would involve you trying on the role of a pioneer. This feat wouldn't necessarily require strenuous training and physical courage. It might be more about daring creativity and moral courage.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Science fiction proposes that there are alternate worlds alongside the visible one -- hidden, yes, but perhaps accessible with the right knowledge or luck. In recent years, maverick physicists have given the idea more credibility, theorizing that parallel universes exist right next to ours. Even if these hypothetical places aren't literally real, they serve as an excellent metaphor. Most of us are so thoroughly embedded in our own chosen niche that we are oblivious to the realities that other people inhabit. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Aquarius, because it's a favorable time to tap into those alternate, parallel, secret, unknown, or unofficial realms. Wake up to the rich sources that have been so close to you, but so far away.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
I'm always in favor of you cultivating a robust relationship with your primal longings. But I'll be rooting extra hard for you to do that during the next eleven months. I hope you will dig deep to identify your primal longings, and I hope you will revere them as the wellspring of your life energy, and I hope you will figure out all the tricks and strategies you will need to fulfill them. Here's a hint about how to achieve the best results as you do this noble work: Define your primal longings with as much precision as you can, so that you will never pursue passing fancies that bear just a superficial resemblance to the real things.
Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.
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