Arts | Oklahoma Gazette

Star gazing

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma presents the regional premiere of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s Bright Star.

If not for Hamilton hogging the spotlight, Bright Star might have gotten a little more shine.

By Jeremy Martin Mar 22, 2019

Bright Star Bright Star Lyric oklahoma city Lyric at the Plaza Steve Martin edie brickell musical oklahoma city musical oklahoma city performance Bright Star musical

Holocaust visible

Testimony: The Life and Work of David Friedman explores one artist’s experience with genocide.

Miriam Friedman Morris grew up surrounded by her father’s artwork, but many pieces were missing and the work that was most important to him was the work he did not discuss.

By Jeremy Martin Mar 21, 2019

Davis Friedman David Friedman artist Fred Jones Je. Museum of Art Norman exhibit Testimony: The Life and Work of David Friedman A Night of Testimony Miriam Friedman Morris

Building Momentum

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition holds its 18th annual Momentum art show Friday-Saturday.

Since 1988, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC) has celebrated the work of Oklahoma artists.

By Jo Light Mar 20, 2019

Oklahoma visual Coalition OVAC Momentum Wayne Coyne The Womb Krystle Brewer Artist Survival Kit ASK OVAC ASK Allison Hix Madeleine Witt Rachel Davis Emily Chase Cecilia Otero Anna Thomas Zoe Larkins Mix-Tape Factory Obscura

Swing shift

Swingout OKC carves out a space to enjoy the rich tradition of swing dance in social, community-oriented ways.

“We just want people to dance.”

By Ian Jayne Mar 20, 2019

Swingout OKC swing music oklahoma city swing class oklahoma city swing classes oklahoma city Hannah Berrett Sarah Bacon Liem 3Sixty Entertainment Powerhouse Oklahoma City Swing Dance Club Scissortail Swing

Order up

OKC Broadway brings a story of personal growth, determination and pie to the stage in Waitress.

Dough is a malleable culmination of a few different things and a lot of elbow grease, just like life. It is also, of course, another word for money.

By Ian Jayne Mar 18, 2019

Waitress OKC Broadway Christine Dwyer Civic Center Music Hall Adrienne Shelly Keri Russell Diane Paulus Jessie Shelton Tatiana Lofton

Praising Molly

Molly Ringwald speaks at a Junior League of Oklahoma City fundraiser, and her films are part of an ’80s celebration at Tower Theatre.

From 1980s teen star to on-screen parent of another iconic teen, Molly Ringwald has had an intriguing career as an actress, singer and writer. Now, she’s coming to Oklahoma City as part of an entire 1980s-themed weekend to be Junior League of Oklahoma City’s Speaker in the City for 2019.

By Matthew Price Mar 18, 2019

Molly Ringwald Junior League of Oklahoma City Speaker in the City John Hughes Sixteen Candles The Breakfast Club Pretty in Pink The Secret Life of the American Teenager Riverdale Sarah Frank Farmers Public Market When It Happens to You Tower Theatre Chad Whitehead

Individually artistic

Individual Artists of Oklahoma, a long-standing home for creative outsiders, celebrates its 40th year of supporting forward advancement.

Daring ideas don’t generally have a long shelf life in the arts, so maintaining a gallery and organization based around avant garde poetry, visual art and performance seems unlikely to last beyond the gestation phase.

By Charles Martin Mar 15, 2019

Individual Artists Of Oklahoma IAO David smith spontaneous bob Oklahoma voices full circle bookstore classes curve the paseo HiLo club Joe hopper red dot biting the apple James Parman James frank Parman

Face value

Oklahoma City Museum of Art puts Kehinde Wiley at the center of its permanent collection.

Known for painting Barack Obama’s official presidential portrait, artist Kehinde Wiley’s neoclassical work typically features people of color — subjects not fully represented in art museums.

By Jeremy Martin Mar 13, 2019

Kehinde Wiley Oklahoma City Museum of Art OKCMOA Barack Obama Michael Anderson From the Golden Age to the Moving Image Pierre-Auguste Renoir George Bellows John Singleton Copley Georgia O’Keeffe Brincel Kape’li Wiggins Jr. Gerard ter Borch Jacob de Graeff code switching

Deep Oceans

Theater company Celtic Nights shares a musical story of Irish immigrants.

In a month known for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond brings Irish culture to the forefront.

By Matthew Price Mar 5, 2019

Celtic Nights Irish potato famine Armstrong Auditorium Irish-American Heritage Month Oceans of Hope GFD Promotions Great Hunger Great Famine Ciarán Olohan Rebekah Shearer Emily O'Dwyer Amber Sylvia Edwards Kevin C. Olohan

Grand production

Adam Cooper expands on a London production of Grand Hotel on a bigger stage at University of Oklahoma.

Artist-in-residence Adam Cooper said there’s one main difference between the version of the musical Grand Hotel he earned a Laurence Olivier Award for choreographing in 2005 and the version he’s directing for the theater department at the University of Oklahoma (OU): The new Norman production is much bigger.

By Jeremy Martin Mar 4, 2019

Adam Cooper Grand Hotel Elsie C. Brackett Theatre University of Oklahoma

Expressionist eggs

A Norman-based Japanese artist tells stories through egg statues in his latest exhibit.

As a mold maker and fabricator, Norman-based artist Tomoaki Orikasa has helped sculptors craft large bronze works displayed in the Oklahoma State Capitol, Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, Missouri, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York, but in his own work, Orikasa often draws inspiration from smaller, more delicate subjects.

By Jeremy Martin Mar 1, 2019

Tomoaki Orikasa Eggtion Figures Studio Six Paseo sculpture egg sculptures oklahoma t norman artist paseo district

Borough in

A Bronx Tale deviates from usual musical storylines and focuses on a young man caught between his father and the mob.

With roles in the musical stage productions of Saturday Night Fever, The Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde and, most recently, A Bronx Tale, actor Richard H. Blake has played several parts other actors made famous on the big screen.

By Jeremy Martin Feb 28, 2019

Saturday Night Fever The Wedding Singer Legally Blonde A Bronx Tale: The Musical Richard H. Blake Civic Center Music Hall Travis Bickle Vito Corleone Rupert Pupkin Chazz Palminteri

Sweet story

The musical Girlfriend uses a classic alt-rock album to examine young, gay romance in the early 1990s.

A power-pop album originally written about a musician’s divorce is the musical impetus behind a love story featuring two gay teens from flyover country in Girlfriend.

By Matthew Price Feb 27, 2019

Girlfriend Matthew Sweet Lyric at the Plaza Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma Todd Almond Ian Marcontell Jimmy Mavrikes Signature Theatre Matthew Gardiner Michael Baron LGBTQ+ Britt Bonney Misha Kachman Frank Labovitz. Colin K. Bills Ryan Hickey

Art speaks

Oklahoma-born artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh will open a new exhibition, Oklahoma Is Black, at Oklahoma Contemporary on Friday.

To view Tatyana Fazlalizadeh’s art is to be confronted.

By Jo Light Feb 21, 2019

Tatyana Fazlalizadeh Oklahoma is Black America is Black Stop Telling Women to Smile Oklahoma Contemporary Oklahoma Contemporary Center Jennifer Scanlan The Personal as Political She’s Gotta Have It

Folk inspiration

McKnight Center for the Performing Arts fosters excitement around the state before its October opening.

Oklahoma State University’s McKnight Center for the Performing Arts is scheduled to open in Stillwater in October, but Oklahoma City music lovers can get a sneak preview eight months early.

By Jeremy Martin Feb 21, 2019

Chamber Music Festival Oklahoma City Soiree Oklahoma State University’s McKnight Center for the Performing CHK|Central Boathouse oklahoma city performing Sergei Prokofiev

Last dance

Principal dancer Miki Kawamura performs for the final time in Oklahoma City Ballet’s La Sylphide.

James, on his wedding day, wakes to a winged fairy kissing his forehead.

By Jeremy Martin Feb 20, 2019

La Sylphide La Sylphide oklahoma city August Bournonville Oklahoma City Ballet Oklahoma City Philharmonic Miki Kawamura

Artistic Almosts

Pollard Theatre Company’s upcoming production of Almost, Maine knits together several romantic vignettes about love, life and the liminal.

According to urban legend, “almost” only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades, but it also figures pretty largely in John Cariani’s 2004 play Almost, Maine, coming to Pollard Theatre, 120 W. Harrison Ave., in Guthrie Friday–March 2.

By Ian Jayne Feb 15, 2019

Almost Maine Almost Maine stage production Pollard Theatre Almost Maine Pollard Theatre live performance Guthrie Mathew Alvin Brown

Found treasure

A local collector displays a curated collection of pieces by unknown artists at Artspace at Untitled.

Emily Reynolds is not your typical art collector.

By Joshua Blanco Feb 14, 2019

Emily Reynolds pace at Untitled Laura Warriner art curated art Anonyma Fine Art

Handel intrigue

A queen must make impossible choices to save her son and her kingdom in OU’s performance of Rodelinda.

Winter is coming, but not fast enough.

By Charles Martin Feb 14, 2019

George Frideric Handel Rodelinda Rodelinda oklahoma city Rodelinda norman Rodelinda university of oklahoma university of oklahoma stage production

All Goodman

Julian Bliss Septet puts a spin on Benny Goodman’s iconic hits at Armstrong Auditorium on Thursday.

Born in Chicago in 1909, Benny Goodman began playing clarinet at age 10, taking lessons at a local synagogue before playing in jazz bands as a teenager.

By Jeremy Martin Feb 13, 2019

Benny Goodman Julian Bliss Septet Julian Bliss The King of Swing A Tribute to Benny Goodman Martin Shaw Lewis Wright Neal Thornton Colin Oxley Tim Thornton Ed Richardson Amadeus Mozart Mozart Clarinet Concerto jazz Armstrong Auditorium

Valentine's Day: Valentine’s variety

Internationally known burlesque performers showcase all sides of love and romance at Adèle Wolf’s Valentine’s Affair.

Celebrate the “good, the bad and the ugly of love and romance” with Valentine’s Affair presented by Adèle Wolf’s Burlesque and Variety Show 9 p.m.

By Matthew Price Feb 13, 2019

Adèle Wolf Adèle Wolf’s Burlesque and Variety Show Valentine’s Affair burlesque Sweetpea Emma D’Lemma Ayperi Al Jawahir Aalim Dance Academy Raven Rose Oklahoma School of Burlesque Jo Weldon The Burlesque Handbook Oklahoma City Burlesque Festival

Gender roles

Shakespeare in the Park explores issues of gender in Twelfth Night.

Like many writers, William Shakespeare had favorite tropes he liked to revisit.

By Jeremy Martin Feb 8, 2019

Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park Twelfth Night Kathryn McGill Jessa Schinske The Comedy of Errors Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park oklahoma city shakespeare oklahoma city theater

Darkness visible

Carpenter Square Theatre takes a multifaceted approach to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Jeffrey Hatcher’s stage adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tests whether audiences can ever get enough of a bad thing.

By Jeremy Martin Feb 7, 2019

Carpenter Square Theatre Jeffrey Hatcher Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde David Burkhart Christine Lanning Rhonda Clark Robert Louis Stevenson Henry Jekyll Edward Hyde Rick Lockett Albert Bostick Rob May Kaylan Ferrell Ford Filson

Curious friends

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s Theatre for Young Audiences program presents Curious George and the Golden Meatball.

Young theatergoers will soon be able to enjoy the hijinks of a famous monkey and his human companion with the yellow hat when Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, 1727 NW 16th St., stages Curious George and the Golden Meatball starting this month.

By Jo Light Feb 1, 2019

Elvie Ellis Justin Larman Gavin Guthrie Greg Gore Jenna Mazzoccoli Bailey Maxwell Curious George and the Golden Meatball Lyric Theatre Chef Pisghetti Phinneas T. Lightspeed Theatre for Young Audiences The Golden Meatball Matthew Sipress Curious George The Man With the Yellow Hat Netti Dawn Drake Toney Mary Brozina Wierick Fabian Garcia Jeffrey Meek New Works