NTown - October 2014

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Oct. 10, 2014

+ ntown's top 10 — choosing a halloween costume Q&A w/ Jim Ross — 'Our town' — tibetan monks in norman

what’s

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'Our Town'

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Q&A with Jim "J.R." Ross

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Reviews

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Monks' 14 Tibetan sand mandala 10.10.14

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Oklahoma Arts Conference

22 Costume creations Annual 24 8th Aviation Festival

26 NTown's Top 10 Friday Arts 28 2nd Walk schedule Jay Chilton / NTown Venerable Geshe Lobasang Dhonye (Ritual and Chant Master) leads the chant before the deconstruction of a long life mandala created over four days earlier this month at St. John's Episcopal Church in Norman.

from the editor’s desk

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ello Norman,

In the aftermath of "Carrie The Musical," which became my first-ever theater pit gig last month, I have to say a couple of things:

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• Online: normanscript.com/ ntown • Facebook: facebook.com/ transcriptntown 10.10.14

• Twitter: @TranscriptNTown

• Instagram: @TranscriptNTown

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staff

• Musicians don't get paid enough.

Scratch that. Nobody does.

Probably.

• Actors excel at making baked goods.

• Stage productions take a ton of work. There are more details than anyone can keep a handle on, yet when the curtain goes up everything seems to work out.

• There are more people behind the curtain than in front of it. The stage crew operates like an ant hive.

Everyone knows their role. There were people on top of costumes, sets, lighting, production and for this production, there were people in charge of all the blood. The initial batches gave the leading lady a skin reaction (not to mention chemically scorched eyeballs), so they had to cook up a new batch. And clean it up every night.

• The phrase "good luck" is apparently outright banned. They really do say "break a leg." Bad for sport, good

for the stage.

• It's fun to be a cog in the big machine. Fellow pit guitarist Jason Hunt put it this way: "It's the most fun gig out there. I love being a small part of something so big. It's my favorite gig."

Even though I was cursing the phone book-esque pile of music in the days leading up to my first run, but as soon as the work was well under way I had more fun than I thought possible — especially given the fact that I moved to a new address somewhere in there.

As soon as we hit our last notes during the final Sunday matinee I found myself missing it already.

Now, every song is stuck in my head simultaneously on near permanent loop. It's a weird song all smashed together in the cerebral cortex, but I don't mind.

It was an absolute grinder.

I felt like Frank Abagnale passing the bar in "Catch me if you can."

Looking back, I still can't believe it.

I was on the fence before, waffling between 'never again' and 'yeah, definitely never again.'

Now, I can't wait for the next one.

What’s Inside: In this issue of NTown we take a look forward to the Oklahoma Arts Conference. The three-day behemoth will welcome hundreds from the statewide arts and culture scene and offer workshops, live performances, lectures, tours and more.

"Our Town" is coming to the Sooner Theatre and "An Inspector Calls" makes its way to the Lyric Theatre.

Then there's a Q&A with BBQ mogul, WWE superstar announcer and all-around Norman legend Jim Ross.

NTown's Sarah Kirby shares the search for the perfect costume and we look forward to the best way to get your Halloween kicks.

Publisher Mark Millsap

Cover Design Anthony Kimball

Production Manager Rob Rasor

Scott Strandberg Jessica Bruha

Executive Editor Andy Rieger

Advertising Rebekah Collins Robin Escarcega Kimberly Lehenbauer Ryan Dillard

Writers Mack Burke Doug Hill Mary Newport Katherine Parker

Photographers Kyle Phillips Jay Chilton Nick Powers Mack Burke

Editor Mack Burke

N-town is a monthly publication of The Norman Transcript, 215 E. Comanche St, Norman, OK 73070. (Phone: 405.321.1800). Letters or editorial contributions should be sent to: N-town, P.O. Drawer 1058, Norman, OK, 73070 or emailed to mburke@normantranscript.com. N-town is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner, without permissions is prohibited. Address advertising inquiries to Debbi Knoll, 405-366-3554 or dknoll@normantranscript.com. N-town can be found online.

'Our Town' comes to our town 5

10.10.14

Doug Hill / NTown Sooner Theatre's production of 'Our Town' includes period correct music not included in the original script played live by members of the cast.

• Sooner Theatre welcomes production of Thornton Wilder's 1938 Americana classic

By Doug Hill

“Our Town,” written by American playwright Thornton Wilder, will be presented at the Sooner Theatre with six performances starting next week. Originally staged in 1938, it was successful on Broadway and won the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

The play’s popularity persists and its universal life and death themes remain timeless.

Tom Huston Orr, University of Oklahoma's James Garner Chair, Director of the School of Drama and Professor of acting is the production’s director.

“I have a desire to tell this story here,” Orr said. “I was asked by the Sooner Theatre to do this last year. It’s part of the Big Read series and arguably the finest piece of literature in the American theatrical canon.”

The timeless production known for its well-crafted story lines is a joint OU and community collaboration.

“It’s a big cast with great talent,” Orr said. The actors performing it will include students, faculty members, people from the community and university alumna. Being true to the story will be among Orr’s See 'Our Town', Page 30

If you go • What: “Our Town” • Where: Sooner Theatre, 101 E. Main St. • When: 8 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 24 and 25, 2 p.m. Oct. 19 and 26.

• Cost: Star Circle $25, Main Floor $20.

• Box office: 405-321-9600 or via the web at soonertheatre.com.

&A

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any Oklahomans know Jim “J.R.” Ross as the face of barbecue in the state. While J.R.’s Family BBQ restaurants in Norman and Moore have since gone out of business, J.R. has turned the closings into an opportunity to expand his line of sauces and condiments, which is now a global empire. Through his partnership with the 6 family-owned, Oklahoma City-based Clements Foods, J.R.’s “Made In Oklahoma” products are available all across North America and Europe.

For others, J.R. is a staple on the sidelines at Sooner football games. His signature black cowboy hat stands out from the sea of red helmets, whether OU is at home or away. The Westville, OK native is a true Sooner devotee, and that was part of the reason he and his wife moved to Norman from their previous home in Connecticut a 10.10.14 few years ago. “I wish I would have moved to Norman earlier,” J.R. says, “but we’re making up for lost time.”

For most people worldwide, however, “Good Ol’ J.R.” is a broadcast legend; an international celebrity from his decades as a wrestling announcer, primarily for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The defining voice of sports entertainment parted ways with WWE in 2013, but to say that he keeps busy would be an understatement. When he’s not pursuing philanthropic interests as the honorary chairman of the nationwide Headlock on Hunger charity, or visiting soldiers’ families down at Fort Sill, he’s experiencing a career rebirth in mixed martial arts and boxing.

NTown caught up with J.R. just before he made his mixed martial arts broadcast debut, last Friday at the Battlegrounds MMA pay-per-view at the BOK Center in Tulsa.

NTown: It’s been more than a year since you

By Scott Strandberg

with Jim "J.R." Ross

left WWE. It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, does it?

J.R.: No, it sure doesn’t. When I left, I said I was going to try to reinvent myself. There are things that I've always wanted to do, but due to contractual obligations, or my crazy schedule, I had been unable to attempt. I've done NFL football, and I've done the XFL on NBC. I wanted to do boxing, and I did a boxing event on Memorial Day. I'm probably going to do some more. My manager is in talks with Fox now for me to do more boxing for Oscar de la Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions. We'll see how those talks end up. Then I do my first MMA play-by-play gig on pay-per-view.

NTown: How does your approach to announcing change from wrestling, to boxing and MMA? What stays the same regardless of the event you’re calling?

J.R.: The thing that will hopefully make it transition smoothly is the fact that, when I got in the business of doing television, there was no payper-view. One of the first things on pay-per-view was wrestling, and so I got on the ground floor of that broadcast format, and since that time I have done more pay-per-views than anybody alive.

As far as doing pay-per-view, and keeping the rudder in the water, and keeping the broadcast going, I don't feel too uncomfortable in that arena.

The beautiful part about this Battlegrounds MMA event that I'm doing is that two of the principals of the organization are Oklahomans.

Kenny Monday, he's one of the most decorated amateur wrestlers in the history of the sport. He

went to Booker T. Washington High in Tulsa.

He won virtually every award there was to win at Oklahoma State. He was a world competitor, an Olympian, and he's one of the participants in this program. Also, there's Bryan O'Rourke, he's heavily involved, and he also lives in the Tulsa area.

I have been a massive MMA fan for years and years, because before that I loved to watch boxing. I am a big boxing fan, but for a variety of reasons, boxing kind of went into a valley.

That's an interesting thing, because it ties back to WWE. WWE created their own network, so you can watch their pay-per-views and subscribe to their network. It costs you $9.99 a month. The cable providers became somewhat upset about that, and they have decided that they're going to have a lot of promotional time for other PPV events, because of the lost revenue from WWE. The little engine that could, Battlegrounds MMA, they gave them all this promotional time, and the opportunity to market a PPV. NTown: So, those were the factors that led to you testing the waters in the MMA world?

J.R.: Yes, I'm going to be making my play-byplay debut. I'll be working with a very controversial MMA fighter and broadcaster, Chael Sonnen.

Chael ran afoul of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He lost his license, then he lost his job with UFC, then he lost his job at Fox. He got the old double-whammy when he flunked the drug test. He walked into the Nevada State Athletic Commission and he said, "I cheated. I tried to gain an unfair advantage, and you caught me. So I'm here to take my punishment." They suspended his license, then Fox did what they thought they needed to do, and they fired him.

He was a big fan of my work, and I his, so I

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Photo Provided Wrestling broadcast legend (and BBQ mogul, OU superfan, etc.) Jim 'J.R.' Ross dons his trademark black hat as he speaks to a crowd of WWE fans. called him and said, "These guys are talking to me about doing the play-by-play on this fight." I told him I'd love to have him as my partner if he was interested. He said he'd love to do it, so they got their deal done. So now, he and I -- it's one of those funny things. We're new. We're the new voices of MMA, as far as the media is concerned.

They've heard the same voices for so long that they're dying to hear something different. They’re ready to hear somebody else’s rendition of the product.

We don't have any expectations. We've never done it before together. Chael has been dynamite in the studio and live. I thought he was just terrific. I've had my moments, good, bad or indifferent, doing play-by-play at pay-per-view events. I think one of the misnomers, as far as my part is concerned is, "J.R. comes from this pro wrestling world, where the endings are predetermined."

Well, they're right about that, but what they don't know is that I always tried my best to go into an

event, and not be tuned into what the endings were going to be.

NTown: Because then you’re giving the fans your genuine emotion as the match goes on.

J.R.: Absolutely. That's how I look at this deal.

The endings are not predetermined, so I obviously won't know what they are. I think that I will do a better job, because I'm just going to document what I see, what I feel, and how I process the information. I'm excited about it. I think we're going to have a lot of fun.

It's going to be entertaining. It's going to be different. It could be the beginning of something really significant in the second half of my broadcasting career, or it may be that as I'm writing my autobiography now, it's a very short chapter of my flirting with MMA. I had the chance to do other wrestling after WWE, but I wanted to do different projects. I want to say, "Hey, I did wrestling for 40 years,

and a lot of people thought I was pretty good at 10.10.14 it." I got to go to the Hall of Fame, and that was great. I'm proud of that, but I want to try something else. So we did the boxing, and I want to do more boxing. Now, the next step is what I think I'm probably best-suited for, and that's MMA. I'm staying busy with that, and my agent in LA, we're finalizing the next Ringside with Jim Ross tour.

NTown: Right, your one-man show.

J.R.: Yeah. I missed being around the audience.

I missed being around these passionate fans.

Wrestling fans are the most passionate fans in the world. I missed that interaction with the fans, so last year, I did two shows in Gramercy Theatre in New York City. I played the House of Blues in New Orleans. I played a beautiful theater in Toronto. I played the House of Blues in Chicago.

See Q&A, Page 29

book reviews

By Mary Newport

By Mary Newport

"One Night in Tehran" Author: Luana Ehrlich Released: 2014

Guardian of the Diamond Arrow Author: Kristin Stecklein Released: 2014

Veteran CIA officer Titus Ray has a problem.

Injured after a failed Iranian mission and forced into extended medical leave after an angry comment to his boss, Titus is expected to go to ground in the safe, quiet town of Norman, Oklahoma. It's easier said than done — he finds himself fighting paranoia as his field instincts refuse to settle down and burying his true identity as he finds a place in the community. When it begins to seem like the aftermath of his mission may have followed him back to the U.S., Titus has to stop an assassin without his agency resources – and try to solve a murder without jeopardizing the connections he's made in his new home.

“One Night in Tehran” is what happens when a slice-of-life drama bumps 8 into a spy thriller, then asks it out for coffee. There's plenty of action and a solid sense of urgency strung through the book, but the pacing is surprisingly sedate in many chapters. Luana Ehrlich lavishes just as much attention on Titus attempting to build a life as she does on the forces attempting to destroy it, which can dull the edge of the plot but leaves readers with a deeply satisfying investment in Titus' growth.

Titus himself is a highly relatable man. His problems are those of an average Normanite, just sharpened to a razor’s edge. Do the people he meets at church really like him, or are they planning to murder him? Is that suspicious, hoodie-wearing teenager just passing by Titus' car, or did he plant a 10.10.14 bomb? Would this nice woman he's met like to go out some time, as soon as she's done questioning him about the homicide?

So too goes his religious dilemma. After Iranian Christians in Tehran urge Titus to evaluate his faith, he becomes a follower of Christ. But late-in-life conversion is hard for anyone, and in this case its further complicated by an extensive history of deceit, murder and missions that don't always hold to the moral high ground.

Titus' burgeoning faith is both an anchor and one more problem as he attempts to reconcile his peaceful life in Norman with his frantic agency existence.

Erlich – a pastor's wife and Norman resident – writes with quiet authority about what it's like to have a crisis of faith and work through it with the support of a city like Norman. Her striking depiction of the fight against terrorists on American soil likely has less personal experience behind it, but it's no less engrossing. While the first few chapters are somewhat slow to get going, later ones make up for it with vividly unraveling mystery and a perfect ratio of bullets to tender moments. Readers will race through the pages to reach the highly fulfilling conclusion. "One Night in Tehran can be purchased at Mardel bookstore or online at amazon.com.

Read if: You think that with God and a good dog, all things are possible.

Don't read if: You're already a bit paranoid about terrorists infiltrating the city.

Fairy tales tend to have a distinctive rhythm. When someone from the mundane world crosses over into a magical kingdom, for example, they often traipse in wide-eyed to seek enchantment or plunge in reluctantly to rescue a lost loved one. Joan Ilion, on the other hand, is having none of that nonsense. Anyone trying to enchant her would get a fist to the face, and the punishment for harassing her family doesn't bear thinking about. Between taking care of her overworked father and her kid sister, she doesn't have time to go world-hopping, anyway.

But when children are in trouble, Joan can't stand down, and she finds herself enmeshed in danger, intrigue and a war that's slowly spilling into the regular world.

Oklahoma author Kristin Stecklein begins her young adult debut by introducing a heroine who makes sheer stubbornness her superpower and a magical world that mixes the best of modern and medieval times. “Guardian of the Diamond Arrow” swings between mundane and fantastic problems as Joan struggles to learn the rules of the other side and unravel the mysteries there while maintaining her own life and protecting her family in the normal world.

It's not an easy transition, and the pressures of balancing two worlds in peril make for a compelling read.

Joan pops right off the page, but some of the book's other characterizations fall a little flat. A few of the villains are that particular brand of rodent-faced, mustache-twirling evil that's par for the course in classic fairytales but becomes a tad jarring in a more sophisticated work of fiction. They are saved from absurdity by possessing believably complex motivations instead of mere desire for chaos, but it's a close call. Similarly, Joan's little sister, Cathy, seems to exist mainly as exposition and a series of wide-eyed questions instead of a complete personality.

Fortunately the rest of the cast is fully fleshed out and fascinating. The princess, Mari, is a beautiful mix of real (read: slightly spoiled) girl and royal lady.

Readers will quickly become just as attached to her and her family as Joan is.

The engaging interplay of the characters who stock the castle – good, bad and ugly – brings the drama of war closer to home and lightens the mood with frequent moments of humor and tenderness.

“Guardian of the Diamond Arrow” eschews the traditional fairy-tale conclusion. Instead of accepting her happy ending, Joan keeps a tight rein on her own future up until the very last. Stecklein builds romance with such subtle steadiness it seems like a foregone conclusion by the end, then throws a few wrenches in the works. She does the same with the traditional happy ending.

It makes the outcome an odd mix of “happily ever after” and “the real world goes on” that will leave readers strangely satisfied and fantasy fans refreshed.

Read if: You think the phrase “strong woman” is redundant.

Don't read if: You dislike small children, large swords or gratuitous archery.

album reviews

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By Doug Hill

Artist: Missy Andersen Album: “In the Moment” Missy Andersen has soul. It’s in full bloom for 2014’s “In the Moment” released five years after her freshman self-titled LP. That’s too many moments between records.

Motown-born and raised in Queens NY, Andersen rolled out to San Diego as an adult, becoming wellknown for fronting rhythm and blues combo Tell Mama. She continues with an abundance of juke joint flair in delivery that comes across powerfully on her latest effort.

It was produced by her Danish spouse Heine “The Great Dane” Andersen who collaborated with others writing most of the eleven tracks.

They assembled a musical juggernaut for the studio that includes players on Hammond B3, full horn section and backing vocalists.

Andersen’s vocals sport phrasing with a distinctive lilt. Her style and cadence recalls Oklahoma City’s Dorothy “Miss Blues” Ellis. Andersen displays precious down-home Delta chops on “Better or Worse” that

By Doug Hill

resonate from a deep powerbase.

Her voice intertwines with the blues harp player like a pair of dueling hummingbirds. “No Regrets” finds Andersen alternating between lyrical expression and spiritual moans coming from a celestial nexus of her heart and vocal chords.

The musicality of these songs taps a variety of American genres including Motown, gospel, New Orleans Second Line and gutbucket blues.

Andersen is particularly sensual on slow burner “Ladies Shoes.” Searching for new footwear may not sound like the stuff of a scorcher. But Andersen adds a wallop of vino and it becomes shopping therapy for banishing the blues. She throws in a new coiffure, manicure and may as well buy a new pink Cadillac too.

“Hey Now” is an up-tempo swinger with a sassy back-up chorus that proves conclusively Andersen is “…

The boss of me.” Spend some time with “In the Moment.” Guaranteed you won’t be watching the clock.

Artist: Hurricane Ruth Album: “Born on the River” Hurricane Ruth is from south central Illinois where tropical cyclones don’t occur. But don’t tell her that.

Ruth LaMaster undoubtedly earned her windy nickname from being a vocal force of nature. She fronts a blues/rock guitar band that plays straight-up, no chaser tunes such as “Make Love To Me” and “Whiskey Chute.” “Born on the River” is LaMaster’s second album. The recording is eleven original songs with all lyrics penned by her.

The music was written by her band that includes lead guitarist David Lumsden, Gary Davis on bass and percussionist Jim Engel. LaMaster’s powerful voice recalls the kind of strong upper-Midwestern women who work in its car factories, mills and packing plants.

She belts out songs with authority and burning passion. LaMaster is more distinctive stylist than pretty voice. “You better get to steppin’ baby!” LaMaster commands in “Money Train.” It’s hard-nosed testimonial

to leaving a lover who’s a financial sponge. Similarly “Cold Day in Hell” is about when a trifling paramour can expect a telephone call from Hurricane Ruth.

These songs memorialize brothel madam “Big Helen,” Mama Norma Jean who hosted Little Richard dance 10.10.14 parties in her kitchen and paying dues on the roadhouse circuit. Title track “Born on the River” reviews a childhood spent not on an idyllic current but one that carries industrial barges lit up at night by frequently fierce electrical storms.

The music is just what you’d expect to hear at the many blues festivals the band has played from Kankakee, IL to Hardin KY. An abundance of guitar heroics at breakneck speed, thunderous drums and rock-steady bass match up just right with their front woman’s sound and fury.

LaMaster reserved forthright personal anthem “Real Good Woman” for the album’s last cut. She won’t get any argument about that assertion here.

movie reviews Hidden gems on

“All Is Lost” (2013) For the follow-up to his feature debut, the critically acclaimed Kevin Spacey vehicle “Margin Call” 10 (2011), writer/ director J.C. Chandor went a most unusual route -- he crafted a film with one nameless character (Robert Redford) and no dialogue, aside from a voiceover that opens “All Is Lost” and a scant few lines scattered throughout.

Upon learning these attributes, one 10.10.14 likely either becomes intrigued by Chandor's audacity or completely turned off from seeing the film altogether.

When I took screenwriting courses in film school, I recall my professor requiring that our first drafts contain no dialogue. The idea is that if a film's narrative structure makes sense without dialogue, proper dialogue can greatly enhance the product, enriching the story already told by the camera. Another way of taking this is that, if the film works already, why fix what isn't broken?

It is exceedingly rare these days for filmmakers to use this approach, but Chandor does so nearly to perfection -- “All Is Lost” is a stunning achievement and was one of the finest films of 2013.

Redford's character is rudely awakened one morning when his sailboat collides with a shipping container, tearing a gash in the hull

By Scott Strandberg

In this age of digital media, Netflix Instant Play is entering nearly everyone’s homes. The streaming service is now a part of nearly 35 million American households, a number which is growing by the day. With that in mind, this column serves to highlight films you may have overlooked on Netflix. Everyone sees the big ads for "World War Z" and "Pain & Gain" when they log in to the

of his craft. As his boat fills up with water, knocking out his electricity, he calmly patches the hole, creates a system to manually pump out the water and, with the exception of not having power, essentially restores normalcy on board. However, when a fierce storm approaches, he finds himself in an endlessly gripping struggle to navigate his crippled craft through the tempest.

A one-man show is, by definition, no better or worse than the actor's performance, and Redford delivers one of the best performances of his illustrious career. Details about his character are sparse -- he wears what appears to be a wedding band, yet the viewer knows nothing of his wife -- but Redford conveys the necessary emotion in every scene, from his moments of extreme distress to the film's few touches of light humor, such as when he silently ponders whether he has time to wash a sink full of dirty dishes before the storm hits.

The visual and audio effects are first-rate; I'm not sure I have ever seen a more convincing storm at sea in any film. Frank DeMarco, who worked with Chandor on “Margin Call,” shares the cinematography duties with Peter Zuccarini, the underwater director of photography for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. DeMarco and Zuccarini produce a visual landscape that will be far too real for some viewers, especially those with claustrophobia or a fear of open water. The film was also nominated for Best Achievement in Sound Editing at the Oscars, a well-deserved honor.

service, so I’ll recommend films each month that may not pop up on the Instant Play home screen. There won’t be any negative reviews here, just suggestions that could come in handy on that random Wednesday evening when nothing is on TV. Follow Scott on Twitter @scottstrandberg

Chandor never stops building up the tension in “All Is Lost,” continuously stacking the deck ever further against his protagonist. The end result is an uncommonly thrilling thriller, with a pitch-perfect climax that closes the film with grace, beauty and just enough ambiguity. “All Is Lost” is an extraordinarily gripping cinematic experience and a true must-see film.

“All Is Lost” is rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

“Drinking Buddies” (2013) It’s a rare thing when actors make their characters feel so honest and authentic as they do in “Drinking Buddies.” The ensemble comedy from writer/ director Joe Swanberg features a deceptively nuanced script, navigated to perfection by its core cast members.

Olivia Wilde -- best known for her six seasons on TV’s “House M.D.” -- plays Kate, the popular bartender and assistant manager of a small brewery. Jake Johnson (“New Girl”) is Luke, the gruff brewmaster who doubles as Kate’s best friend. Joined by their significant others, Kate and Luke head to a cabin in the woods for a weekend of rest, relaxation and, of course, plenty of drinking.

Rounding out the excellent cast

are Ron Livingston (“Office Space”) as Kate’s boyfriend Chris, and Anna Kendrick (“Twilight”) as Luke’s girlfriend Jill. As soon as the four arrive at the cabin, it becomes increasingly clear that there are two perfect couples on this vacation, but they’re all paired off with the wrong person. As opposed to the free-spirited brewery workers they’re both dating, Chris and Jill are more rational career-driven realists.

An early sequence perfectly illustrates the dichotomy between the two mismatched couples. Chris and Jill take off on a hike through the woods, pausing to have a quiet glass of wine in the serene setting, as they start to discover their mutual romantic interest. Meanwhile, back at the cabin, Kate and Luke -- surrounded by a mounting pile of empty beer bottles -- struggle with the simple task of making sandwiches, finally deciding to combine forces and make one giant sandwich to share.

One of the beautiful things about “Drinking Buddies” is its off-thecuff, almost improvisational feel. It’s clear that Swanberg gave his cast the freedom to go off the script, and the actors are so comfortable in their roles that they feel like real people instead of fictional constructs.

What Swanberg has accomplished with “Drinking Buddies” is no small task. The film’s first act seems to be leading to predictable, well-trodden rom-com territory, but it ends up being far more nuanced, taking some unexpected turns. Swanberg takes his characters

seriously, and the result is a film that examines the blurry lines between modern-day relationships in a refreshingly honest fashion.

It’s hard to put this film in a genre-defined box. It’s funny, but it’s not a comedy. It takes its serious turns, but it’s not really a drama either. “Drinking Buddies” is a calm, contemplative look into the lives of four very ordinary young adults dealing with very complex interpersonal dynamics.

Swanberg is smart enough to know that most relationships don’t end in heartbreak, or begin with love at first sight. Some relationships that seem like destiny never even happen at all.

“Drinking Buddies” is rated R for language throughout.

“Encounters at the End of the World” (2007) Werner Herzog has the rare distinction of being one of the world’s great dramatic filmmakers, and also one of its finest documentarians. He has spent his career bouncing back and forth between directing universally acclaimed dramas -- including the incomparable 1972 classic “Aguirre: The Wrath of God” -- and making tremendously entertaining documentaries, such as the 2005 hit “Grizzly Man.” Herzog has always been at his best when examining either the fringes of human society, or remote areas of the world rarely visited by man. “Encounters at the End of the World” finds the master filmmaker studying both at the same time, as he gets to know what he calls the “professional dreamers” who staff Antarctica’s scientific communities, while also admiring the continent’s haunting landscapes.

“Professional dreamers” is the perfect term for the people Herzog meets on his journey. From a poetic scientist who refers to the ice as a living, breathing creature, to the goofball safety instructor who teaches new arrivals how to navigate a whiteout by placing buckets on their heads, Herzog discovers that the people who live and work in Antarctica are just as bizarre as the landscape itself.

The people he encounters all seem to fall into two categories: Those who ran away from society for one reason or another, and those who were never able to stay in one place to begin with. One woman Herzog meets tells stories of riding in a garbage truck from London to Nairobi, or the time she hitchhiked from the U.S. all the way down into South America. Another man tells of escaping from behind the Iron Curtain, before showing the film crew the extremely thorough survival kit that he keeps packed at all times, just in case.

Starting off at the McMurdo research station, the film crew moves south to a colony of seal researchers, before meeting up with a crew of divers who make their living filming the otherworldly creatures deep beneath the ice.

The stunning underwater sequences are a major highlight of the film; truly, this is an entirely separate and distinct world, tucked away in a tiny corner of the one we think we know.

Herzog films “Encounters at the End of the World” without much of an agenda, or even a clear-cut endgame. He is simply there to experience a world few people ever get to see, and his mission is to bring the viewer along with him. As is usual for Herzog, his film manages to transcend its core topic, as he finds himself weighed down by existential questions about our world and humanity’s long-term role in it. Whether he discovers any answers is debatable, but for Herzog, asking the right questions is always more important than finding the answers.

“Encounters at the End of the World” is rated G.

house ad: 3 columns x 10 inches

Unraveling the mystery 12

10.10.14

KO Rinearson / NTown Helen Hedman as Sybil Birling and Jonathan Beck Reed as Inspector Goole.

• Recent OU grad takes on new role in 'An Inspector Calls' at Lyric Theatre

By Kori Casey

Lyric at the Plaza’s latest whodunit play, “An Inspector Calls,” is being described as a “Downton Abbey meets Sherlock,” thriller that’s sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, just in time for Halloween.

The play, written by J.B. Priestly,

takes place in the town of Brumley in mid-20th century England.

It follows a family, the Birlings, accused of the murder of a young girl named Eva Smith, a working class girl who is involved with Eric Birling.

“It isn’t the classic ‘who killed this girl’ kind of story said Victoria Hines, who plays ‘Sheila Birling.’

“It’s about people and life and how you should treat those around you.”

Hines is a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma, and heard of this part from an artistic director she was working with at Reduxion Theatre.

See 'Inspector' Page 29

If you go What: “An Inspector Calls” When: Runs from Oct. 8 to Oct. 25 at Lyric at the Plaza.

Tickets: $40 and can be purchased at the door or online on the Lyric Theatre website.

Just sayin’

Spirituality meets seasonal allergies

SOONER THEATRE 3 col. X 4.75

CAUGHT on camera Tibetan Monks craft brilliant sand mandala at St. John's Episcopal Photos by Jay Chilton Venerable Geshe Lharampa Lobsang Chophel, right, oversees Nima Dorje.

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Nima Dorje puts the final touches on a long life mandala earlier this month at St. John's Episcopal Church in Norman.

firehouse art station ad 3 col. X 9.5

Above: Venerable Geshe Lharampa Lobsang Chophel (Spiritual Master) sweeps the sand of a long life mandala created over four days into a pile. The monks closed the ceremony with a chant after returning the sand to the water of the Canadian River.

Below: Monk Geshe Thinlay, right, teaches William Beasley to draw with sand.

16

• Norman welcomes arts and culture community from around the state for massive multi-day conference 10.10.14

By Mack Burke

The Oklahoma Arts Conference, a two-day smorgasbord of everything arts related, from workshops and demonstrations to the future of arts education in this state is coming to Norman.

And it’s a big deal.

Norman hosted the now seven-year-old conference in 2010 and has continued to expand its artistic reach.

“We had the conference in 2010. Norman’s proposal for this year was excellent.

That came as no surprise.

They have tremendous assets culturally and artistically in the community of Norman, especially in the downtown area and the

programs associated with the university area,” Oklahoma Arts Conference Council Development Director Molly O’Connor said. “When we look for communities to host the conference we think about the fact that this is a state-wide conference.

“Norman has tremendous offerings in terms of arts and culture amenities. One of the things we focus on when planning the conference is how the arts play a role in place making. So, Norman really serves as an example of a community that is vibrant in part because of the arts and culture that exist there. And I think people can learn from being in Norman and seeing the thriving

community. It also attracts business and gives a sense of community identity and also attracts tourism.”

Each year the Council organizes the statewide Oklahoma Arts Conference to bring together the state’s arts and cultural industry, uniting hundreds of people involved in the arts in one location where participants get equipped for success, share ideas, and celebrate the growing industry.

“This is kind of like a family reunion for people who are working in the arts industry,” O’Connor said.

“It’s the one time of year that they get to reunite with their peers from across the state and it’s also a time that new

connections are formed and I think this event really empowers people working in different communities to feel validated in their effort.”

“I think in planning the conference and reading so much about the different presenters we have, I really enjoy listening in on the sessions. I always look forward to the reunion aspect and seeing people taking place in it for the first time. And just the energy that they bring to this and the passion for the work they’re doing in the arts and how it’s transformed our state into a better place to live.”

See 'Conference' Page 20

OAC Schedule Tuesday, Oct. 21 • Noon to 7:00 p.m.

Preconference Registration Open (MAINSITE Gallery) • 1 to 3 p.m.

Forum on Arts Education in Oklahoma (Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art) • 1 to 3:15 p.m.

Norman Public Arts Tour Led by Members of the Norman Public Arts Board 16

• 3:30. to 4:30 p.m.

Guided Tours of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (RSVP Required)

• Norman welcomes arts and culture community from around the state for massive multi-day conference 10.10.14

By Mack Burke

The Oklahoma Arts Conference, a two-day smorgasbord of everything arts related, from workshops and demonstrations to the future of arts education in this state is coming to Norman.

And it’s a big deal.

Norman hosted the now seven-year-old conference in 2010 and has continued to expand its artistic reach.

“We had the conference in 2010. Norman’s proposal for this year was excellent.

That came as no surprise.

They have tremendous assets culturally and artistically in the community of Norman, especially in the downtown area and the

programs associated with the university area,” Oklahoma Arts Conference Council Development Director Molly O’Connor said. “When we look for communities to host the conference we think about the fact that this is a state-wide conference.

“Norman has tremendous offerings in terms of arts and culture amenities. One of the things we focus on when planning the conference is how the arts play a role in place making. So, Norman really serves as an example of a community that is vibrant in part because of the arts and culture that exist there. And I think people can learn from being in Norman and seeing the thriving

community. It also attracts business and gives a sense of community identity and also attracts tourism.”

Each year the Council organizes the statewide Oklahoma Arts Conference to bring together the state’s arts and cultural industry, uniting hundreds of people involved in the arts in one location where participants get equipped for success, share ideas, and celebrate the growing industry.

“This is kind of like a family reunion for people who are working in the arts industry,” O’Connor said.

“It’s the one time of year that they get to reunite with their peers from across the state and it’s also a time that new

connections are formed and I think this event really empowers people working in different communities to feel validated in their effort.”

“I think in planning the conference and reading so much about the different presenters we have, I really enjoy listening in on the sessions. I always look forward to the reunion aspect and seeing people taking place in it for the first time. And just the energy that they bring to this and the passion for the work they’re doing in the arts and how it’s transformed our state into a better place to live.”

See 'Conference' Page 20

3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Downtown Norman Artist Studio Tour (RSVP required) 6 to 9 p.m.

Welcome to Norman Reception at MAINSITE Contemporary Art: Home of the Norman Arts Council and Downtown Art Walk 122 E. Main St. Spend Tuesday evening strolling through lively and vibrant downtown Norman. Gather with your friends at MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery to enjoy a reception offering food, drink and live entertainment. Guests can visit several galleries and creative spaces that will be open for (a bonus) evening art walk.

Wednesday, Oct. 22 • 7 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Registration Open

Embassy Suites Conference Center model in which all parts are created (The registration desk is located near equal to make something greater the southwest entrance.) than any one individual could do.

Working corroboratively allows for • 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. greater perspective and insight and Good Morning, encourages teamwork skills, commuNorman, Oklahoma! nication skills, and understanding of Kick-start the 2014 Oklahoma Arts others.

Conference by gathering and networking with your fellow Oklahoma • 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. arts leaders.

General Session Luncheon Keynote address: Richard Taylor, Dean • 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. of Weitzenhoffer Family College of Making a Case for Fine Arts Arts Education 101 Presenter: Jeff M. Poulin, Americans • 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. for the Arts It Takes a Village: Discovering New Learn about the current snapshot Support through Crowdfunding of arts education in Oklahoma and Learn more about implementing across the country. effective crowdfunding strategies that will ensure your innovative ideas • 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. become realized.

So, You Want to Start A Festival…

Moderated by Jennifer Baker 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

Establishing an arts-based festival in StART Something!: A Story of Collabyour community may be the perfect orative Placemaking in Downtown idea for bringing people together, Norman fostering the local cultural heritage, Learn more about how you can impleand generating new revenue. ment similar projects in your own community from StART to finish.

• 9:45 to 11:15 a.m.

Make it Work: Public Art Master Plan- 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. ning 101 Poetry: The People’s Art Presenters: Gail Goldman and Robbie Panelists: Nathan Brown, Claire ColKienzle lins, Leon Donley, Kent Martin, and (Part one of a two-part session) Learn Shaun Perkins about the essential elements of a More than ever, the art of poetry public art master plan for your com- serves as a catalyst for community munity. building and education. Pioneering poetry programs bring diverse • 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. people together, provide a forum for Greater than the Sum: The Art of Col- developing one’s own voice and build laborative Practice awareness about social issues. PanelPresenter: Sean Starowitz ists will discuss some of Oklahoma’s Collaborative practice is a democratic exemplary poetry programs.

1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

Program Evaluation & Outcome Measurement based on Best Practices Presenter: Adrienne B. Elder Create your own logic model and survey tools, program evaluation.

• 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Make it Work: Public Art Master Planning 102 (Part two of a two-part session) This is an interactive workshop in which participants will identify issues and priorities specific to their community, outline goals for a public art master plan, and create a strategy for getting political and financial support.

• 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Socially Engaged Practices for Artists Presenter: Sean Starowitz Randy Kennedy acknowledges in his recent New York Times article, “Outside the Citadel,” that practitioners [of socially-engaged art] freely blur the lines among object making, performance, community organizing, environmentalism and investigative journalism.

• 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Making a Case for Arts Education 201 Presenter: Jeff M. Poulin, Americans for the Arts (Part two of a two-part session) A more in-depth discussion on current trends in arts education - STEAM, standards, and creative youth development - this session is geared for those who are already actively engaged in arts education case-making.

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• Wednesday, Oct. 22 (continued) 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Fundraising and Friend-raising Presenter: Adrienne B. Elder Does your organization struggle to meet the financial needs for your programs? Do you feel overwhelmed with where to begin? In this session, we will break down the essential steps to fundraising and friend-raising among development staff and your board of directors.

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• 5 to 7 p.m.

Opening Reception at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Join your Norman community hosts and fellow conference attendees for an evening of good company, hors d’oeuvres, and music. Conference guests will have the opportunity to explore the world-class Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma to view permanent collections and the special exhibition, “Macrocosm/Microcosm: Abstract Expressionism in the American Southwest.”

• 7 p.m.

Dinner on your own in Norman (See the restaurant guide for a list of locally-owned and artssupportive establishments.)

• 8 to 11:45 p.m.

Café Kzany at the Norman Train Depot, 200 South Jones Ave. Thursday, Oct. 23 • 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Registration Open Embassy Suites Conference Center 2501 Conference Dr.

(The registration desk is located near the southwest entrance.)

• 7 to 9:30 a.m.

Networking Breakfast at the Embassy Suites Atrium (located on the north wing of the hotel) Rise, shine and meet your fellow arts leaders for conversation, networking, and a hearty cookedto-order breakfast. The breakfast is complimentary for all hotel guests.

Conference attendees who are not staying at the hotel may purchase tickets for $12.95 plus tax at the front desk.

• 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Executive Director Roundtable Facilitators: Brenda Granger and Steve Liggett New this year! This is the opportunity to convene with other executive directors from Oklahoma’s arts organizations. Time will be allotted for introductions and discussion of issues that we all face such as daily organizational challenges, working with a board, and developing sustainable community support.

• 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Test Kitchen for Teaching Artists Presenter: Jennifer Barron Having effective evaluation tools in place is key when it comes to planning successful arts education programs. Geared toward teaching artists, this hands-on workshop will allow participants to analyze their current evaluation tactics and methods for outcome measurement. Teaching artists will work together to discuss and exchange inventive ideas for assessing arts learning goals. Special emphasis will be placed on equipping educa-

tors to collect the most relevant information for measuring learning and planning future programs.

• 9:45 to 11:15 a.m.

Advancing the Cause: Increasing Awareness and Support through Your Organization Presenters: Shannon Beaver, Julia Kirt and Erin Shiobhan Smith Garner new resources and awareness for your organization's work, confidently share the successes of your programs, and find new allies in your community. Sound like fundraising? Pretty close, we're talking about advocacy. Focusing on the similarities between effective fundraising and advocacy, we'll look at ways nonprofit organizations can communicate and advocate to grow arts-friendly policy and funding.

• 9:45 to 11:15 a.m.

With the Help of Strangers and Friends!: Public Funding for the Arts in Norman Panelists: Stephanie Brickman, Jud Foster, Anthony Francisco, Erinn Gavaghan, and Norman Hammon Moderated by Larry Walker Two unique funding sources for the arts have allowed the City of Norman to provide longstanding support for public art and local arts organizations. Panelists will discuss the Norman Transient Guest Room Tax and the donations through the City of Norman Utility Bills, which fund the Norman Public Art program. Learn from the panelists as they discuss the history and creation of these sources and share insight into the processes, results, and impacts for the stakeholders in their thriving arts community.

• 9:45 to 11:15 a.m.

The Artist’s Role in Creative Placemaking Presenter: Sean Starowitz Creative placemaking animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local business viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired. By engaging and involving community members and the public, private and non-profit sectors, artists can help strategically shape the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, city, or region around arts and cultural activities.

This interactive workshop will address various ideas and techniques for community collaboration for placemaking, including the roles of artists, cultural workers, and neighbors.

• 9:45 to 11:15 a.m.

Where fore ART thou, Inclusion?

Presenters: Doug MacMillan and Chandra Boyd This session addresses the misconceptions and realities of disability.

It provides participants with an understanding of disability awareness in the public, etiquette, venue expectations, accommodations and other concerns of individuals who have little or no experience working with people with disabilities.

Common misconceptions about people with disabilities will be explored. Further, participants will gain insights into what to expect from people with disabilities. This training will provide a foundation for exploration of views on disabilities and prepares participants to create and implement inclusive techniques, policies, practices and

share a vision about art is for everyone. You will learn more about how you can enable Oklahomans with disabilities to have full access to arts programs and facilities, and to encourage them to participate fully in the rich cultural and artistic life.

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

General Session Luncheon 2014 Leadership Arts Graduation • 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

Mid-America Arts Alliance: More Art for More People Presenter: Christine Bial Based in the heartland, the MidAmerica Arts Alliance (M-AAA) supports and stimulates cultural activity in communities throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. MAAA creates and manages regional, multi-regional, national, and international programs including traveling exhibitions, performing arts touring and professional and community development.

• 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

Beat Procrastination and Self-Sabotage Presenter: Romney Nesbitt For artists, the self-defeating act of procrastination can be detrimental to one’s artistic career. Fear of failure (and success), issues regarding time, expectancy, and value play into your decision to procrastinate.

During this session, we will focus on the root of procrastination and identify effective strategies to take control of your thoughts, time, and your creative life.

• 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

Working Together to Open Doors: How Collaboration Equates to

Greater Success Panelists: heather ahtone, Stacey Halfmoon, Tracey SatepauhoodleMikkanen, Tony Tiger, and Valorie Walters Moderated by Susan Baley Six Oklahoma institutions are coming together to create an exceptional opportunity for the state of Oklahoma in 2015 through an art exhibition, “Enter the Matrix: Indigenous Printmakers”. Participating institutions form the University of Oklahoma are the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and the School of Art & Art History and the Jacobson House as well as Bacone College, the Chickasaw Cultural Center, the Southern Plains Indian Museum and the American Indian Cultural Center & Museum. Through the creation of a unique collaborative project, these institutions will host internationally acclaimed artists for a 14-day residency in Oklahoma. Panelists will discuss how this project was initiated, how it will meet institutional goals and what benefits are expected for communities across Oklahoma.

• 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

Our Town, Revitalized: The Oklahoma Cultural District Initiative Panelists: Dr. Kay Decker, Ronald J. Frantz, Jr., Joshua Lunsford, Hope Mander, and Lucy Swanson Moderated by Nathan Gunter While still relatively new, the Oklahoma Arts Council’s Cultural District Initiative offers funding, guidance and professional consultation and formal certification for cultural districts across Oklahoma.

Defined as mixed-use community spaces that offer a high concentration of arts and cultural facilities or activities, thriving cultural districts

can be found in Oklahoma’s rural and urban communities. Ideally, a district reflects its community's unique architecture and history, showcases the region's artists and cultural traditions, and increases social engagement. Panelists will discuss important steps in the development process, including conducting a cultural inventory, involving community stakeholders, and initiating redevelopment.

• 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

The Innovation Station Idea Exchange Moderated by Lance McDaniel The Innovation Station Idea Exchange provides a lively forum where artists, arts and community leaders, and others can present brief, two-minute descriptions of new works in process, ideas for new projects or artistic communitybased collaborations. The Idea Exchange can be used as a "show and tell" for the innovative things happening in your community or studio, or can be an opportunity to talk about arts programs you've seen outside Oklahoma that you think should happen here.

• 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Open Doors by Saying “No” Presenter: Romney Nesbitt Artists are frequently requested to lend or donate their services to various causes and projects. While these opportunities can boost your artistic career, they have the capacity to detract from your energy and resources. Saying “no” to a request for your time or talents may be the best way to advance your career goals. Learn when, why and how to say “no” in a positive way. This session will provide you with deci-

sion making tactics, allowing you to secure more time for your creative goals.

3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Your Museum: More than Meets the Eye Panelists: Alyson Atchison, Susan Baley, Stacy Cramer Moore, and Donna Merkt Moderated by Brenda Granger Now more than ever, museum collections are accompanied by interactive educational resources for youth and adults. Several Oklahoma museums offer dynamic educational tools for teaching social studies, history, science, creative writing, and more.

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• 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The Paseo F.E.A.S.T. #9 Local, 2262 West Main Street Why sit in rush hour traffic when you can end the conference on a high note, visiting with your peers and supporting some of Oklahoma’s entrepreneurial artists? After the conference adjourns, make your way over to Local (2262 West Main, just two miles south of the Embassy Suites and Conference Center) to participate in the Paseo F.E.A.S.T. event. F.E.A.S.T. (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) is a fun and lively community-driven, crowdfunding program sponsored by the Paseo Arts Association. Five artists from across Oklahoma will present their unique projects to the audience, who will then vote for their favorite artist. Your $15 ticket, which can be purchased during the conference, will help fund the selected artist’s project. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided and a cash bar is available. The presentations will begin at 5:45 p.m.

10.10.14

Conference (From pg. 16):

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10.10.14

The conference provides professional development and networking opportunities for arts managers and organizations, artists, community and economic development professionals, students, educators and pretty much anybody working in the arts and cultural industry in Oklahoma.

The conference includes tracks led by industry experts that focus on nonprofit management, professional development for artists, and community and economic development through the arts. Attendees can expect a variety of presentations, workshops, panel discussions and performances. Evening events allow participants to experience the arts in the host community.

This years theme is "Our Town, Repurposed. Our State, Reimagined."

“There are really two special focuses that stand out this year: place making (revitalizing a community with arts and cultural spaces) and downtown Norman is a great example of that," O'Connor said.

"They have programs like the StART Project. The public art program in Norman is phenomenal and really helps create a sense of identity."

Oklahoma Arts Council communications director Joel Gavin looks forward to the sheer energy the conference brings.

“I think my take is more abstract.

The energy for sure. When I’m there it’s reinvigorating. It energizes us.

The whole arts community is there.

You hear great stories and to take that energy back with us after the conference, being there, seeing the inspiration and impact helps to propel us forward," he said.

Gavin believes that art is important to a community's identity.

“The little icons in this year’s logo are actually the bike racks in Norman. That’s part of the identity.

When we talk about an identity, when people see those public works throughout the city it really

gives that sense of uniqueness and identity there.”

Finally, it's a chance for people to connect.

“There’s certainly that sense of it being a family reunion. And each year the family grows. You get a chance to see a lot of people from around the state and meet new 'family' members," Gavin said. "Those new members are a part of the growth in the arts in Oklahoma. Perhaps they’re individuals who are just beginning to understand the value of arts in the community and they want to be a part of it.”

It’s a massive conference and like most arts related undertakings on a grand scale a lot of volunteers are involved. Amongst all of the challenges just fitting everything in often proves the most challenging.

“I think the biggest challenge is how to fit it all in, especially this year,” O’Connor said. “We have to narrow it down to three days of activities. We’re very grateful that Norman has been so helpful. Even planning the conference curriculum — there are so many things we want to offer, but we’re limited by time. People often comment that they want to go to everything, but a lot of things happen at the same time. Eventually they have to get some sleep. We start early in the morning and the evening activities run into the night.”

“When we’re thinking about the arts industry in our state we have tremendous diversity with who is leading the way. That includes artists and arts administrators, community developers and cultural leaders.

So, when we’re planning the conference we really keep in mind that people are working in all different facets — working in their communities to improve the over all quality of life for people in those communities. So, I guess the common thread is that we try to offer a program with the conference that allows that dialogue to take place. People can come together from across the state to talk about how art can better our

communities across the state.”

Oklahoma Arts Conference executive director Amber Sharples is excited about highlighting the future of arts education in Oklahoma.

"That’s really exciting," she said.

"Being in a town with a university campus ... the conversation of having arts education is a crucial one.

Really, we need to talk about education more holistically and make sure arts education is a broader part of the conversation because it helps prepare Oklahoma students to be college and career ready. Quality of life is woven throughout the conference. It will be the first-ever state-wide forum on arts education and focus on how art can prepare students for a better future, both professionally and personally and in their quality of life. That’s the power of the arts.

"I’m looking forward to the forum on arts education as a chance to network and launch a sustained effort to launch an ongoing conversation about arts education. To see the revitalization of communities through art and see that become contagious.

The arts can be a vehicle to advance the quality of life in our state.”

Local artist and Firehouse Art Center Director Douglas Elder believes it's another chance for creativity to blossom and for Norman to continue a leadership role in the arts.

“Richard McKowen and I will be doing the interactive portion of the conference. Even though I’m going to be on a panel and a presenter and Firehouse is on the tour and Red Dot is on the tour — all of it is great to highlight all of Norman has to offer," Elder said. "And it’s about showing how to create community art centers and events. Norman, as well as Tulsa and Oklahoma City, is a hub for art. All the other small towns in the state look to us.”

In the meantime, his message was a familiar one: "Be creative. Why not ... I’m always trying to get people to express themselves.”

Costume creations

Candy crushing The Candy Basket, 2001 W. Main St. is just one of many sweet shops that will up the ante for Halloween.

This year, The Candy Basket’s Gyan Galoob said they’ve brought in about 7080 additional items strictly for Halloween, plus additional cookies and chocolates for the occasion.

As for how much, Galoob said, “Well, 10 lbs. of this and 40 lbs. of that!”

Most popular Halloween candies according to The Candy Basket: • Gummi Body Parts (eyeballs, fingers ...)

• Sour (orange) Pumpkins • Gummi Candy Corn • Fall Festival Mix — a mellowcream mix of traditional candy corn, cinnamon corn, maple flavored walnut shaped pieces, orange pumpkins and lemon flavored corn in the husk • Cookies (Nam's Bits - bite size Choc. Chip cookies) • Good old fashioned candy corn (Highly polarizing, yet still popular.

People love it or hate it seems.)

• A creative approach to Halloween

By Sarah Kirby

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10.10.14

Before meandering my way Queen of Hart's Costumes and Dancewear, I was in a bit of a panic.

Halloween is looming closer, and I was without a costume.

This is the first time in years that I will assemble an outfit for the occasion, so I want to get it right. My husband and I had masqueraded as harlequin clowns after we first started dating in college. This year, as brand-new aunt, I am looking forward to trick-or-treating with my nieces and nephews. Why couldn’t we have a bit of fun, too?

I started searching for ideas, but I was inundated by the massive selection of ubiquitous, pre-packaged outfits that I saw online. None of the naughtier, risqué numbers really appealed to me this year, either — I will be surrounded by young children, after all.

What I wanted was something that would be different for me — something that would reveal another facet of my personality and would make a statement.

Pinterest searches had turned up several clever DIY getups, but none of them were things I could make without picking up a needle and thread.

But then I started reminiscing. My favorite costumes as a child had always been the ones that my mother had made for me — ones she finished sewing minutes before my siblings and I walked out the door.

I knew I couldn’t achieve that level of craftsmanship on my own.

One of my colleagues had suggested visiting Queen of Harts, and that’s where I met Elizabeth Wheat, the store’s marketing specialist. I asked

for her help, and she kindly obliged.

After leading me on a tour through the store’s impressive inventory, Elizabeth whisked me down an aisle stocked with calico dresses and fringed vests. While I watched her pull from the western wear, I wondered what she had in mind.

"I'm thinking of a Día de Muertos look for you," she said, surveying the garments still hanging on the racks closely. “What do you think?”

Excited to assume the role of such a beautiful character, I consented with her vision.

She paired a white, embroidered blouse with a black circle skirt trimmed with ruffles in rainbow hues. As I changed in the dressing room, I became even more appreciative of the details in each piece of clothing.

After emerging from the dressing room and eliciting an approving smile from Elizabeth, I followed her to the counter where she had pulled up an image search for La Calavera Catrina, an elegant female skeleton that has become embodied as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations.

Intrigued by the cultural significance of the images and realizing the concept of my costume, I was ready to recreate the look. But the images sparked another costume idea — one that paid tribute to the artists that gave the haunting figure new life.

That's how Elizabeth decided to transform me into Frida Kahlo, a Mexico painter who earned critical acclaim for her self-portraits after a severe traffic accident forced her to abandon her studies in medicine.

Drawing from her physical and psychological wounds, she famously insisted, "I never painted dreams. I

Left: NTown's Sarah Kirby in costume as famous artist Frida Kahlo.

painted my own reality."

Her words resonated with me. I had long admired Kahlo’s art, but I had never considered portraying her in costume before. But Elizabeth, who had lived in Los Angeles and had worked for a number of television shows — including “Will & Grace,” “Criminal Minds” and “Scrubs” – knew exactly what she was doing. Costumes based on historical figures and pop stars have been trending for some time, she said.

“I’m seeing people wanting to do things that are really wild — things that differ from what their friends have already seen them in,” Elizabeth said. “Sometimes we’ll see people wanting to do Madonna or other real people from the 1980s, and there are a lot of room to interpret a costume there because those people were active and in the public eye for years and their styles have evolved.

“You have to use your own personality, to decide how you want to interpret a costume,” Elizabeth said.

“If folks are willing to be creative, we can do some really cool stuff.”

I was almost ready, but I wasn’t done exercising my own imagination. I braided my hair, pinned it up and adorned my head with a bouquet of brightly-colored blooms.

Using pictures as references, I enhanced the look with ruby-red lipstick, rouge swept on my cheeks and a uni-brow sketched proudly across my forehead. A tangerine shawl and faux gold earrings cinched the look together. I was all set.

She didn’t know me very well, but somehow Elizabeth sensed exactly what I was looking for in the perfect costume. I was relieved of my costume concerns and ready for a night of revelry.

Halloween is meant to be an excursion out of reality and into the realm of the imagination — an occasion to be creative or perhaps pay tribute to another character. The journey there is much more fun when it escapes the mass pre-packaged route.

CAUGHT on camera The Norman nightlife Photos by Nick Powers

Above: Koryn Howey, David Borum and Taylor Burt at Fuzzy's Tacos Above right: Rabecca McKenny and Kyle Lynch at The Deli Right: Tracee Greenwood and Nicolas Perlick at Chimy's Far right: John Wiggins and Lexi Dixon at The Deli

house ad - 6 col. X 4.75 inches

Performing arts studio 2 col. x 10 inches

Up in the air

24

Jessica Bruha / NTown A plane sits on the runway at OU Max Westheimer Airport in Norman. The 8th Annual Aviation Festival will feature between 30 and 40 planes and gives the public a chance to get an up-close look at the world of aviation.

10.10.14

• OU's Westheimer Airport welcomes aviation festival

By Jessica Bruha

University of Oklahoma planes sat still, lined up one after the other at the OU Max Westheimer Airport, as a small plane buzzed high above them.

The airplanes are a daily sight at the airport, but not one many get the opportunity to see.

The public will be provided that opportunity, for free, during the 8th Annual Aviation Festival. The festival is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 at the airport, 1700 Lexington Avenue. Several OU planes, as well as many others, will be on display with pilots ready to answer questions and show off

the planes.

Gates to the flight ramp will be open for plenty of parking space.

"The main reason we do it is for the kids," said Ken Carson, Director of Aviation. "With transportation security now, you've got to have all the defenses up. It's hard for kids to go out and touch, feel (aviation equipment) and talk to pilots."

Carson said the airport gets calls from time to time from parents asking if they could bring their kids out to look at an airplane or take a flight.

"There's always interest in that. So we just kind of got together and (said) why don't

we do an open house?" Carson said.

Every year the festival has drawn crowds of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,500 if the weather is nice. Part of the planning coincides with the OU football schedule, as well, steering clear from any Saturday there is a big game going on, he said.

Aside from OU planes, there will also be business and corporate planes. While there is no airline traffic at the local airport, American Envoy airlines will be represented. Carson discussed the importance of having business jets there, as well.

Performing arts studio 2 col. x 10 inches Jessica Bruha / NTown

"The business part of aviation is really important for Norman and economic development," he said.

In all, there are typically 30 to 40 planes that show up for the event, which is completely volunteer based.

Carson said in addition to general aviation, Civil Air Patrol will have some planes, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol will have their helicopter, news media helicopters will be there and lots of pilots that just have their own planes.

The youth activity hangar is always a big hit, as well.

"We're going to have a really exciting hangar this year," said Dawn Machalinski, with the Sooner Flight Academy. "Our theme is airports."

Machalinski said they will have two new mock airport runway tables and a mock runway on the floor of the hangar for smaller children. There will be lots of planes to play with and a mock tower will be in the middle giving the kids some signals, she said.

"We'll also have the OUPD out with the fingerprinting again this year and that's always a very popular thing for

the parents," Machalinski said.

Other favorite standing features will be returning, as well, including a simulator, an antique bi-plane and an antique hot air balloon basket. Children can also make miniature windsocks, which help teach them about the direction of the wind and how it effects the way pilots take off and land, she said.

Tours of the control tower will be given, as available, at the event as well.

Since the airport is owned and operated by the University of Oklahoma, Sooner fans will also get the opportunity to meet their favorite mascots.

Boomer and Sooner will be out with the Sooner Schooner, as well as OU's Flight Academy mascot, Soonie.

"Families come out and they'll be able to talk to our OU pilots and go touch a lot of the airplanes and see them up close. It's kind of a thank you to the community, too," Carson said.

Some people don't even know the airport is out there, so it helps raise awareness, he said. There are also people who have been to the terminal to eat at Ozzie's, a favorite

breakfast spot for locals, but have never experienced any other part of the airport.

"A lot of them come to Ozzie's and eat, but they don't ever get to go out on the ramp and see the airplanes or go in an OU airplane. (You get to) kind of see it a little more up close and personal," Carson said.

"So that's what we allow them to do. We allow them to go out and look at stuff."

The open house also serves as a reminder that children could grow up to be a pilot or air traffic controller if they wanted, he said. There are about 200 students in the aviation program and about 100 flying right now.

Students get to take various flight courses and can receive aviation degrees. Carson said they've got students graduating right now that are going into the airlines who will have outstanding careers.

"That's important," he said, regarding children learning about options for aviation careers. "Somewhere along that journey you say, 'Yeah, I can do that'. So that's probably the part we like the best."

25

10.10.14

CAL

Check out NTown’s top ten for October.

For a detailed calendar visit normantranscript.com and scroll to the bottom of the page.

1

Macrocosm / Microcosm: Abstract expressionism in the American Southwest

When: Oct 3, 2014 – Jan 4, 2015 Where: Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art • Description: In the 1950s, the American Southwest became a crossroads for Abstract Expressionists from the New York School and the San Francisco Bay Area. Elaine de Kooning, Richard Diebenkorn, and others found inspiration in the expansive land and sky of

the region and used gestural brushwork and veils of color to depict the vast spaces and distinctive coloring of the landscape.

They joined with local artists in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to create a distinctly modern view of the Southwest that expressed the aesthetic and cultural concerns of postwar America.

The title for this exhibition is inspired by the following quote by photographer Ansel Adams regarding the American Southwest: "The skies and land are so enormous, and the detail so precise and exquisite, that wherever you are, you are isolated in a glowing world between the macro and the micro."

2

• Zombie Apocalypse Paintball When: 8-11 p.m., Fridays, Saturdays to Nov. 15 Where: Orr Family Farm, 14400 S. Western Ave. , OKC The Orr Family Farm is adding a new attraction to its fall festivities which include a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, cannon blasters and now, zombies. Guests

will have the chance to help "save the farm" in the Zombie Apocalypse Paintball experience.

Visit OrrFamilyFarm.com.

5

• Norman Public Library Fall Book Sale When: Oct. 17-20 Where: Norman Public Library Four rooms of more than 50,000 gently used books sorted into over 60 categories are featured at the annual Friends of the Norman Library Fall Book Sale which

opens Friday evening 6-9 P.M. at the Norman Public Library, 225 N. Webster. The sale opens to the public Saturday 9-5, and Sunday 12-5. Monday 3-8 is Bag Day.

8

Downtown Norman Fall Festival When: 6-9 p.m., Oct. 24 Where: Downtown Norman Come visit historic downtown Norman and have a blast! Main Street will be closed to create a safe environment for trickor-treating, moon bounces,

and other activities. Costume contests featuring prizes for adults, kids and pets will also be featured.

3

4

• Thunderbird Trail of Fear When: Oct. 10-11, 16,-18, 25-25, 30-Nov. 1 Where: 14501 E. Etowah Rd., Noble

• Sooner Theatre Presents OUR TOWN When: 8 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25; 2 p.m. Oct. 19, 26 Where: Sooner Theatre

Owner Bob Wright said this year will be even scarier than the last.

"People who went last year are going to flip with all the stuff we added," he said. "

Described by Edward Albee as "...the greatest American play ever written," the story written

by Thornton Wilder follows the small town of Grover's Corners

"Because we use psychology and diversion — we incoprorate sight, sounds, smells — It's going to be a show."

For hours, visit trailoffear.com

6

through three acts: "Daily Life," "Love and Marriage," and "Death and Eternity."

7

• Winter Wind Concert Series presents Greg Jacobs When: 7 p.m., Oct. 19 Where: The Depot

• Wolves & Witches When: 6-8:30 p.m., Oct. 24 Where: The Depot

Red dirt crooner Greg Jacobs will bring his easy goin’ style to the second Winter Wind Concert in the 2014-15 ten-concert series.

Greg Jacobs is the smoothest of

Cimarron Opera will partner again with the Norman Arts Council for the Downtown Norman fall festival on Friday, October 24.

This free event will feature the

all the red dirt troubadours, laying down a solid Okie groove on songs that are both historic and personal. Tickets are $20

9

Monster Dash 5K and Fun Run When: 9-10:45 a.m., Oct. 25 Where: Reaves Park The 5K begins at 9 a.m., and the Fun Run begins at 9:45 a.m.

Participants are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, and prizes will be awarded for

best children’s costume, best adult costume, and best group costume.

perennial favorite, Cimarron Opera's Wolves & Witches. Short 20-minute shows will begin at 6, 7, and 8 p.m. followed by a fun craft for kids to complete.

10

Fuego Friday Iron Pour at OU When: 7-11 p.m., Oct. 31 Where: OU School of Art and Art History Visitors will be able to watch students run a furnace, which will reach internal temperatures of 3200 F. Students will then extract approximately 100 lbs.

increments of molten iron to cast “scratch blocks” or plaque molds created by donors and students.

with Women in Focus: An Exhibit of Shevaun Williams’ Portraits for World Literature Today Magazine, celebrating the power, beauty, talent and determination of women around the globe.

The exhibit leads into the 2014 Neustadt Festival of International Literature & Culture.

Vaness Rudloff will also exhibit photographs from Beauty and the Books, a portfolio-book of images taken at Arundel Bookstore in Seattle, along with “poetry on demand” by Oklahoma poet Kerri Shadid. There will be free refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

28

10.10.14

• F irehouse Art Center (444 S. Flood Ave.) cotinues to showcase Concepts & Models, the inaugural exhibition by the Nowhere Medium, a collective of individuals collaobrating in multimedia.

The show features a variety of experimental pieces that were created as concepts for future artworks currently in production for Nowhere Medium’s next scheduled shows, evolving with each showing, no two experiences destined to be the same.

• The Depot Gallery (200 S. Jones Ave.) will feature Places … Spaces Between, the work of Almira Hill Grammer. She just recently showed work in the Oklahoma State Capitol Governor’s Gallery and is happy to present her newest richly colored paintings depicting barns and landscapes in The Depot. There will also the Terry Shaw Memorial HOOTENANNY to remember Shaw, who organized the initial Hootenanny at the Depot in 2013.

Guitars, banjos, tambourines and your vocals are encouraged.

• MAINSITE Contemporary Art (122 E. Main St.) debuts Can You Hear Me Now — featuring new work from Oklahoma artist

& sculptor Holly Wilson — and Dialogos E Intrepretaciones: the Americas, a print exchange featuring artists from across North & South America. MAINSITE is also showcasing the work of NAC Individual Artist Award winner, woodworker, musician and furniture designer Hunter Roth in the Library Gallery. There’s also free refreshments and snacks from LOCAL. • S TASH (412 E. Main St.) has the work of Tara Forth of Frameworthy Designs, specializing in beautifully crafted stationery, illustration and design.

• Dope Chapel (115 S. Crawford) will be open, showcasing the work of local artists, including performance pieces by Sally Hensel, Evan Clayburg and Lindsey Allgood.

• Gr ay Owl Coffee (223 E. Gray) is exhibiting posters produced following a pilot project on the molecular gastronomy of coffee conducted by first year Honors students at the University of Oklahoma.

• S hevaun Williams & Associates (221 E. Main) is back

• Thir d Eye Gallery and Ashtanga Yoga Studio (120 E. Tonhawa) is presenting a new exhibition from Oklahoma favorite Skip Hill, pieces that fuse Hill’s signature international soul style with yoga motifs, poses and inner peace.

• S andalwood & Sage (322 & 324 E. Main) is back with its 6th Annual Dia de los Meurtos event, featuring Sugar Skull decorating, South American edibles and a community offrenda. Light a candle for someone dear who has passed, write a note and post it on the community board, or bring a photo or memento to share.

• S tudio Ink (220 E. Main), previously Studio E, has featured artist David Rogers, a new inhouse studio and tattoo artists as well. There will be snacks, refreshments and a $50 gift certificate giveaway.

• The Social Club (209 E. Main) is excited to present the work of multi-talented artist Kathryn Wakefield of Confetti Riot. She will be showcasing her colorful weavings at the art walk.

• Big foot Creative (315 E.

Main St.) highlights featured artist Barry Magnin and is offering limited edition designs on tees for only $5, printed while you wait!

• S cissortail School of Art (123 E. Main St.) has work created by the children and adults taking fall art classes.

• D.M . Wealth Management (201 E. Main) has new works by the children of All Saints Catholic School and teacher Melissa Manning, along with musical guest Frank Lawrence.

• Be ll’s Mystical Beginnings (529 E. Main St.) is hosting their 2nd Friday Drum Circle with girls from A Mirage Dance Company.

There will be readers on site for oracle or tarot readings, along with free 10 minute healing energy sessions, work from local artists and free refreshments.

• Nor man Insurance Emporium (527 E. Main St.) welcoming the work of Jon Stone Photography.

jewelry made by their artist of the month Pamela Gray.

2ND FRIDAY CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES: • Opolis (113 N. Crawford Ave.) welcomes the psych-folk pop stylings of Oklahoma favorite Deerpeople, joined by dream pop purveyors Moonbather out of Dallas and surf-inspired indie rock outfit Bored Wax. The show is free and first come, first serve.

Doors open at 8 p.m. with the show starting at 9.

• Gue stroom Records (125 E. Main) welcomes garage rockers The Pizza Thieves will bring the noise. It’s free and starts at 7:30 p.m.

• The Bluebonnet Bar (321 E. Main St.) has the Hey Diddles String Band performing, starting at 10 p.m.

• Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar (207 E. Main) has a performance by Peter Erickson from 7 to 9 p.m.

• Ga llery 123 (123 E. Main St.) invites everyone UP to see what’s new in the gallery, including

AD das boot 2 col. x 3 inches

Q&A (From Pg. 7): I did a couple of colleges, and that was just getting started, working my act out.

So, now we're going to go back to the UK. I'm going to do two nights in London in June, if everything goes according to plan. That'll be cool.

Two years ago, I played the Leicester Theatre, and it's a classic old Shakespearean-like theater, where they had plays. It's in the arts district in London. It sits about 400 people. I sold that out, and one of the coolest things, for one with a rather lofty ego, is that when you go to your show, and there are people outside scalping tickets.

I thought, man, this is a long way from Westville, Oklahoma. That's my hometown in Adair County. That's a long way from Adair County to be in London, at one of the oldest Shakespearean theaters in the city, and people are scalping tickets for your one-man show. For some reason, I just got a big kick out of that. I thought that was the coolest thing.

NTown: That's totally understandable. Not only

Inspector (From Pg. 12): “This role is fun for me because it’s different than others I’ve been cast in,” said Hines. “Sheila is more shallow than other roles I’ve played, and it’s kind of fun to be like ‘I care about my clothes and I don’t really care much about the people around me’ it’s fun to play around with.”

J.B. Priestly is known for writing more mysterious plays with complex characters that have a lot of secrets. He has also been known for telling his views on Socialism through his works, one of which is “An Inspector Calls.”

“I love what he withholds,” said Helen Hedman, who plays Sybil Birling. “They [the characters] have a secret life and I love how reveals that with the character and the language.”

Hedman has been in many productions such as “August: Osage County,” “The Year of Magical Thinking,” and “The Importance of Being Earnest” as well as many others, and was voted Best Actress by the Baltimore City Paper.

Language is used as a deadly weapon in this play, said Hedman, who has also played in

did you sell out, but there was so much demand that people were willing to pay more than face value to get in the door.

J.R.: I think any performer that tells you that they have no reluctance, no anxiety, no nerves, is either extraordinarily gifted, or they're burned out and it just doesn't matter anymore, or they might be fibbing a little bit. My answer is that I

have plenty of nerves. When I got to the UK two years ago to do the first brush with these oneman shows, I left the states on a Friday. I landed on a Saturday morning in London, I got in a car, and I drove to Cardiff.

I had flown all night. I was kind of numb, but the good news was, before I got on the plane until five in the morning to London, I knew that all four of my shows that we were going to do were sold out. That gave me the satisfaction to know that people actually cared, and wanted to come see me. It also put pressure on me, that I've got to deliver. I was fiddling with my bits and my script. Some guys like to do their script, and they don't deviate from it. They have a routine. I'm just not a routine type of performer. ~ Make sure to pick up next Friday’s Transcript for part two of our exclusive interview with Jim Ross. Topics include J.R.’s stories from the wrestling industry, as well as a discussion about his podcast and forthcoming autobiography. Finally, we’ll wrap things up by talking about current WWE Superstar Jack Swagger, formerly known as OU wrestler and football player Jake Hager.

Priestly’s “Dangerous Corner.”

“She [Sybil] comes off as a very two-dimensional character,” said Hedman. “It’s a really ‘stiff upper-lip backbone’ British type. She is from a different class than her husband, but he is certainly what we would call a self-made man.”

The play is one of Priestley’s most well known works and has appeared on Broadway.

“I saw this show in 1994 on Broadway and was blown away,” said Jonathan Beck Reed, who plays “Inspector Goole.” “I’ve always loved Film Noir kind of stuff and this was like the granddaddy of all ‘Whodunits’.”

Reed has been a part of Lyric Theatre for 29 years. He’s played in productions of “A Christmans Carol” and “Peter Pan” as well as a national tour of “My Fair Lady.” He was also a part of the Dallas Lyric Stage and Oklahoma City Theatre Alliance as well as several other companies.

As an actor, watching actors manipulate their way through the story was interesting, said Reed.

“The layers of the story just begin to unfold like layers of an onion,” said Reed. “Pretty soon

you’re going ‘oh ok, I get it now,” and you’re not alone. Everyone else in the audience is doing the same thing, and it speaks to so many different generations.”

The show is filled with twists and turns and 10.10.14 there are so many secrets that each of the characters hide.

“Not many companies show ‘An Inspector Calls’ because it’s not an easy play to perform,” said Reed. “It could just be really two-dimensional characters. It presents itself as one thing and turns out to be something completely different.”

Set designers implemented a water system that allows it to rain on stage. The costumes are waterproof, but to the audience the costumes look just regular clothes.

“They’re the most beautiful polyester dresses I’ve ever seen,” said Hedman. “They have this lace over them that just makes it look like a million bucks.”

“An Inspector Calls” runs from Oct. 8 to Oct. 25 at Lyric at the Plaza. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at the door or online on the Lyric Theatre website.

J.R.: It was a fun deal. On that tour, I played Cardiff, Wales; Glasgow, Scotland; both Manchester and London in England. I'm going to do London two days on this next trip, and we're negotiating for me to go to Ireland, and play Belfast and Dublin as a part of this trip. It's a real simple, straight-forward format, and I have a blast doing it. It’s just me and the audience, and we're telling stories and enjoying each other's company.

NTown: What is it like for you in that setting?

Are there nerves at play there, even for a person with as much experience in broadcast as you?

Being on that stage by yourself, being the sole center of attention, is that something different?

29

'Our Town' (From Pg. 5): realities and the inevitability of death are played out between the characters and in monologues.

“Wilder was writing during the Great Depression about the earlier Victorian era when some of the country’s innocence was lost during the Roaring Twenties,” Orr said. “He is trying to point out that there are universalities to our existence and even though there’s social and technological progress it’s surprising how some things about life don’t change.”

This isn’t Orr’s first time to direct “Our Town.” It will be the first time he’s been both director and a member of the cast. He learned a lot during his first two times directing the drama.

“This play tells itself,” he said. “You have to not get in its way. The material is so fantastic you just have to be a conduit. The words are brilliant which helps explain why it’s the most 30 produced play in the world. Every single day there’s a production of Our Town being done somewhere in the world.”

More than a piece of Americana, the play is a reflection of the human condition. Although Grover’s Corners is set in New Hampshire, Wilder was careful to avoid making his script New England-centric.

Norman’s venue for this version of Our Town should contribute to the theatrical aura.

It opened as a talking pictures palace less than 10.10.14 a decade before the play’s first production in 1938.

“I love the Sooner Theatre,” Orr said. “It’s a simple, beautiful little space and like a church

Doug Hill / NTown Sooner Theatre's production of 'Our Town' includes period correct music not included in the original script played live by members of the cast.

to me. The place is perfect for Our Town.”

Norman is very much a community that dovetails well with the story line as well. It’s a place many call home and where life’s dramas are played out daily in reality. Giving the production an Oklahoma tinge was considered but discounted.

“I thought about that but then decided to play true to what Wilder wanted from the play,” he said. “When the narrator describes the town it is Norman’s Main Street. Right down to where the railroad tracks are and what the street looks like.”

OU school of drama AD

Orr anticipates that older generation Americans are familiar with “Our Town” but younger people may not be. He suggests it would be the perfect opportunity for grandparents to share the play with their grandchildren.

“It will spark conversations about their lives, the things they experienced and stories they can pass on,” Orr said. “It’s really lovely and one of the most perfect plays ever written. Its message is the way life moves and that we have to stop and find human connections because life is finite. “Our Town” is a love letter to the human condition.”