Queen of Oklahoma

Queen of Oklahoma

Broadway and film superstar Kristin Chenoweth returns home with a cabaret performance to support Oklahoma Contemporary and Broadway Bootcamp. By Jo Light, p. 15

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P. 15 Oklahoma’s very own Broadway darling Kristin Chenoweth talks to Oklahoma Gazette about her nonprofit work mentoring up-andcoming performers and why she has kept Broadway Bootcamp in Oklahoma, the film adaptation of Wicked, developing her new musical and what attracted her to film a new holiday movie with Netflix.

By Jo Light

by Kimberly Walker

27

CORRECTION: In the story “Progressive legacy” (Daniel Bokemper, pages 16-17, October 2024), we incorrectly stated Pablo Picasso relocated from Spain to Southern France in 1958. Picasso had actually relocated from Paris to Southern France in 1948. He had lived in Paris since roughly 1904.” We apologize for this error.

Red wave

By Ben Felder STATE

Republicans rack up Oklahoma County wins, while Democrats hope signs of momentum carry them forward.

Republicans won Oklahoma County races for sheriff, most competitive state legislative seats and even the presidential race, although by a shrinking margin, which provided a sliver of hope for Democrats in the state’s most populous county.

Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson, a Republican, won reelection with 58 percent of the vote. He beat Democratic challenger and former police officer Wayland Cubit.

Johnson and Cubit faced off in the sheriff’s race four years ago, which Johnson won then with close to 53 percent of the vote. After enlarging his margin this year, Johnson said the voters showed faith in his effort to increase mental health support, issue body cameras for all deputies and reduce administrative spending.

“(Voters) rallied around me as sheriff ... and said, ‘We got you,’” Johnson said.

Cubit indicated his second attempt at sheriff would likely be his last. But he vowed to continue working to reform the county jail and improve trust between law enforcement and the public.

“Tonight’s results may close this chapter, but the work to improve public safety and serve our community continues,” Cubit said. “I encourage Sheriff Johnson and all of us in leadership to stay focused on the critical issues we raised during this campaign.”

Edmond’s State Senate District 47 was another race Democrats hoped to flip. With Republican Senate leader Greg Treat termed out, Democrat Erin Brewer ran on a campaign to improve education and serve as a check against State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

But Republican Kelly Hines, a retired U.S. Army colonel, won the seat with nearly 53 percent of the vote.

“This was a true team effort, and I will strive to be worthy of everyone’s trust and do my best to represent SD 47,” Hines said.

Republicans won two other close state legislative races, although Democrats were able to show some possible momentum headed into 2026.

In House District 95, which includes neighborhoods around Tinker Air Force Base, incumbent Rep. Max Wolfley, a Republican, beat Democrat Tegan Malone by less than 3 percentage points.

The same two candidates faced off in 2022, which Wolfley won then by an 8-point margin.

In House District 100, which includes parts of northwest Oklahoma City and Bethany, Republican Rep. Marilyn Stark won reelection over Democrat Chaunté Gilmore. This was also a repeat from 2022, when Stark won by 10 points. This year, however, Stark’s margin was just 1.9 percentage points.

“I am so very humbled to serve you for two more years,” Stark said.

Bice wins

Republican U.S. Representative Stephanie Bice also won reelection with a 20-point win over Democrat Madison Horn. The Fifth Congressional District of central Oklahoma had been the state’s only real competitive U.S. House seat in recent years.

But the Republican-controlled state Legislature redrew the district’s boundaries to give its party a sizable advantage.

Bice beat Democrat Madison Horn by 20 percentage points, the largest margin of victory in the Fifth District since 2016.

“As my new term begins, I’m ready to fight harder than ever to protect our

freedoms, secure our borders, lower costs for families and ensure our energy independence,” Bice said.

In the three other U.S. House races, Republican incumbents each won by large margins. (U.S. Representative Frank Lucas did not face a challenger in the third district.)

National vote

While this year’s election in Oklahoma County was a success for Republicans, there were signs of cracks.

Donald Trump barely won the county four years ago, and he pulled out another squeaker this year with 49.7 percent of the vote, compared to Kamala Harris’ 48 percent.

However, that result wasn’t all bad news for the minority party, as Trump underperformed his nationwide total by 1.3 percentage points. It was the first time the Republican presidential candidate received a lower percentage of votes in Oklahoma County than its nationwide total since 1948.

The battle for winning county-wide races has been in Oklahoma City’s inner bedroom communities. The urban core is reliably Democratic, while Republicans have dominated in the suburbs of Edmond and Midwest City.

This year, Democrats picked up some precincts along the Northwest Expressway corridor and in the south-

east part of Oklahoma City. For Oklahoma Democrats, winning Oklahoma County outright in the presidential race was one of this year’s biggest prizes within a realistic grasp. Doing so would have been a way for the party to claim it was making inroads in at least one part of the state. Republicans can maintain their statewide claim, but the electoral shift means the county will likely be in play in 2028.

Judge rejected

The typically mundane judicial retention ballot made history this year as Oklahoma voters ousted a member of the state Supreme Court for the first time ever.

Justice Yvonne Kauger, one of three judges on this year’s ballot, was denied retention by 50.2 percent of voters.

Supreme Court judges are appointed by the governor but face statewide retention votes after their first year and then every six years after.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has been critical of the state Supreme Court, which has thwarted some of his agenda. Dark money advertisements pushed for voters to reject the judges. After Kauger was rejected for another term, Stitt said it was an opportunity to “actually get a conservative court.”

Edmond bonds

Voters in Edmond, Oklahoma County’s largest suburb, widely rejected three bond measures.

Proposition 1, 2 and 3 would have raised more than $230 million for park improvements, roads and a new fire station. Property taxes would have increased by more than 14 percent.

“There has been a lot of spirited debate on both sides, and we will take that input and use it as we move forward,” said Darrell Davis, Edmond’s mayor since 2021. “The projects on the ballot remain high priorities, and our job now is to create a way to efficiently fund the work that is still needed.”

Kelly Hines, Senate District 47-elect | Photo provided

Sheriff Tommie Johnson | Photo provided

Representative Stephanie Bice, Oklahoma’s 5th congressional district | Photo provided

Justice Yvonne Kauger | Photo provided

President-elect Donald Trump | Photo Gage Skidmore

Shades of red

Don’t call it an endorsement, but Mayor David Holt backed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump.

By Ben Felder

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt made headlines last month after penning an endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris, rejecting his own party’s nominee, Republican Donald Trump.

Except “endorsement” isn’t the word Holt would use.

His column, published in the Philadelphia Citizen, focused on his desire to see a president with “character, competence and commitment.”

“I will vote for virtue,” Holt wrote. But missing from his column were the names of either candidate. Although the headline — picked by editors at the

wasn’t wrong.

“I think the most you could say is that I wrote a column that makes a point about character, and it seemed to most reasonable readers to be more applicable to one candidate over the other,” Holt added.

Some questioned the political wisdom of Holt writing the column.

“Is his political career over?” asked Joe Carter, a columnist for The Norman Transcript. “He has likely disqualified himself from the governor’s office or any other statewide elected position by taking this stance.”

tion against President Joe Biden.

“Here is the truth: President Donald Trump did not win the 2020 election. It wasn’t even particularly close,” Holt wrote then.

While those views might not win Holt a Republican primary for statewide office — of which he has not publicly expressed any interest — they don’t seem to be disqualifying in a purple city like Oklahoma City.

Holt first won election in 2018 with 78.5 percent of the vote. In 2022, Holt was reelected with nearly 60 percent in a four-person race.

Remaining Republican

In some ways, Holt being a registered Republican while supporting the Democratic presidential candidate is in line with politically mixed Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma County, which includes most of the city, was evenly split this presidential election. Trump won 49.7 percent of the vote, while Harris re-

Holt is a registered Republican who worked in the George W. Bush administration before becoming a Republican state senator in Oklahoma.

The city’s mayoral race is nonpartisan, so his name no longer appears on the ballot with the label of a political party. Holt said fixing roads, building parks and funding cops are not partisan

Still, he has drawn attention for anti-Trump statements that would largely be ignored if made by a Democratic mayor in another city.

“You almost always find that anyone referring to me as a Republican mayor is not me,” Holt said. “I sort of accept that’s the way of the world, especially from the perspective of Washington. Everyone has to be in a political party; they can’t see any other paradigms.

“But I don’t know that I look at myself as a Republican mayor because that’s not the system we have (in Oklahoma City),” Holt added. “And I have embraced our nonpartisan system and have pursued policy outcomes and coalitions that are clearly across parti-

Holt acknowledges the Republican Party has changed since his days in the Bush White House. But when asked why he’s remained a registered Republican, Holt said it isn’t something he’s thought much about.

“When people ask, ‘How can you still be a Republican?’ I’m like, I don’t know. It’s not something I worry about,” Holt said.

“My vote as a person isn’t bound by whatever party I’m registered as, other than, I guess, the fact that you have to vote in a certain primary.

“I mean, when you think about how there’s a political party that has both Liz Cheney and Marjorie Taylor Greene in it, my point is, what does it even really mean?”

Working with Trump

The day after Trump’s victory, Holt publicly congratulated the returning president, noting the city’s own political mix.

“OKC voters were split down the middle in this presidential election and the last, but Republicans, Democrats and Independents in our city still work together every day to get things done,” Holt posted on social media. “That will continue.”

The congratulations bothered some on the political left, including JoBeth Hamon, a progressive member of the city council who accused Holt of “capitulating to perceived power and influence” in her own social media post. (In Ward 6, Hamon’s central Oklahoma City ward, just 34 percent of voters supported Trump this year.)

But Holt said he’s ready to take a posture of cooperation with the incoming administration, even if history has shown that could be a challenge.

“I would hope that we can find some partnership with the new administration and Congress on seemingly bipartisan issues, like infrastructure and housing,” Holt said.

Holt said working with the Trump administration during his first term “was okay,” but there wasn’t a lot of movement. In comparison, Biden’s administration seemed to make a lot of progress on issues important to cities, including the infrastructure investment package.

“There’s been so many legislative events over the last four years (compared to Trump’s first term). That’s just objectively true,” Holt said. “Obviously, that didn’t make an impression on the electorate, and it is what it is, but it was a very productive legislative tenure (for Biden).” Holt won’t just be advocating for the interests of Oklahoma City to the new administration. In June, he will become president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, a nationwide organization of leaders from over 1,400 cities.

“No one is more pragmatic than mayors. We just want to get things done for our cities,” Holt said. “Of course, most big-city mayors are Democrats, but even still, I think a lot of them would be open to working (with the Trump administration) because that’s what we do.”

Mayor David Holt

| Photo Gazette file

Religious teachings

By Ben Felder

Days after being sued by a group of parents objecting to his effort to put a Bible in every Oklahoma classroom, State Superintendent Ryan Walters compared himself to one of America’s greatest historical figures.

“Martin Luther King, Jr. ... broke the law to advocate for the Civil Rights Movement because, as a Christian, he believed he saw other biblical examples ... who broke the law in order to follow God’s law,” Walters told KOCO during an interview last month. “Not my words; Martin Luther King’s words.”

While Walters may see himself as a modern-day Civil Rights icon and his actions as the 21st-century equivalent of staging a sit-in at a segregated department store, many others have accused him of disregarding the law for his own personal gain.

Oklahoma Watch that a new request for Bible bids will be issued later.

Republican critics

Walters’ critics claim he has built his administration on culture war issues designed to get him maximum attention among a conservative base that could be important, should he someday run for governor. Some have also wondered if he sees a potential cabinet appointment in a future Trump administration.

Records obtained by numerous news outlets have shown Walters has spent thousands of state dollars to travel to various conservative events and hire a public relations firm to pitch him as a guest on television, including Fox News.

Walters has accused any criticism as engineered by Democrats and liberals. He has called them “terrorists” and falsely claimed they have pushed for pornography in schools.

“It’s just a woke mob,” Walters said after a recent Board of Education meeting.

But his critics can be found across the political spectrum.

Gise won the southwest Oklahoma City seat with 66 percent of the vote. Walters has also been criticized by public school leaders.

Rob Miller, superintendent of Bixby Public Schools, recently accused Walters of ignoring the state’s teacher shortage and failing to funnel federal funding, including Title 1 funds for lowincome students, to schools.

“Maybe [Walters] can take a break from his travel and media events, stop by the office — if he remembers where it is — and help us out,” Miller recently posted on social media.

Larger plan

The push for Bibles in each classroom is not Walters’ first attempt to incorporate Christian indoctrination in schools.

Since entering office nearly two years ago, Walters has pushed the legal boundaries related to teacher licenses and who can attend state Board of Education executive sessions.

Now, Walters is facing a lawsuit that claims his Bible requirement violates the Oklahoma Constitution’s ban on state-established religion.

“[Walters’ Bible] mandate interferes with the parents’ ability to direct the religious and moral upbringing of their children,” the lawsuit states.

Walters originally appeared to want the state to purchase specially made “God Bless the U.S.A.” Bibles that had been endorsed by Donald Trump, according to Oklahoma Watch.

This month, the state Department of Education canceled that specific bid request. An agency spokesperson told

Republican Representative Mark McBride recently asked the state’s attorney general to weigh in on the legality of Walters purchasing Bibles for schools. Last month, McBride also requested a federal investigation into how Walters is managing funds, which he said have often been delayed in getting to schools.

“I don’t know of a school district that hasn’t had questions about [getting] funds,” Walters said.

In some state legislative races, Republican candidates tried to distance themselves from Walters.

“It’s certainly concerning,” Emily Gise, a Republican candidate in House District 90, told NonDoc. “He spends a lot of time in the media, and that is concerning to me as well when you consider that 80 percent of fourth-graders aren’t where they need to be. I think it’s time to buckle down and get serious, because those will be our future leaders and voters.”

Last year, he wanted daily moments dedicated to prayer, displays of the Ten Commandments in each classroom and a “Western civilization” course that would include teaching from the Bible and other protestant documents. Those proposals were first pitched by Oklahoma Advisory Council on Founding Principles, an organization that was formed to present Walters with ideas on how to embrace Christianity in schools.

“The founding principles of the United States of America have established and enshrined a land of hope and freedom based upon Judeo-Christian values. That is a historical observation,” wrote Stephen Hamilton, a Catholic priest and member of the council.

But claims of America’s Christian founding have been dispelled by many historians and groups that promote the First Amendment’s prohibition against government-sponsored religion.

“Walters repeats the big lie that our nation was founded on belief in a deity,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of Freedom from Religion Foundation. “In fact, the framers [of the nation] adopted the world’s first godless and entirely secular Constitution. They wanted a nation where individuals could believe — or disbelieve — as they wish, and that requires the government to stay out of the religion business.”

Putting Bibles in schools is just one of Walters’ attempts to insert religion into education.

| Photo Palida Chan

The aftermath (glow)

A post-election commentary.

By Dr. Emily Stacey

Nov. 5 has come and gone, and now an extremely polarized citizenry has the difficult task of re-unifying the country around not a president, but the founding ideals that have bolstered the American democracy for more than 230 years. This election year was unprecedented: two assassination attempts on a party nominee and former president, the running of the two oldest men in presidential election history, the dropping out of the sitting president from his reelection campaign and the abrupt ascension of the first black female presidential candidate with 100-some-odd days to either introduce herself to the nation and/or differentiate herself from a wildly unpopular administration. The discourse and rhetoric espoused during this campaign cycle was often flagrant and polarizing and will make the reunification of the American citizenry incredibly arduous.

If you have seen some of my previously published commentaries or are familiar with my civic engagement work at Rose State College, you are aware that I am a fervent advocate of a strong civil society — a place outside the reach of institutional politics in which citizens are able to come together to solve shared problems and build social capital. The basis of a healthy civil society is discourse, or the ability of citizens from

all walks of life, regions of the country and ideological persuasions to have productive conversations in good faith regarding the maintenance of the democracy. It has become not just intimidating to have conversation about modern political issues, but in some instances, a threat to an individual’s livelihood, relationships or personal safety. This is due to the degradation of the American civil society and the erosion of trust that the two major parties and the candidates that they run for office care more about the country than partisan affiliation.

While it would be easy and academically lazy to simply detail for you my joy or dismay regarding the outcome of the November 2024 election, instead, I want to focus this postmortem on the possibility of a fresh start and reawakening of the American civil society via civil discourse. Civil discourse, as defined by The Ohio State’s Center for Ethics and Human Values, is “the practice of deliberating about matters of public concern in a way that seeks to expand knowledge and promote understanding”; the emphasis is on the not necessarily being polite but engaging in intentional conversation in good faith regarding collective problems and shared solutions. Civil discourse is the foundation of a vigorous civil

society, which is the foundation of a dynamic, healthy democracy. As a professor of political science, I have discovered a tool to engage my multitude of community college students in dedicated dialogue on political issues each semester. Unify America is a beacon of civil discourse and has been grand eliminator of the intimidation barrier that many American youth (and adults) experience in relation to having the hard conversations about democratic maintenance and policy. Unify America was born out of a mission to replace partisan bickering with constructive political discourse, an idea at the core of this country’s founding. The Unify America College Bowl was launched in 2021, coming out of the global pandemic, at a time where the country was alienated and splintered.

The College Bowl begins with students registering and completing a demographic survey that gauges their political interests and priorities and matches them with another college student from across the country whose ideological background might be vastly different from their own to engage in an hourlong conversation. I have my students write a reflection essay about their experience, and over the course of the two years that I have deployed the Unify Challenge, I have read reflections and personal statements that moved me to my core. The first step to political engagement and action is removing the scary misperceptions that one does not know enough to participate or that the other party cannot be reasoned with.

litical voices and wield them in a fashion that fosters communal trust, builds lasting coalitions and mobilizes political action. It is critical to me as a professor to break down the barriers of access to political participation. To me, that begins with learning how to converse across and through ideological differences, which is why I will continue to utilize Unify America and its Civic Gym for the foreseeable future to stimulate increased democratic participation at the state and national level.

The Unify Challenge allows students to share goals and hopes for America across differences to bolster the American democracy. The Unify America Challenge is a real awakening for my younger students who have not lived “old-school” politics, where ideological opposites could have productive debate and still have a beer afterward. The Challenge allows them to come to the realization that as Americans, we have so much more in common than we have dissimilar as partisans, which is so critical to their willingness and enthusiasm to engage in future discourse and politics more generally. The Challenge is a hugely advantageous tool for the continuity of the American democracy in enabling citizens to access their po -

What happened last Tuesday is only the end of democracy if we, the citizens, the stewards of this American democracy, allow the continued division of ourselves into siloed subsections of the population in service of party politics. When a democracy is as fractured as America seems to be at this juncture of the 21st century, the only remedy is discourse. There needs to be a recommitment on the part of the American public education system to teaching the concepts of democracy and the ways in which we become civically and politically active citizens. Due to the hyperpolarized and partisan environment, particularly surrounding the last three election cycles, there has been a growing tendency for K-12 schools to shy away from crucial civics education curriculum as well as opportunities to directly engage students with their government. We must do better as educators to ensure that the next generation not only understands, but intrinsically and deeply values the ideals of democracy. That begins with the ability to have constructive, honest dialogue about the ills of the nation and how to cure them in a manner that benefits the common good. The anger or enthusiasm that you feel in relation to the results of Tuesday’s election — let that emotion guide your engagement; let that fire fuel your mobilization and future political action. But I implore you to let that political action be tempered through civil discourse.

Dr. Emily Stacey is a Professor of Political Science and Political Science Coordinator at Rose State College. She is a 2024 Journal Record Woman of the Year Honoree, and 2024 Periclean Deliberative Dialogue Fellow. | Photo provided

Unify America’s College Bowl encourages students to engage in constructive political discourse. | Illustration Maria Petrish

chicken friedNEWS

Out-of-this-world name

Seeing the light?

Earlier this month, State Superintendent Ryan Walters said he was demanding the federal government send a $474.9 million check to Oklahoma to reimburse the state for educating the children of undocumented immigrants.

While many viewed it as another attention-seeking tantrum, the silver lining is that Walters is finally admitting money matters in public schools. Last year, Walters proposed a cut to the state’s education department, claiming funding isn’t tied to better outcomes for public schools. But his invoice seeking nearly half a billion dollars demonstrates that he sees the need for more money in our classrooms.

All joking aside, Oklahoma’s immigrant community has contributed greatly to the state. Besides, legal precedent has already made it clear that schools are required to take in all children. Next time Walters passes a nativity scene this holiday season, he may do well to remember that there’s a migrant lying in the manger.  But since we’re all in the mood to demand reimbursements, Walters can expect this year’s Oklahoma Gazette Christmas card to include an invoice to reimburse the taxpayers for this useless PR stunt.

Oklahoma City’s minor league baseball time has cut ties with the Dodgers name. Who wants to be associated with a World Series champion, anyway?! Moving forward, the team will be known as the Comets, an ode to Oklahoma native Mickey Mantle and his nickname, “The Commerce Comet.” But Michael Byrnes, president of the baseball club, also said the new name — the sixth one in less than 30 years — was meant to tap into the state’s “burgeoning aerospace industry.” Oklahoma has seen its aerospace industry grow in recent years, although the state is not even in the top 10, according to the Aerospace Competitive Economics Study from AeroDyanmic. But the state’s actual top industries

don’t necessarily make for great baseball team names. The Frackers (oil and gas)? The Potheads (marijuana)? Or what about The Tater Tots (Sonic)?

All in all, The Comets is a cool name. But we can’t wait to see the next name in a few years.

Phone ban

Will cell phones soon be banned in Oklahoma schools? State lawmakers appear poised to take up the issue during the next legislative session.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, held an interim session last month to study the issue. “The data is quite overwhelming that these cell phones, while having tremendous benefit to how we live in modern society, also have tremendous cost to how people interact with each other,” Pugh said.

The overwhelming data Pugh referred to shows that allowing phones in schools creates a higher risk of injury and death, while also making students extremely uncomfortable and sometimes unable to concentrate. No, wait; that’s actu ally what research says about allowing teachers to be armed with guns in schools, something the state Legislature already allows.

Critics of a phone ban in schools say it removes a way for students to contact parents in the case of an emergency. But maybe that’s what the guns are for.

Sinking Canoo?

In a real-life version of the “distracted boyfriend meme,” Gov. Kevin Stitt has spent much of his tenure turning his head away from his petroleum overlords to check out the electric vehicle craze. After failing to get Tesla and Volkswagen to open EV plants in the state, Stitt finally landed Canoo. The startup

company agreed to set up shop in Oklahoma City, and Stitt was ready to buy a fleet of its futuristic vans after promising taxpayers he wouldn’t let his wife behind the wheel.

But Canoo recently announced it would cut a quarter of its staff, raising questions about its future. With the large number of MAGA Tesla Trucks driving around town, it’s hard to understand how an EV company could come up short. But it’s a sad time when any of our neighbors lose a job, and this is no different.

In the meantime, Stitt might soon be seeking his next EV play.

EAT & DRINK Supreme sushi

The Wheeler District’s new sushi spot offers culinary comfort in the form of classic sushi rolls and upscale Japanese favorites.

By Sarah Neese

AKAI

1801 Wheeler St. akaisushi.us | 405-673-7629

WHAT WORKS: Protein, protein and more protein. From fish to chicken and beef, it’s clear AKAI knows what it’s doing when it comes to the meatier things in life.

WHAT NEEDS WORK: Some of the tables are quite small, which makes taste-testing multiple dishes a bit of a puzzle.

TIP: Eat any other appetizers you’re interested in before the chicken karaage — once you’ve had the chicken, all other apps will pale in comparison.

With unassuming signage and a façade that blends into the up-and-coming Wheeler District neighborhood, AKAI doesn’t prematurely give away any secrets to the wonders that wait inside. Heaving open the massive door (which is truly a sight to behold), however, gives way to an intimate atmosphere that simultaneously buzzes with activity.

I knew as soon as I sat down that I was in for something special. Full of patrons, even on a Sunday night, staff weaved effortlessly through tables with an energy that can only be described as genuine belief in the food they were ferrying.

As is my tradition when trying somewhere new, I ordered what sounded like the prettiest drink they had, and it didn’t disappoint. Lost Plumway ($12) — a mix of blossom sake, lychee liqueur and plum foam — admittedly feels like it belongs on a dessert menu. Floral yet light, it was equal parts refreshingly bright and deviously sweet, a drink that makes you feel like you’re splurging even before dinner begins. I had two.

To kick off dinner, I started with an upscale classic: shishito peppers ($10). Perfectly charred and served in a yuzu miso, the peppers provided exactly the roasted chili profile I was expecting. The problem? This simple yet accept-

able dish quickly became overshad owed by the masterpiece that followed.

Brought out by yet another member of the charismatic staff, the runner gave our table a crash course in the best way to eat the chicken karaage ($14) he’d placed in front of us. Squeeze the lemon across the plate, wrap a bundle of field greens around a piece of chicken, dip it in the sauce and don’t forget a little umami salt. Simple enough, right? What could really be so special about a glorified chicken finger? (I’d like to take this time to apologize for the blasphemy I’ve just spewed against this chicken.)

One bite of this juicy slice of heaven brought tears to my eyes, and I wish I was joking. As I savored one of the most succulent pieces of meat I’ve ever had the joy of eating, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense that the person who made this chicken genuinely loves their craft. Crispy, yet light, the chicken melded flawlessly with the lemon’s acid and the umami depth of its accompaniments. I’m sure the field greens were doing something, but I was so caught up in this chicken’s ability to make me believe life is worth living that I barely registered their presence.

Perfect potatoes

However, in the spirit of giving other proteins a chance, I bid adieu to the empty plate and welcomed our next dish, the albacore crispy onion ($20). Something you should know about me is that I’m a ride-or-die fan of a good onion, so this cold app had a decent chance at success before it even got to the table. Soaked in a delightful onion ponzu, the albacore’s buttery flavor was tasty but easily overpowered and outperformed by the crispy onions. If I’m honest, the fine people at AKAI could have brought out a plate of just the crispy onions, sans albacore, and I would have been just as happy.

Since AKAI is a sushi restaurant, it would have been short-sighted to walk away without sampling some of that fare. With a two-piece minimum for nigiri, it was easy to get swept up in the whimsy of ordering a bit of this and that, especially when choices for truly fresh fish in this landlocked state are few and far between. As a shellfish avoider (heartbreakingly allergic), Hamachi ($8/$16) is my go-to nigiri choice, so that made its way to my table alongside Otoro ($16/$32), or bluefin, and a nonfish selection of foie gras ($13).

When I inevitably make my way back to AKAI, I’ll likely order a mini buffet of the sushi alone. A tried-and-true staple, the Hamachi offered the familiar lightness I’ve come to love. The Otoro was perfect with every bite. In fact, in the moment, I wished I had five more pieces. As for the foie gras, you either love it or you hate it. Personally, I’m a big fan of the sultry richness, and this preparation met the brief of decadence to a T. The nigiri acted as a nice bridge between the table’s starters and what was soon to be the star of the show. (Trust me, I didn’t think anything could outshine the chicken either.)

As the American wagyu short rib ($36) arrived, I couldn’t help but admire how beautiful it looked. There’s something about a delicate piece of braised meat nestled in a bed of potato puree that brings a sense of rightness to my

bones. Our table was momentarily knifeless, but that didn’t seem to matter. In the time our server retrieved one and came back, we’d already cut through the short rib with nothing but a spoon, experiencing the truly mouthwatering meltiness of its flavor-packed layers. Not to be forgotten, the mashed potatoes, infused with an abundance of butter, were exactly what you envision the perfect potato side dish to be: creamy, cozy and packed with dairy. I once again found myself feeling lucky to be alive, lucky to be experiencing some soul’s heartfelt creation. It might seem dramatic, but you could truly taste the passion in every bite.

I rounded out the night with a simple, yet elegant dessert. A Japanese-style cheesecake ($10) dipped in chocolate sat next to strawberry coulee and some fresh strawberry slices. At first, the interior was so subtly flavored that it seemed like nothing worth writing about at all. But then, on second bite, a chocolate cookie layered at the bottom of the cheesecake appeared front and center. Not too sweet, this crisp cocoa cookie balanced the airiness of the cheese. I’m not too proud to admit I’m still thinking about that cookie even now.

Whether a special occasion or just a Sunday night, I highly recommend carving out time to grab a table at AKAI. You deserve it, and frankly, so do your taste buds.

clockwise from top nigiri selection, shishito peppers, Lost Plumway | Photos Sarah Neese

American wagyu shortrib and Japanese-style cheesecake | Photos Sarah Neese

EAT & DRINK Neighborhood bar

The Ambassador Hotel has said goodbye to French cuisine but retains the house-made qualities of its menu and invites the neighborhood in with The Chalkboard Kitchen + Bar.

By Marisa Mohi

Oklahoma City is no stranger to restaurant closures lately. The past few years have proved a rocky landscape for the local restaurant scene, and food lovers across the metro have said goodbye to many of their favorite concepts. But not every closure is an ending.

Midtown regulars and French food afficionados may have noticed the closing of former Midtown staple Café Cuvée. But the closure isn’t an end to quality food served at the Ambassador hotel. It’s simply an opportunity for something new. The Chalkboard Kitchen + Bar is a beacon to hungry guests at the Ambassador Hotel and Midtown visitors and residents alike. Managed by the same Coury Hospitality company behind Café Cuvée, The Chalkboard is a concept that has been thriving in Tulsa for decades.

“The Chalkboard exists in the ground floor of the Tulsa Ambassador Hotel also,” said Chalkboard OKC general manager Jason Clark. “It has a tremendous following, a tremendous loyalty. It’s been open, I believe, since 1976.”

While fans of the Tulsa Chalkboard location will recognize several menu items, the OKC location has a distinctly Midtown flare. The atmosphere inside is unique. Upscale cozy is a phrase that could describe the way the blue booths line the outer walls of the dining area, making the central bar the focal point of the restaurant.

Chill vibes

Assistant bar and restaurant manager Brittany Hernandez loves how the new bar in the center of the restaurant has changed the atmosphere.

“The overall design and ambiance of

the bar too is really aesthetically pleasing,” she said. “I think it’s one of those ‘You eat with your eyes’ situations with our bar that makes it really attractive because it’s in the middle of such an intimate dining room.”

The bar’s offerings underscore this point. Hernandez recommends the Cucumber Club ($12) and the Strawberry Rhubarb 75 ($13) cocktails, both featured on the seasonal cocktail menu.

“We’re going to have some special beverage options during the Christmas season,” Hernandez said, hinting at all the good menu offerings yet to come.

The Chalkboard would be a great place for a girls’ night or date or for a solo diner or traveler to grab a spot at the bar and watch a game on one of the flatscreen TVs. It’s important to note that even though the menu and the décor of The Chalkboard may seem fancy, it’s never pretentious. The atmosphere is best described as chill, like a neighborhood bar where casual customers can grab a quality drink and a meal. And like a true neighborhood bar, The Chalkboard is a place where customers can feel comfortable settling in to relax and enjoy what the bar has to offer.

“We wanted to create a place that was more accessible to our elite hotel travelers, more accessible to our neighbors that live in the surrounding apartments or the, the law offices or whatever else is in the Midtown neighborhood,” Clark said.

Accessible menu

The Chalkboard menu is exciting and different. While the items listed boast the same high quality that people came to expect from Café Cuvée, there’s an accessibility to the menu that wasn’t there before.

“Cafe Cuvée had been open for five years, and it had really attracted a great following of loyal French food followers,” Clark said. “But we internally always had the joke that not many people get up in

the morning and say, ‘Gosh, I’m really craving some French food right now.’”

The Chalkboard menu still maintains the quality customers came to know and love from Café Cuvée while assuaging any fears guests may have had regarding pronouncing menu items when ordering. And while the menu may be accessible, it’s anything but basic. From s ushi to oysters to burgers, there is something for everyone in your party.

For fans of more traditional fare, The Chalkboard has two Beef Wellington options. The Chalkboard Wellington ($50) has bacon jam, mushroom duxelles, house gremolata and demiglace, whereas the Mushroom Wellington ($26) has lemon ricotta, pistachio herb mint crust and house-made tomato sauce. Both are served with creamy orzo and grilled asparagus. But if a whole Beef Wellington isn’t what you’re looking for, the dinner shareables menu features Beef Wellington Bites with creamy peppercorn sauce ($22).

And for those with a sweet tooth, the dessert menu doesn’t disappoint. The Chalkboard Bread Pudding ($10) is served with white chocolate ganache and fresh berries, while the Sticky Toffee Pudding ($10) comes with vanilla and butterscotch sauce. And for the chocolate lovers, there’s a Chocolate Caramel Cake ($10) served with walnuts and vanilla ice cream.

Chef Gayland Toriello takes pride in the hard work that goes into the menu at The Chalkboard.

“What’s really good about the food is it’s all house made. So we make everything from scratch,” Toriello said. “We don’t buy any products like a lot of hotels do that are pre-made, and that’s one of the reasons why it’s such a great place to eat, because everything is real fresh.”

Even members of your party with dietary restrictions are welcome

at The Chalkboard.

“Anyone who comes in with some kind of allergy, the waitstaff immediately lets the kitchen know. So we do whatever we can to provide the person with a great experience,” Toriello said. “We accommodate anyone who comes in, and we’re as hospitable as we can be. We never turn anybody away.”

The Chalkboard is clearly a place designed with the diverse needs of the customer in mind.

“I personally think we have a little bit of everything for everybody,” Hernandez said. “No matter how old you are, no matter what kind of mood you’re in, whether you want light fare or you’re starving and really need to fill up.”

The Chalkboard Kitchen + Bar is located at 1200 N. Walker Ave. It’s open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Breakfast is served every day, and brunch is served on weekends. To see the menu or make an online reservation, visit thechalkboardkitchen.com.

left Chalkboard Wellington; right Mushroom Wellington | Photos provided

top bread pudding; bottom Sticky Toffee Pudding | Photos provided

Beef Wellington Bites | Photo provided

EAT & DRINK

Thanks to-go

It’s widely believed that nothing beats a holiday meal cooked by a loved one who has spent hours or even days before a holiday lovingly basting turkeys and sprinkling fried onions over green bean casserole. But we know that the best holiday meal is one that your father, auntie or cousin didn’t have to cook themselves (or at least just had to throw in the oven) — and you can pick it up at one of these local restaurants.

By Brittany Pickering with

provided and Gazette / file photos

Bill Kamp’s Meat Market

7310 N. Western Ave. billkampsmeatmarket.com 405-843-2455

There are too many options to list here— from whole smoked meats to house made fruit cobbler — but Kamp’s has everything you need to impress your guests and leave them too stuffed to cause any holiday chaos. And the best thing is everything is ordered à la carte through Kamp’s website. (That means you’re the architect of your perfect holiday meal!)

La Baguette Bistro 7408 N. May Ave. labaguettebistro.com 405-840-3047

La Baguette Bistro’s $198 Thanksgiving meal feeds 8-12 people and includes giblet gravy, cranberry orange sauce, cornbread sage dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans almandine, eight dinner rolls and one raw seasoned turkey. Delectable pies on offer are pumpkin, chocolate pecan bourbon, pecan, chocolate cream, lemon cream, coconut cream, cherry and apple, or you may also choose either a large or small fresh fruit tarte.

Rococo loverococo.com

4308 N. Western Ave. 405-400-7495

Whether you’re feeding your family and friends ($250) or are eating alone in peaceful solitude ($50), Rococo Catering has you covered! Rococo’s meal includes turkey, glazed ham, giblet gravy, mushroom/leek cornbread, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, glazed carrots, dinner rolls and your choice of pie.

India in OKC

Millie’s Table

1333 N. Santa Fe Ave. #102, Edmond milliestable.com 405-330-9156

India, the vast and culturally-diverse South Asia country where religious traditions vary widely and nearly 20,000 dialects are spoken across its 29 states, will be showcased at a rescheduled festival later this month.

The India Association of Oklahoma

You can order all or just part of your Thanksgiving dinner from Millie’s Table. Millie’s full meal package includes turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cornbread stuffing, sweet potato casserole, gravy, cranberry compote, rolls and pie. It also offers a separate menu of sides. And we won’t judge you no matter how much of it you try to pass off as your own culinary work.

Earl’s Rib Palace

6816 N. Western Ave. Multiple locations earlsribpalace.com 405-843-9922

(IAOK) will host the India Food and Arts Festival at the Myriad Gardens from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 24. Admission to the family-friendly immersive cultural event is free.

Every region of the country will be represented at the festival, IAOK spokesperson Angela Oommen said.

The festival will feature a wide variety of experiences including food, jewelry, dance and music performances, art, a fashion show, and workshops.

If you saw Earl’s in this list and thought it would only be selling its metro-famous ribs, you would be wrong. At Earl’s, you can order a full Turnkey Turkey Feast (smoked turkey breast, green beans, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing and gravy; feeds 6-8 for $125 or 12-16 for $225) or just take home a turkey or ham for $70 each.

Festival participants will also have opportunities to dress in traditional clothing and play a variety of popular Indian games, including cricket.

The food menu for the festival includes many dishes, including dosa, chicken biryani, chole, mango lassi, and more. India’s culinary styles are incredibly flavorful and colorful and include lots of vegetarian-friendly options. Cumin, fennel, cardamom, turmeric, chili pepper, coriander, mustard, and cinnamon are some of the common spices in Indian cuisine, and many dishes contain coconut milk, ghee (clarified butter), and yogurt for richness. Some regional cuisines incorporate lamb, chicken, or fish, and Indian desserts are decadent and beautifully crafted.

The Crown OKC 7204 N. Western Ave. thecrownokc.com 773-991-3707

The festival schedule includes many dance performances by local Indian dance academies. Indian classical dance is highly athletic, and the dancers’ costumes are made of luxurious, colorful fabrics and include lots of jewelry and accessories. Mythic narratives, religious stories, and devotional messages are often woven into the choreography.

For a fully prepped to-go feast, look no farther than The Crown. Its Thanksgiving Bundle ($225) serves 6-8 and includes herb-roasted turkey, truffled potato gratinée, green bean casserole, cornbread stuffing, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce. You can also add on smoked beef tenderloin ($175) or smoked salmon ($75) or a sides package ($95).

The mission of IAOK is for people to enjoy and learn about India and “to let everyone know that we’re all one and Oklahomans,” Oommen explained. The organization, founded in 1976, is dedicated to promoting Indian culture in Oklahoma and serving in areas of need.

They have served in many ways in the OKC-metro community and in India throughout the pandemic.

At the beginning of the pandemic, when PPE was in very short supply, IAOK coordinated volunteers to handstitch 10,000 fabric masks to be distributed around the metro area. In June, IAOK and the Hindu Temple of Oklahoma hosted a COVID vaccination clinic for the community. In July, the organization held a public picnic and bake sale in the Wheeler District to raise funds to send to India through the worst of the Delta variant surge there, among other community efforts.

Further get to know your Indian neighbors and their culture by visiting www.ifafok.com or visit their Facebook page for more information.

For more information about the festival, scan the QR code with your smart phone.

The Jones Assembly 901 W. Sheridan Ave. thejonesassembly.com 405-212-2378

For $275, The Jones Assembly’s dinner serves 6-8 people and includes a 12-pound smoked turkey, green bean casserole, whipped potatoes, sage sourdough stuffing, mac and cheese, brioche rolls, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce and sweet potato pie. Add-ons include holiday ham ($75), dips and spreads with wood-fired dough and crudités ($40), a dozen deviled eggs ($22) and a dozen scratch biscuits with honey butter and strawberry jam ($22).

Dancers perform at the 2019 India Food and Arts Festival | Photo Sarun K Sunny at Sarun Photography

The India Association of Oklahoma brings culture to downtown OKC in its annual festival. By KM Bramlett

/ō’jē/ slang, noun : someone or something that is an originator and especially one that is highly respected or regarded.

The term OG is believed to have originated within hip-hop culture. It typically refers to someone who is respected for their experience, wisdom or authenticity. Today, the term has been adopted by many people outside of the hip-hop community and is often used as a general term of endearment or admiration.

ARTS & CULTURE

Oklahoma Queen

Proud Okie Kristin Chenoweth focuses on nurturing fresh talent and exciting new projects.

By Jo Light

There might not be an Oklahoma hero as universally beloved as Tony- and Emmy-Award winner Kristin Chenoweth. Born in Broken Arrow with an early flair for performance and larger-than-life stage presence, she went on to originate the gravity-defying role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked and later became bubbly, lovesick Olive Snook in cult favorite Pushing Daisies. She has since gone on to other popular roles in film, TV and stage productions — but one reason so many here in the state hold her close is her willingness, even excitement, to come back home, and often.

I caught her on the phone as she exited a yoga class, part of her extensive prep for an upcoming musical in which she plays the part of Jackie Siegel, the self-proclaimed billionaire “Queen of Versailles.” (Siegel was made famous by a documentary of the same name about a sprawling, unfinished mansion she and her husband built in Florida. But we’ll get to that.)

“I do about 8,000 steps each show,” Chenoweth told me.

Suffice it to say, she’s got quite a lot going on right now, with an upcoming

Broadway run of the production, a new Netflix holiday movie about to hit streaming — not to mention the film adaptation of Wicked that will soon premiere, with Ariana Grande taking

on Glinda’s crown this time — and a trip back to Oklahoma in the works.

That trip will include “An Evening With Kristin Chenoweth” at Oklahoma Contemporary on Dec. 10. The fundraising event will feature a cocktail reception, followed by a cabaret performance from Chenoweth.

“Everybody that knows me knows I’m a proud Okie,” Chenoweth said. “I will never be that girl that’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m from there. But that’s it.’ That’s just a huge part of my DNA, who I am.”

Broadway Bootcamp

Part of her enduring connection to

Oklahoma is rooted in the Kristin Chenoweth Arts & Education Fund, which supports her Broadway Bootcamp. The camp and the educational programs of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center are the beneficiaries of the event.

Chenoweth said she wants to bring additional attention to the importance of the arts and her camp through the Contemporary event.

“It feels like I’ve done a poor job at letting the state of Oklahoma really know

continued on page 16

Kristin Chenoweth | Photo John Russo

Chenoweth performs with Broadway Bootcamp. | Photo William Staudt

ARTS & CULTURE

continued from page 15

what success we’re having, how we’re having kids go out and be professionals and making their Broadway debuts, making their film and TV debuts,” Chenoweth said. “And this has been going on for 10 years. I’m always surprised when I meet people and they’re like, ‘Oh, you have a camp?’ I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s all I care about!’”

The two-week intensive camp draws applications from all over the world. Auditions begin every March.

Broadway professionals.

“[The camp] was created for kids like me growing up in Oklahoma that hadn’t found their tribe, so to speak, yet of musical theater and acting and dance and the arts,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a secret, and this isn’t a put-down to schools everywhere, but that’s just not a priority, especially in our state. It’s all about sports. And I love sports.”

She said sports are actually connected to the arts in that both are team endeavors.

“It takes a team to create a show. It takes a team of people to be involved in

said. “I have offers to take different kids on cruise lines and do the camp there, do the camp in New York. But the point is it’s coming home. It’s got to be at my theater because that’s how it started. And the whole idea is born and bred with me, and I’m an Oklahoma girl, and that’s where my theater is.”

Again, her desire to return to Oklahoma is tied to her sense of community and service.

“I hope that I’m mentoring these kids to understand that no matter what kind of success you have, it’s always important to give back,” she said. “It sounds so easy. Like, ‘Okay. Give back to your community.’ Really and truly, the giving back is a gift to oneself. I didn’t know that when I started this thing. I didn’t know how blessed I was going to be. I didn’t understand that these kids, I’m investing in them now.”

One performer who came out of the camp is Tatum Grace Hopkins, who went on to feature in a concert with Chenoweth Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls) and now is having her professional debut alongside her in The Queen of as Jonquil.

Hopkins auditioned like anyone else, Chenoweth said.

“I just put her in front of the people that needed to see her and said nothing. I didn’t tell them she was a camper. I didn’t tell her that I knew her,” she said. “I wanted it to be organic and real if she got the part, and she did.”

Chenoweth promises an “intimate” evening at Oklahoma Contemporary with her pianist, Broadway conductor Mary-Mitchell Campbell.

“We’re going to do a little bit of everything: some of what people want and some of what people have never heard

And because Chenoweth seems to be endlessly busy, she’ll be performing in Broken Arrow just before then.

“During COVID, I didn’t get to do my Christmas concert,” she said. “So I’m going to do that, make that concert up, which will be an amazing night as well for me, just getting to go home and perform in my hometown.”

The Queen of Versailles

Our conversation turned to The Queen of Versailles, fresh off its preview run in Boston in preparation for New York.

The musical, as mentioned, follows real-life Jackie Siegel, whose extravagant antics charmed audiences in the 2012 documentary. At the time, Jackie and her husband, David Siegel, were building their version of a French palace in Florida just as the Great Recession hit in 2008. Faced with potential financial ruin, the house was left unfinished.

Composer Stephen Schwartz of Wicked fame has been trying to reconnect with his Glinda for years, and he wrote the musical as a star vehicle for Chenoweth. The book is by Lindsey Ferrentino. F. Murray Abraham stars as David Siegel. Nina White plays Victoria Siegel.

The story of U.S. billionaires floundering in a housing crisis might not immediately sound like material ripe for a musical adaptation, and I struggled a bit to explain the backstory to my parents when they told me they had tickets to one of the Boston previews. But the show (and Chenoweth’s performance) have already been getting rave reviews. Plus, my mom loved it.

“What?!” Chenoweth said with a laugh. “She did? Oh my gosh! Tell her thank you for coming!”

She also wanted me to explain to my mom that these “out-of-town tryouts” exist to iron out any wrinkles in the show, such as scenes that don’t land or lines that can be cut. Previews are important to any production, including Wicked years before.

“That Boston run was just a huge,

The cast of The Queen of Versailles | Photo Matthew Murphy

Chenoweth credits strong Oklahoma ties to her sense of community and service through her Broadway Bootcamp initiatives..

| Photo John Russo

huge help to us to make changes,” she said. “We were running very long at first. We made the appropriate cuts. We are actually meeting again in March to go over some more changes that we want to make. We’re about 92% there. I’m going to do the very best I can to make this show the very best of what it can be.”

The show has apparently tapped into something deeply American about wealth and poverty, and the disaster that can happen to anyone when worlds come crashing down during an economic crisis.

“It’s about entitlement. It’s about loss,” Chenoweth said of the production. “What are you going to do when you get all the money, and what are you going to do when you lose it all? It’s about social media. It’s about outward appearances. It’s about inward. It touches on so many things that we deal with today, and I am very proud of it.”

Returning home

Would it surprise you to learn that Chenoweth is also producing in coop -

eration with Tulsa-based Tanninger Entertainment, whom she calls her “Oklahoma boys”?

“They have been integral to my financial aspect of producership,” she said. Further evidence, it seems, of Chenoweth’s strong ties to the state.

“I always go back home. Don’t I?” she said. “I feel like I always have my toe there. No, I have my leg there. And if I can invite producers — who are, by the way, Tony Award winners themselves with The Outsiders and have been to the barbecue, picnic and rodeo — why can’t I invite them along this journey?”

Chenoweth cautioned that fans should not expect another Wicked out of The Queen of Versailles, as the shows are entirely different in story and soundtrack.

“This is a new score by Stephen Schwartz that is probably, for me, the most demanding,” she said. “Glinda was very difficult. I sang high soprano. I belted. I sang alto. He really gave me all over the map. He’s pushing me in a new

direction. … It’s all belt. There is one moment where I do get to sing an aria, but it’s a flashback.”

Although the show doesn’t have a Broadway home as of writing, Chenoweth said it’s a project that sticks with you, and she’s excited for others to see it.

“I’m really proud of it, and I hope everyone in Oklahoma will get on board and come see us.”

Happy holidays

Chenoweth said one big element in particular attracted her to her new Netflix holiday film, Our Little Secret: Lindsay Lohan.

Our Little Secret follows Lohan as Avery, who goes home with her boyfriend for the holidays. There, she has an unexpected run-in with her ex, Logan (Ian Harding), who’s dating another family member. They agree to keep their relationship a secret for the sake of familial harmony during the holidays.

Chenoweth plays the family’s snarky matriarch, Erica. It’s not her first holiday film.

“This is, what, my seventh, eighth holiday movie?” she mused. “I don’t know what it is, if I miss Christmas or what. I got the call, and before I even read the script, I thought, ‘I’ve always wanted to work with [Lohan].’ We had met a few times and sort of always loved each other from afar, and now we love each other in our lives.”

While she didn’t like being mean to Lohan, she said it was a fun experience.

“My character is very uptight. She wants her kids all dependent on her,” she said. “She’s a typical, in some cases, very typical Southern mama. She’s fun

to play. The villain is always fun to play.” Lohan, as a teen star of the aughts, had something of a rough go of it under the constant gaze of the media at the time, and Chenoweth is happy to see her acting again.

“If I think about what I was doing at OCU when I was 18, 19 and 20, I’d be in trouble,” she said with a laugh. “I was having a grand old time, and I was learning about life. And unfortunately, she had to do that in front of cameras.”

Chenoweth said she knows the film is one families can enjoy together during the holiday season, after what has been a stressful year for many.

“We need to enjoy the time we have on this planet, and that movie is going to make us happy,” she said.

As we prepared to say goodbye, Chenoweth added that she hopes audiences turn out for the new Wicked

“Just know that it’s very special to me,” she said. “It’s another movie that we can all sit down with our families [to watch]. And even if you haven’t seen the show, it’s very, very entertaining. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are incredible.”

For more information about An Evening With Kristin Chenoweth, visit oklahomacontemporary.org.

An Evening With Kristin Chenoweth

6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 10

Chenoweth portrays Jackie Siegel in The Queen of Versailles. | Photo Matthew Murphy

The Queen of Versailles touches on topics of appearance and disaster faced during an economic crisis.

| Photo Matthew Murphy

ARTS & CULTURE

Holiday happenings

’Tis the season for holiday events in the Oklahoma City metro!

By Sarah Neese

As Halloween has come and gone, spooky silhouettes make way for lightadorned trees and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season comes to our city. Take a look at some of the festive shopping, sights and shows Oklahoma City has to offer from now through the end of the year.

Deck the hauls

If you’re looking to cross off your holiday gift list or just get a festive shopping haul for yourself, stop by one of the many local offerings making an appearance across the metro. The Holiday Pop-Up Shops (okcpopups.com) are back again each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 29 to Dec. 22. Located in Midtown at the corner of NW 10th Street and N. Hudson Avenue, each weekend features

10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays Nov. 29-Dec. 20

Midtown

399 NW 10th St. okcpopups.com Free

an array of shops offering everything from handmade goods and art to vintage and boutique apparel.

Looking for something a bit more bespoke? Visit one of Factory Obscura’s Holiday Artist Markets Nov. 30 and Dec. 14. This market features unique, handmade and one-of-a-kind work; local artists set up shop just outside Factory Obscura’s doors at 25 NW Ninth St. (factoryobscura.com).

Don’t miss your chance to make holiday gifts as an artist in your own right every Saturday in December at Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Join one of the month’s come-and-go, drop-in art activities, which are the perfect opportunity to showcase creativity. Crafts include holiday card printmaking, Shrinky Dink ornaments and gift tags, holiday frames and marbled shaving cream prints. Activities are free with museum admission (okcmoa.com/holidays).

Merry and bright

Nothing quite captures holiday magic like the scenic light displays that dot the OKC landscape. An annual tradition, Lights on Broadway showcases historic Automobile Alley’s holiday charm with a district open house and stunning light displays. Kicking off Saturday, Nov. 30, and continuing Dec. 7 and Dec. 14, Lights on Broadway (downtownindecember. com) features live music, shopping and even appearances by Santa himself.

For something a little wilder, Oklahoma City Zoo is once again hosting its Safari Lights experience. Occurring 5:30-11 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1, the exhibition, located inside the zoo, offers both drive-thru and walk-thru paths complete with wildlife and holidaythemed light sculptures, interactive light displays, festive treats and more. Online

3-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 14

Factory Obscura’s Mix-Tape 25 NW Ninth St. factoryobscura.com

City Museum of Art’s Saturdays in December

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays Dec. 7-28 Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive okcmoa.com/holidays Free with museum admission and for OKCMOA members.

4-7 p.m.

Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14 Automobile Alley N. Broadway Avenue downtownindecember.com

Zoo Safari Lights

p.m. Nov. 9-Jan. 1 Oklahoma City Zoo 2000 Remington Place okczoo.org $14-$75

a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays Nov. 15-Jan. 3 Red Earth Art Center BancFirst Tower Lobby 100 N. Broadway Ave. redearth.org Free

Various times Dec. 14-15, Dec. 19-23 Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. okcballet.org 405-848-8637 $29-$128

Various times Nov. 23-Dec. 27 Lyric at the Plaza 1727 NW 16th St. lyrictheatreokc.com 405-524-9312

$25-$78 Holiday Pop-Up Shops Holiday Event Guide Holiday Artist Markets at Factory Obscura

Red Earth TreeFest

The Nutcracker

Lyric Theatre’s A Christmas Carol

Bricktown Tree Lighting

| Photo provided Downtown OKC Partnership

Children line up to receive ballon animals at Lights on Broadway. | Photo provided Downtown OKC Partnership

ARTS & CULTURE

reservations (okczoo.org) and tickets are required to participate in Safari Lights, with various pricing options available for individuals and groups.

Holiday lights aren’t just for the outdoors either. The 10th Annual Red Earth TreeFest (redearth.org), located in the BancFirst Tower Lobby at 100 N. Broadway Ave., features holiday trees representing Tribal Nations from across Oklahoma. This event is free and open to the public through Jan. 3. Participating tribes each decorate a tree to represent their diverse cultures with handmade orna-

Dial up the cheer with a few local productions of some holiday classics.

Beginning Dec. 14, Oklahoma City Ballet will kick off its season of The Nutcracker at Civic Center Music Hall (okcballet.org). Reimagined for this year, the production features all-new choreography, sets, props, costumes and even a few new characters. With shows Dec. 14-15 and Dec. 19-20, plus a sensory-friendly show Dec. 18, there are plenty of opportunities to catch this holiday spectacle.

More of a Scrooge? Lyric Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol (lyrictheatreokc.com) runs Nov. 23-Dec. 27 at Plaza Theatre, 1727 NW 16th St. Performing the tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, a full cast brings Charles Dickens’ historic holiday masterpiece to life for the whole family.

Lyric Theatre’s A Christmas Carol | Photo provided

Oklahoma City Ballet debut’s all-new costumes in The Nutcracker. | Photo provided

ARTS & CULTURE

Placemaking OKC

The new OAK development at N. Pennsylvania Avenue and Northwest Expressway has planted its feet in the local community while still keeping an eye on future growth.

By Greg Horton

The Cloud Puncher statue that joins Heartwood Park to Lively Hotel by means of a massive metal rope lassoing a cloud is designed to be a metaphor of Oklahoma’s relationship to the weather, something made clear in OAK’s messaging. While the statue is immediately one of the most interesting and dramatic pieces of public art in Oklahoma City, it also functions as a metaphor in a couple other ways: It’s a symbol of trying to wrangle success in food and beverage at a time when everything is hard for restaurants and hotels and of trying to capture opportunities at this point in OKC’s growth.

It’s impossible to view the statue, created by Dallas sculptors Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin, and not see the symbolism — intentional or not — of trying to keep Lively Hotel and Cloud Puncher restaurant tied to the ground. The cloud in the installation is located on the terrace of Cloud Puncher on the second floor, the same floor where the hotel’s jump lobby is located.

(A jump lobby is a lobby with check-in service not located on the main entrance floor.)

If the second floor with its ballroom, restaurant, pool, terrace and front desk is the heart of this Hilton Tapestry concept, the hotel itself is the front door, so to speak, of OAK — at least for now.

Twenty-acre OAK at N. Pennsylvania Avenue and Northwest Expressway is the brainchild of master developer Ryan McNeill, founder and owner of Veritas Development. OAK includes Lively Hotel (132 rooms with 12 suites) and Residences at OAK (320 units for rent), and McNeill said the Phase I portion of development includes roughly 40 separate tracts. Included in those tracts are Arhaus, The Capital Grille, Tommy Bahama, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn, as well as Lively Hotel with the Cloud Puncher restaurant.

“We haven’t really published a number, but Phase I represents more than $200 million in capital improvements,” McNeill said. “There will be 135,000 square feet of retail, including some local brands like [The] Oil Tree. I’ve personally engaged with potential local tenants for three years because local is important to me.”

Planned community

The primary draws for OAK are not likely to be local, though, given that much of the initial marketing was centered on premium national and international brands like The Capital Grille, Arhaus and RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) Studio currently under construction and due summer 2025. Still, McNeill is committed to a process that includes placemaking, a term that has transcended buzzword status to become a real process of improving public spaces, similar to what OKC has seen with the

Wheeler District and the Innovation District.

As McNeill said on a recent episode of the Where We Buy podcast, “[People] are after community and communion and relationships. And you have to be able to establish then what the people really want to come and enjoy, which is the placemaking element.”

It’s too cynical to call placemaking developments “artificial” or “manufactured,” even as both are partially true. However, a planned community done well becomes a real community, a place where people live, gather, play, eat, work and thrive. OAK hopes to be exactly that, especially after the Residences open in early 2025.

“We have an amazing dynamic already,” Matt Cowden, general manager of Lively Hotel, said. “That dynamic exists because of OAK and the Hilton Tapestry brand. We expect to cater to our Hilton Honors guests, but we also expect our OAK partners to attract guests who are here to shop, eat and eventually live. We complement each other very well, and we, like other brands in OAK, offer an elevated experience both as a hotel and in our ability to create the atmosphere of a standalone restaurant.”

will change and grow as we learn what Oklahoma City likes to drink.”

Schwartztrauber also remarked on the placemaking, opting to describe OAK as “a modern example of a lifestyle center.”

“It’s a good addition to Oklahoma City’s growing renaissance of dining and entertainment,” he said.

Future plans

Phase I isn’t complete yet, with Tex Mex concept Mesero set to open in November and RH as late as next summer, so McNeill is reluctant to speculate on Phase II or a potential Phase III.

“We are planning office space for Phase II,” he said. “The project is really defined by Phase I, though. Any other phases will play to the same melody as

Cowden knows what’s required to create the ambience of a standalone restaurant inside a hotel, as he was GM at both 21C and Ellison hotels. To become a neighborhood restaurant requires establishing an identity apart from the hotel, as Mary Eddy’s did at 21C and Milo did at The Ellison. Cloud Puncher has done its part to add local to OAK, hiring some of the metro’s best chefs: Nathan Frejo, Chris McKenna and Bryan Wilson.

While the food and beverage program at Lively is excellent, the main draw for diners is likely to be Cloud Puncher’s neighbor, The Capital Grille. Managing Partner Brian Schwartztrauber had the same title at the Scottsdale, Arizona, location for 17 years before coming to Oklahoma City. He’s excited to bring the brand to a new market.

“We hang our hat on our beef program,” he said. “We dry-age, hand-cut and sculpt our beef on premise, and we have an award-winning wine list to go with it. The selection is relatively small now compared to other locations — 220 bottles as opposed to 300-350 — but that

Phase I. The goal is make Heartwood Park the anchor of our community, including public events, and draw the larger community here to shop, dine and stay at the hotel.”

Leasing for the 75,000-square-foot Loft office space has already started, and it’s one of possibly two office spaces that will be located in OAK. McNeill said they’re still talking to potential tenants, including a couple restaurants. McNeill said OAK is comparable to other spots around the city, which can range from $30 to $60 per square foot for retail and restaurant space, and he hopes local tenants will see the possibilities in this new community. Visit oakokc.com.

Attendees enjoyed live music at the opening of OAK. | Photo Shea Hussey

Workers installing the Cloud Puncher statue. | Photo Shea Hussey

The Cloud Puncher statue can be viewed from the second-floor terrace. | Photo Shea Hussey

ARTS & CULTURE

Dystopian movies

Here are 10 feel-bad futuristic films that might just make you feel good.

By Phil Bacharach

By the time you read this, two things are likely: (1) The United States will have elected a new president (hopefully) and (2) roughly half the electorate believes the result will spell the end of America as we know it. Few elections in recent memory have invited as much rampant fear of a dystopian future — and from both sides of the political spectrum, no less.

Which got me thinking about dystopian cinema. With the election over (again, hopefully), it might be a fun and instructive diversion to consider what Hollywood has had to tell us about what might be in store if our darkest nightmares are allowed to breathe.

I have movie recommendations, but with the caveat that I chose not to include films already largely ensconced in our pop culture consciousness. That means no big dystopia franchises (The Matrix, The Hunger Games, Planet of the Apes, etc.), blockbusters (The Fifth Element, Minority Report, etc.) or anything from the holy pantheon of dystopias on celluloid (I’m looking at you,  Blade Runner and  A Clockwork Orange, among others).

Read on at your own peril…

Metropolis (1927)

Fritz Lang’s science-fiction epic is a masterpiece of the silent era and the grand-

daddy of dystopian cinema. The German moviemaker, enchanted by New York’s skyscrapers during an overseas trip in 1924, drew inspiration for what would be Metropolis. Set in the faraway year of 2000, it examines the chasm between the Haves and Have-Nots amid a fantastical city. The story’s political themes feel naïve and simplistic today, but what makes Metropolis great is the grandness of its scale and visual splendor. Lang took more than a year to make this pinnacle of German expressionism, shooting more than 2 million feet of film and employing nearly 36,000 extras. (Streaming on Amazon, Apple, Kanopy, Roku and Plex)

Death Race 2000 (1975)

B-movie king Roger Corman devised Death Race 2000 to cash in on the popularity at the time of Rollerball, but this drive-in confection turned out to be no knockoff. The year is 2000, and the nation is captivated by a cross-country auto race in which the competitors

impresario behind the Mad Max franchise. While chances are you’ve seen 2015’s rebooted  Mad Max: Fury Road, my recommendation is this second installment in the original film trilogy. Long before Mel Gibson revealed himself to be a dumpster fire with legs, he perfectly embodied Max, the stoic antihero roaming a post-apocalyptic landscape. Featuring a handful of jawdropping set pieces that gave a lotta stuntmen a lotta work, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is essentially a Western, albeit with cool-looking vehicles in place of horses and costumes that make one suspect Miller’s crew raided all the punk boutiques and sex stores there were in Sydney. (Streaming on Amazon and Apple)

score points for hitting spectators. But the kills are cartoonish, with director Paul Bartel opting for lowbrow comedy and high camp. Oh, and boobs. David Carradine and then-unknown Sylvester Stallone (whose offscreen time was spent writing a boxing movie for himself to star in) head up a goofily game cast. (Streaming on Amazon, Apple and Tubi )

A Boy and His Dog

(1975)

Set in 2024,  A Boy and His Dog lets viewers know upfront that society has been obliterated by World War IV. Don Johnson plays Vic, a young scavenger roaming the sunbaked desert with his trusty dog, Blood. It’s an unconventional relationship. They communicate telepathically. Vic provides the surprisingly erudite canine with food, and in return, Blood steers Vic toward women to rape. In other words, this is fullfledged Seventies’ exploitation, yet the script by sci-fi great Harlan Ellison, based on his own novella, is funnier and more entertaining than its premise would lead you to believe. Director L.Q. Jones manages a perversely comic tone, and his take on post-apocalyptic life sets the stage for the  Mad Max flicks. ( Streaming on Amazon, Apple, Roku, Plex and Tubi )

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

For world-building, few directors can touch George Miller, the Australian

RoboCop (1987)

Poor Detroit. While Motor City has long been caricatured as a crime-infested hellhole, at least RoboCop made it wickedly fun. Set in the futuristic year of 1991(!), it plops us into a city plagued by criminal gangs, one of which mows down squeaky-clean cop Murphy (Peter Weller). Thanks to corporate behemoth Omni Consumer Products, the left-fordead officer is transformed into a nearly indestructible crimefighting quasirobot. Boffo action sequences ensue.  RoboCop deftly skewers corporate greed via wonderfully broad comic performances from Ronny Cox and Miguel Ferrer as rival Omni executives. Some of the picture’s satirical bite has dimmed with time, but the narrative still packs a wallop. Bonus fact: RoboCop marked the film debut of Norman native and veteran character actor Darryl Cox. ( Streaming on Amazon, Apple and Max)

12 Monkeys (1995)

Director Terry Gilliam’s reimagining of the 1962 classic sci-fi short  La Jetée serves up a future devastated by

Metropolis | Image provided

a global pandemic that has killed billions and forced society underground. Bruce Willis portrays a prisoner sent back in time to 1996 to collect information about the moment that humanity went down the shitter. (Remember when civilization-ending viruses were the stuff of fiction?)  12 Monkeys is haunting, melancholic and unrelentingly clever. It also boasts strong performances by Willis and Madeleine Stowe. Best of all, however, is a mesmerizingly bonkers Brad Pitt as a mentally unstable rich kid who may or may not be responsible for the end of the world. ( Streaming on Amazon, Apple, AMC on Demand and Tubi )

Gattaca (1997)

Rarely are visions of dystopia this philosophically rich. In his feature debut, writer-director Andrew Niccol conjures up a future where eugenics have created two classes of people: one of physical perfection and the other of second-tier schlubs with poor eyesight, crooked

teeth and everything else with which we modern-day meatheads must grapple. Ethan Hawke portrays one of the latter types who undergoes a grueling transformation to pass himself off as the former. Elegantly shot and bolstered by a stellar cast — Jude Law and Uma Thurman are particular standouts — Gattaca ponders the ethical limits of genetic engineering like only the most thoughtful science fiction can. (Streaming on Amazon, Apple and Max)

Battle Royale (2000)

The Hunger Games and its many imitators have this Japanese import to thank for their distinctly brutal take on humanity’s future. In the wake of economic and societal collapse, 40 Japanese ninth-graders leave for what they think is a school field trip, are drugged and awaken on a remote island. Their teacher (Takeshi Kitano) dutifully explains to the kiddos, “Today’s lesson is you get to kill each other off … until there’s only one of you left.” The

sundry dramas of high school, which range from crushes to cliques, become literally weaponized.  Battle Royale director Kinji Fukasaku captures a remarkable tone teetering between darkly funny and emotionally gripping — occasionally simultaneously. ( Streaming on Amazon, Apple, AMC on Demand, Kanopy, Plex and Tubi )

Idiocracy (2006)

Writer-director Mike Judge’s Idiocracy lampoons the idiotic even while reveling in it. Based on the conceit that future America will be overrun with stupidity — presumably because dummies breed more than smarties — the cult comedy is often hilarious but also blind to its own issues with racism, sexism, elitism and homophobia. Example: Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph play modern-day test subjects selected by the military for their average intelligence; tellingly, average male Wilson is a passive Army clerk, while average female Rudolph is a prostitute. Cryogenically frozen, they awaken 500

years later in a nation where people use Gatorade as water, are glued to a TV show called Ow! My Balls! and are governed by a former pro wrestler and porn star. It didn’t seem all that far-fetched in 2006, and even less so 18 years later. (Streaming on Amazon, Apple and Hulu)

Dredd (2012)

Rampant crime and authoritarianism are dystopian catnip, and  Dredd feasts on our collective fears of both. It’s a mystery to me how this nonstop actioner, directed by Pete Travis and based on a British comic book, did not become a gargantuan hit. Karl Urban plays Judge Dredd, a one-man jury-judge-executioner tasked with ensuring justice in dangerously overcrowded Mega-City One. That Urban even registers much of a presence, and he does, is especially impressive when you consider that Dredd’s helmet obscures all but the actor’s mouth and jaw. (Streaming on Amazon, Apple and Tubi )

ARTS & CULTURE

Crooked Oklahoma

Russell Cobb’s new book, Ghosts of Crook County, delves into one of the state’s many deep, dark secrets.

By Daniel Bokemper

Stolen land. Seized oil. An inexplicable death. And a boy who may have never existed. These are just a few of the mysteries at the heart of Russell Cobb’s newest nonfiction book, Ghosts of Crook County No stranger to the state’s past and a fourth-generation Oklahoman himself, Cobb also wrote The Great Oklahoma Swindle: Race, Religion, and Lies in America’s Weirdest State. But while his previous text took a broader look at the forces that made — and corrupted — the state, Crook County hones in on a specific mystery that nonetheless speaks to Oklahoma’s often problematic past.

To celebrate Crook County’s release, Cobb spoke with Adrienne Lalli Hills, the Director of Learning and Community Engagement for the First Americans Museum. In his conversation at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library and a separate interview with Oklahoma

Gazette, Cobb shed light on what draws him to Oklahoma and the crimes and tragedies that scar the state.

Weirder than fiction

Cobb is the grandson of an oil man, also named Russell Cobb, who lost his fortune before the author was born to see it. And while Cobb still heard plenty of stories, it wasn’t until he returned home as an adult to care for his mother that he discovered how little he actually knew.

“I had all these deep roots from rural McIntosh County to wealthy, oil-rich Tulsa,” Cobb said. “I thought I should’ve known this place.”

But coming to terms with what he thought he knew didn’t dissuade him. In fact, it drove him to dig deeper and illuminate the connections that seemed lost to time.

“Most assume Oklahoma is flyover state for test marketing,” Cobb said. “Yet it’s actually one of the most fascinating and contradictory places you could ever visit. For a writer who’s interesting in story and history, it’s a great gift.”

After he left the state, Cobb attended the University of Texas for Latin American studies. Cobb was interested in how revolutions formed and how nations grapple with social upheaval. However, his return to Oklahoma revealed that the “flyover state” has its own legacy of exploitation and nearsighted coverups.

“I realized there’s a lot here that needs serious study,” Cobb said. “I began rethinking the foundational stories of Oklahoma. That’s when it changed for me.”

Bottomless greed

With Crook County, Cobb examines an

elaborate hoax worth $10 million in the early 20th century — roughly $270 million today.

Fans of David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon may be familiar with how land owned by indigenous people was often “transferred” to white entrepreneurs. Fraud, deception and a specter of death were their currency, but Charles Page, an oilman from Tulsa, didn’t just kill someone. He fabricated the death of a boy, Tommy Atkins, who likely never existed.

Cobb soon learned that this wasn’t just the machinations of a crooked man with bad intentions. For the hoax to work, Page needed assistance, including some from members of the Creek nation. Because even Page’s ruse at least required someone who might’ve existed. The closest approximation to Tommy Atkins that Cobb found was the descendant of freedman, or slaves who once belonged to one of the five big tribes.

Unlike aspects of Killers, the reality of Cobb’s book doesn’t lend itself to clear “good” and “bad” guys. Even so, for Cobb, certain moral ambiguity shouldn’t keep a story from being told.

“It has to be nuanced, truthful and acknowledge the complexities,” said Cobb. “And when I discovered the agency of powerful people in the Muscogee Nation, it got really complicated really fast. At the same time, you have to remember that people were trying to survive.”

In other words, complicity in certain schemes doesn’t replace the fact that any indigenous person with a claim to oil was likely targeted for it.

“Guardianship scandals occurred across all of the big five tribes, and not just in Tulsa,” Cobb said. “But it happened most specifically and most dramatically in the land that has oil.”

A complex tangle of players also doesn’t change that these

atrocities were amplified when the state formally took shape.

Whitewashing red dirt

“Statehood was the beginning of the end,” Cobb said. “Oklahoma was founded on one lie or fraud after another. There’s no denying it. It’s documented.”

Cobb doesn’t mean that the state is irreparably broken or tainted, but it does carry a problematic history that — until very recently — hasn’t been widely addressed.

“There have always been historians and activists calling for a more truthful history,” Cobb said. “But whitewashing can only go on for so long. You can’t just continue to lie and lie when the paper trail is there. It’s like in psychology: When you try to repress trauma, it finds a way to come out.”

For Cobb, how the implications of our past emerge depend on how ready we are to confront it. Doing it halfheartedly can result in initiatives that, while visible, make little progress toward reconciliation. Ignoring it outright can lead to something far worse.

“We have to deal with our past in an honest and forthright way,” Cobb said. “Or we wait for it to explode like with lynchings or the Tulsa Race Massacre.”

Russell Cobb’s Ghosts of Crook County is available now through Penguin Random House. The hardcover edition of the book is $32.95. Visit penguinrandomhouse.com.

Russell Cobb | Photo Buffy Goodman

Ghosts of Crook County is published by Penguin Random House. | Image provided

Image Stuart Hetherwood

Russell Cobb at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library | Image provided

CALENDAR

These are events recommended

For

BOOKS

ICE Event Center presents Authors and Artists 2 Vendors Market explore local authors and artists in a world of beauty and culture captured through creativity with live paintings and more entertainment, Sat., Nov. 16, 1-5 p.m., Ice Event Center & Grill, 1148 NE 36th St., 405-208-4240. SAT, NOV 16 Making Meaning in the American WestMixed Descent Families and the Fur Trade: How a Successful Business System Became Illegal Dr. Anne Hyde, a professor of history and editor-in-chief of the Western Historical Quarterly. She works on race, Indigenous America and the U.S. West. Her most recent book is Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West. Her earlier work includes Empires, Nations, and Families: A New History of the North American West, 1800-1860 that won Columbia University’s Bancroft Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Community members will have the opportunity to purchase a signed book and ask Hyde questions after the lecture, Free, Thu., Nov. 14. University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, blogs.uco.edu/clanews/making-meaning-inthe-american-west. THU, NOV 14

FILM

NOV BLOCKBUSTED VIDEO @ RODEO CIN-

EMA ON FILM ROW hosted by Billie Day with the special November Blockbusted Video screening from director Alex Cox (Sid & Nancy) with Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez are a pair of repo men who get themselves into a mess they could’ve never imaged. FREE, Thu., Nov. 21, 7 p.m. Film Row Cinema, 701 W. Sheridan Ave, 405-812-3275, vhsandchill.net/ index.html. THU, NOV 21

Social Justice Movie Night: Killing Richard Glossip featuring two of four 43 min. episodes of Killing Richard Glossip in which two condemned men in Oklahoma, Richard Glossip and Justin Sneed, share two very different accounts of the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese as questions surrounding Richard’s guilt are introduced as he waits on death row, Free, Wed., Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m. Church of the Open Arms, 3131 N. Pennsylvania Ave., 405-525-9555, openarms.org. WED, NOV 20

VHSANDCHILL OKC RETRO SWAP trade VHS, Beta, Laserdisc, Video Games, everything and anything at the Retro Tape Swap event filled with vendors, beer, and movies, FREE, Sat., Nov. 16, 1-5 p.m. White Rabbit, 219 S Klein Ave, 405-708-2388, vhsandchill.net/index.html. SAT, NOV 16

HAPPENINGS

Barbarella Costume Party A Decade of Pump Bar, wear your futuristic costume to celebrate 10 years with a heated party tent decoratied with everything glitter and glam featuring the incredible Mulan Rouge and DJ REAPER + DJ D.L and enjoy aura photography, henna and facepaining, 21+ Free, Sat., Nov. 23, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. The Pump Bar, 2425 N. Walker Ave., 405-702-8898, pumpbar.net. SAT, NOV 23

A Country Christmas Holiday Market returns to Scissortail Park with local artisans and entrepreneurs while you enjoy outdoor holiday shopping by the Love’s Travel Stops Plaza and Promenade, Sat., Dec. 7, 2-7 p.m. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark.org/events/a-countrychristmas-holiday-market. SAT, DEC 7

FREE OKC Streetcar Rides Weekends in December experience the magic of Downtown in December with complimentary fares on the OKC Streetcar every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, free, Nov. 15–Dec. 15. Downtown OKC, 211 N. Robinson Ave., 405.235.3500, downtownindecember.com/streetcar. FRI-SUN

From the Highlands Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor, Bruce Robertson, bagpipes, Jonathan Ruck, cello, perform KORB: Highland Cathedral, for Bagpipes and Orchestra, ELGAR: Concerto for Violoncello in E Minor, op. 85, MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, “Scottish”, tickets start at $24, Sat., Nov. 16, 8-9:30 p.m. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 405-842-5387, okcphil.org/ concerts/highlands. SAT, NOV 16

Girls Day Out shopping day at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in the Centennial Building showcasing great vendors with everything including holiday, handmade jewelry, decor, gifts, childrens and boutiques, mimosa and wine bar, FREE, Sat., Nov. 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oklahoma State Fairgrounds: Centennial Building, 609 Kiamichi Place, 405-948-6700, facebook.com/events/326906813393947. SAT, NOV 16

Holiday Lights Around the Park enjoy display strands of brilliant holiday lights, a lighted Christmas tree and other decorations along the Upper Park & Union Station and celebrate the season at Scissortail Park with

holiday festivities such as the Country Christmas Holiday Market, Santa at Santa’s Village, Santa Sleigh-In-Movie, the Menorah Lighting at the Community Chanukah Festival and more, Nov. 28-Jan. 1. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark.org/events/ holiday-lights-around-the-park. THU-WED

Homeschool Day bring your homeschool group for a special day of meaningful programming and experience a story that is just as relevant and inspiring as it was 30 years ago with lessons that inspire us to live more meaningful lives with events such as an interactive STEM lab, a behind-the-scenes tour of the archives with our archivists and curators, a self-guided tour of the museum enhanced with an augmented reality experience, and the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial interpreted by the National Park Service, FREE, Mon., Nov. 18, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, 620 N. Harvey Ave., 405-235-3313, memorialmuseum.com. MON, NOV 18

Knit Night an evening of fellow knitters working on their projects while enjoying the store’s atmosphere, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com.

TUE, DEC 10

Making Meaning in the American WestChasing the Gloom Away: Cimarron County Oklahoma Women Versus the Dust Bowl lecture with Dr. Shelly Lemons and Dr. Steve Kite who interviewed more than 100 women who lived through the Dust Bowl during the period of 19321940 presented in the project that became Dust, Drought and Dreams Gone Dry: Oklahoma Women and the Dust Bowl Oral History Project from the Oklahoma State University Library. with the option to ask questions following the lecture, Free, Mon., Nov. 25, 2-3:15 p.m. University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, blogs.uco.edu/ clanews/making-meaning-in-the-american-west. MON, NOV 25

Merry Midtown Santa Paws bring your pups to Midtown for free photos of Santa with your furry friends with professional photos as well as opportunities for DIY photos perfect for your holiday cards and greetings, FREE, Sun., Dec. 1, 1-3 p.m. Midtown OKC, NW Eighth St., 405.235.3500, downtownindecember.com/ merry-midtown. SUN, DEC 1

November Night Market at Scissortail Park support local vendors while celebrating Native American Heritage at Scissortail Park, raising awareness about the vibrant cultures and traditions of Native communities, and in honor of this remarkable occasion, we will feature incredible Native American performers on stage, Fri., Nov. 15, 5:30-10 p.m. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark.org/events/november-night-marketat-scissortail-park/?occurrence=2024-11-08. FRI, NOV 15

Sleigh Bells Market turns eight in the OKC Farmers Market District in 2024 and will be on both floors with stair and elevator access), FREE, Sun., Dec. 8, 12-5 p.m. OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 South Klein Avenue, 405.232.6506, facebook.com/events/727438669000021. SUN

Tree Lighting Ceremony features live music, food trucks, horse-drawn carriage rides, and Rumble the Bison from the OKC Thunder. After dark, the switch will be thrown to light up the trees throughout the Conservatory area. Holiday attire and costumes encouraged, FREE, Sun., Dec. 1, 5-7:30 p.m. Will Rogers Gardens, 3400 NW 36th St, 4053123874, friendsofwillrogersgardens.org. SUN

A Very Merry Pops with Ashley Brown & Tony DeSare experience the magic of the holiday season as Ashley Brown and Tony DeSare unite to ignite your festive spirit! Don’t miss this enchanting celebration of the most wonderful time of the year. Tickets start at $24, Fri., Dec. 6, 8 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 7, 2 & 8 p.m. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 405-842-5387, okcphil.org/concerts/very-merry-pops. FRI-SAT, DEC 6-7

FOOD

1/2 Price Pizza Sundays choose between any basic topping pizza up to a large supreme at Othello’s. Available for dine in or carry out, Sundays, 4-10 p.m. through Dec. 29. Othello’s Italian Restaurant, 434 Buchanan Ave., Edmond, 405-701-4900, othellos. us. SUN

Veggie Dinner at Picasso Cafe join Picasson Cafe on the third Tuesday of each month for a four-course menu; featuring a fresh and creative take on vegetarian-inspired fare with the option to have a wine pairing. Reservations required. 6:30 p.m., Third Tuesday. Picasso Cafe, 3009 Paseo St., 405-605-2002, picassosonpaseo. com. TUE, NOV 19

Making You Happy for Happy Hour log off work to enjoy these awesome specials to unwind, relax and behappy, Thursdays-Sundays, 4-6 p.m. Twenty6 Lounge, 9622 N. May Ave., 405-687-8739, twenty6lounge.net. THU-SUN

Sunday Jazz Brunch experience a lavish Brunch at Tellers featuring brunch classics like Eggs

Last One Walking book signing Author and former journalist Greg Shaw’s book Last One Walking: The Life of Cherokee Community Leader Charlie Soap chronicles Soap’s work as a champion of water rights and his partnership with his famous wife, Wilma Mankiller, the first woman principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, and their work to bolster the well-being of the Cherokee community. The book features a foreword by Mankiller and an afterword by Charlie Soap himself. Greg Shaw and Charlie Soap are discussing the book and signing copies 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 18 at Full Circle Books, 1900 Northwest Expressway. Admission is free. Call 405-842-2900 or visit fullcirclebooks. com. MONDAY, NOV 18 Photo University of Oklahoma Press / provided

Benedict, Lemon Buttermilk Pancakes and Italian favorites from our wood-fired grill and enjoy live jazz music in the Great Hall while sipping on a curated menu of sparkling and signature brunch cocktails, Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tellers, 120 N. Robinson Ave., 4059006789, tellersokc.com/event/jazz-brunch. SUN

Wine Wednesday’s! Half-Priced Pizza and Wine at Osteria indulge in the perfect midweek treat at Osteria and savor the harmony of flavors as we offer half-priced pizza and select wines throughout the day. Whether a wine enthusiast or a pizza lover, this is your chance to unwind and relish the finest of both worlds, Wednesdays. Osteria, 6430 Avondale Drive, 405-254-5058, osteriaokc. com. WED

YOUTH

Crafts and Tales a story followed by an activity ranging from learning about a real specimen from the collections to crafting a thematic piece of artwork, 11 a.m.-noon Wednesdays. Sam Noble Museum, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu. WED

Storytime with Miss Julie enjoy snacks, crafts and story time, 10:15-11:30 a.m., Saturdays, ongoing. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT Weekday Story & Craft Time for Littles listen to a story or two followed by a hands-on arts and crafts activity, 10 a.m. every second and fourth Thursdays. Full Circle

Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-8422900, fullcirclebooks.com. THU, NOV 2, DEC 5

PERFORMING ARTS

Art Moves a free arts event that features a wide range of artistic mediums from live art demonstrations to musical and theatre performances to short films and more, weekdays in various downtown OKC locations, noon-1p.m. weekdays. Downtown OKC, 211 N. Robinson Ave., 405-235-3500, artscouncilokc. com/art-moves. TUE-MON

Dope Poetry Night every Wednesday night, hosted by PraVurb, J. Wiggins, and DJ D. Chappell. Show starts at 7:30 pm; sign-ups begin at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. for the first 20 poets. Experience a place where you can be unapologetically you, a place where your voice and presence matter, a place where you’re accepted and loved, where smiles, laughter, thoughts, and feelings are shared, and it’s all free, FREE, Wednesdays 7:30-10:30 p.m. through Dec. 18. Ice Event Center & Grill, 1148 NE 36th St., 405-208-4240, instagram.com/dopepoetrynight. WED

Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! Oklahoma Children’s Theatre Presents: Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!, enjoy a lively, heartwarming show as Junie B., a spirited first-grader, prepares for her school’s Holiday Sing-Along and Secret Santa exchange, but things go awry when she draws her nemesis May’s name, leading Junie B. to hatch a mischievous plan. Will the season’s spirit inspire her to change? Dec. 1, 7-8, and 14 at 2 p.m. $12 general admission.

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members.

full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

An Evening with KRISTIN CHENOWETH

CALENDAR

Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, NW 25th St. and Blackwelder Ave., 405-208-6200, oklahomachildrenstheatre.org. SUN-SAT, DEC 1, DEC 7-8, DEC 14

Oklahoma Community Orchestra Presents “From Russia with Love” Oklahoma Community Orchestra, Thomas Taylor Dickey, Guest Conductor, Subscription Concert #2, “From Russia with Love”, Rimsky-Korsakov, Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, Tchaikovsky, Suite of Dances from Swan Lake $15-18, Tue., Nov. 19, 7:30-9 p.m. Garvey Center at Oklahoma Christian University, 2501 E. Memorial Rd., 4054251990, okorchestra.org/schedule. TUE, NOV 19

Oklahoma Youth Arts Foundation presents Edmond’s Nutcracker a magical performance of The Nutcracker, a timeless holiday tradition filled with enchanting music, dazzling costumes, and captivating choreography, this spectacular ballet promises to be an unforgettable experience for the whole family, $13–$61, Sat., Dec. 7, 2-3:30 and 7-8:30 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 8, 2-3:30 p.m. Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center, 6000 S. Prosper Blvd., 405-7577097, edmondsnutcracker.com. SAT-SUN, DEC 7-8

Red Dirt BIPOC Group created by Alannah Benae, Director of Outreach, join a writer’s group by and for Black people, Indigenous people and other people of color. To put it simply, if you don’t know the struggle of being non-white in a society where white is assumed to be the default, this isn’t the group for you. But Red Dirt has many other groups you are welcome to join, FREE, third Saturday of every month, 1-3 p.m. Spiked. A Coffee Concept, 1732 NE 23rd St, Suite A, 405-724-9773, facebook.com/RedDirtPoetry. SAT, NOV 6

Roughtail Comedy Night brings a great homegrown comedy show alongside some great homegrown brews. Join us for a laugh and a drink, $15, third Saturday of every month, 8-10 p.m. Roughtail Brewing Company, 320 W. Memorial Rd., 914-4322662, linktree.com/1andrewrose. SAT, NOV 6

Sing We Now of Christmas celebrate the season with Canterbury Voices, as we present a festive evening of holiday music, including the “Oratorio de Noël” by Camille Saint-Saëns, Gustav Holst’s “Christmas Day” and new works by Kyle Peterson, Dan Forrest, Shawn Kirchner, and Michael John Trotta., featuring the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the Canterbury Youth Voices Chorale, tickets start at $19, Sun., Dec. 8, 7-9 p.m. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 405-232-7464, canterburyokc.com. SUN, DEC 8

Water by the Spoonful the 2012 Pulitzer Prizewinning drama follows a group of recovering addicts using dark humor to forge a bond of love and support in chat rooms spread across cyberspace. Written by Quiara Alegría Hudes and directed by Isaiah J. Williams, $25; $20 military/seniors/educators; $15 students, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8-10 p.m. Jewel Box Theatre, 321 NW 36th St., 405-521-1786, jewelboxokc. com. THU-SAT

ACTIVE

Devon Ice Rink Season 2024-25 returns for its 13th season for another great winter of outdoor ice skating across 5,500 square feet of real ice. Indulge in seasonal food and beverage offerings while experiencing the magical, park-like atmosphere surrounded by glittering lights. Monday – Thursday, 3 p.m.–9 p.m., Friday, 3 p.m.–11 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. $14 includes ice skate rental, Mondays-Sundays through Feb. 2. Devon Ice Rink, 100 N. Robinson Ave., 405-235-3500, downtownindecember.com/ devon-ice-rink. FRI-SUN

Free HIIT Class a complimentary interval training workout centered on high-intensity intervals. Consists of multiple rounds alternating between several minutes of vigorous movements to notably elevate heart rate, followed by brief intervals of lower-intensity exercises. Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark. org. WED

Internal Kung Fu (Tai Chi, Xing Yi, Ba Gua) Class learn taiijiquan (tai chi), xingyiquan, and baguazhang in an inclusive, judgment-free environment! Improve your balance and coordination, develop strength and flexibility, and de-stress with mindful movement, $15, Sundays-noon. Dolese Disc Golf Course, 5105 NW 50th St., 347-735-0083, meetup.com/oklahoma-city-internal-kung-fu-group/ events/bdwpctyfcfbjc. SUN

Saints Santa Run grab your costumes and running shoes, the Saints Santa Run is coming to Midtown for a family-friendly winter run of all ages and pets for a festive 5K and costume contest, a great way to stay active and spread cheer during the holiday season, all are invited to enjoy free activities like face painting and balloon art, holiday music and more at our start/ finish line celebration on the SSM $30/$40, Sat., Dec. 7, 8:45-9:45 a.m. St Anthony Hospital, 1000 N. Lee Ave., 405-235-3500, downtownindecember. com/saints-santa-run. SAT

VISUAL ARTS

21st Century Mound Builders explore and learn about the Mound Builder cultures along the walking path to the top of the FAM Mound which is 90 feet in height and serves as a cosmological clock, ongoing. First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., 405-594-2100. WED-FRI

Launch to Landing: Oklahomans and Space highlighting the contributions of Oklahomans to the U.S. air and space program, as well as the state’s early aviation trailblazers, featuring artifacts closely linked to Oklahoma aviators and the U.S. air and space program, including Oklahoma flags that have been flown in space, a NASA Mission Control console, space shuttle heat shield tiles and lunar samples, commonly referred to as “moon rocks.” Ongoing. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, 405-521-2491, okhistory.org. TUE-FRI

OKLA HOMMA the signature exhibition of the museum features works of art, interactive media and film from all 39 tribes in Oklahoma as of today depicting stories with ancestral origins, collective histories, sports and more. Ongoing. First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., 405-594-2100. ONGOING One Place, Many Nations: Acknowledging the 39 an immersive experience offering a profound exploration of the distinctive histories, cultures, contributions and resilience of Oklahoma’s 39 tribes. Engage in hands-on activities, interactive experiences and educational opportunities while rotating objects showcasing diverse cultural experiences will be on display for two years. Through May 27, 2025. First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., 405594-2100. ONGOING

PAMBE Ghana Global Market shop from items from around the world, all profits go to local nonprofit PAMBE Ghana to supprt La’Angum Learning Center in northern Ghana, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Dec. 24. PAMBE Ghana Global Market, 7908 N. Western, 405-210-5214, pambeghana.org. TUE-SAT

SOLO: A Panel of Independent Creatives a night of stories, advice, and insight from a moderated panel of local professional creatives from a variety of industries on the topic of finding creative fulfillment and success through freelancing (both full-time and on the side). Panelists include Anna Kinder—Copywriter + Polymer Clay Artist, Emily Madden—Upholstery Designer, Logan Walcher—Videographer, Thum Phan—Illustrator + Muralist, FREE for members, $25 for GA, Thu., Nov. 14, 6:30-8 p.m. Rodeo Cinema, 2221 Exchange Ave., 405-235-3456, allthosecreative.org/ events/solo-panel. THU, NOV 14

Watch Out for Flying Chairs: Professional Wrestling in Oklahoma through this photo exhibit, the evolution of professional wrestling in Oklahoma is explored, tracing its origins from traveling carnivals to its present-day form., ongoing. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, 405-521-2491, okhistory.org. TUE-FRI

WINIKO: Life of an Object, Selections from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian reflecting on the Native belief that their cultural materials hold the spirt of their makers and those who wore or used them, this exhibit features over 100 items that have been returned to the 39 tribes of Oklahoma after being taken from them in the early 1900s, Ongoing. First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., 405-594-2100. ONGOING

Young at Art: A Selection of Caldecott Book Illustrations featuring 40+ original art pieces and first edition books from Caldecott Winners and Honor Books, this event is free and open to the public anytime the Downtown Library is open, Tuesday-Saturdays will feature related programming for children birth-10. FREE, Through Dec. 21, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Metropolitan Library System, 300 Park Ave., 405-231-8650, metrolibrary.org. THROUGH DEC 21

Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon the first Wednesday of the month. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

Photo by John Russo.

MUSIC Complicated Celebrants

By Jo Light EVENT

Nickel Creek celebrates its latest album with a Nov. 25 stop at Tower Theatre.

I can still remember the exact circumstances of my first listen to Nickel Creek. A high school friend sent a few songs via MSN Messenger, and I downloaded them on the family PC that sat on a combination ping-pong/pool table in our basement. “Doubting Thomas” was one song. “When You Come Back Down” was another.

These were complicated, surprising tracks about belief and steadfast love, with lyrics that still feel like gut-punches (“Oh, me of little faith”). Into my Winamp playlist they went. (It was 2006, okay?)

Formed in 1989, the group consists of siblings Sara Watkins (fiddle) and Sean Watkins (guitar) and Chris Thile (mandolin). When its first album came out, the genre boundaries of American roots music were fairly hard and fast; bluegrass, folk, gospel and country operated in separate lanes, and it was rare for any to cross into mainstream pop success.

Then Nickel Creek came and turned everything upside down. It covered rock songs. It pulled sonic threads from classical, jazz and whatever else suited its fancy. It blurred lines between pop and folk. It garnered regular GRAMMY nominations and paved the way for later

pop/country/folk breakouts like Kacey Musgraves (with whom they’ve been performing this year; I beg you to look up its cover of SZA’s “Kill Bill”).

While it’s not the only band that crosses boundaries now, its music is still innovative. Its chord progressions feel like discoveries even to a seasoned listener, taking unexpected turns and swelling in sudden, emotional crescendos that buoy their crystal-clear harmonies.

Oklahoma Gazette spoke with Sara Watkins ahead of the band’s Tower Theatre show on Nov. 25.

Oklahoma connection

I wanted to start at the beginning and how they figured out how to play creatively. Sara Watkins credited the efforts of other artists they grew up with in California. Bands around them performed The Beatles and The Byrds alongside old cowboy songs.

“There were some other parts of the country where bluegrass instrumentation was reserved pretty much for the bluegrass sound, that wonderful identifiable sound,” she said. “But the California version of it that we grew up in was playing all kinds of stuff.”

They also happened to have a mentor many Oklahomans might recognize: Byron Berline, the three-time national fiddle champion who owned the Double

Stop Fiddle Shop in Guthrie.

“He was a huge influence on us at a formidable age,” Watkins said.

The band went on hiatus in 2007 to tackle a variety of solo projects. The members reconnected in 2014 for the album A Dotted Line

“I think that we really value the connection and the history that we have, and I think one of the things that keeps us coming back is being excited by what each of us is doing individually outside of the band,” Watkins said.

Their younger years were extremely “intertwined,” but time apart allowed them to stretch in new ways.

Familiar

friction

“When each of us goes in a new direction musically, we learn new things and we bring those things with us to our next project,” she said. “Every time we take a break and do a solo project or play in a different band, we learn new skills, our musicianship develops, and then when we come back together as Nickel Creek, we can apply those new things, those new little tools and new skills that we can bring into the writing process for Nickel Creek.”

The band’s latest album, Celebrants, is about the familiarity of knowing someone for a long time and the complications that can come with it. It was written during the pandemic.

How personal was the album for them?

“One of the things we were noting is at this stage in our life, there are a lot of relationships that have come and gone,” Watkins said. “Also, it takes a lot of work to keep relationships around.”

She said it’s not a bad thing.

“A phrase that kept coming up was the friction that is inherent in growth, and how important it is to not receive friction or resistance as sign of something that is bad, but instead to embrace it as proof of life and evidence that there’s something to be learned and strength from varying opinions and perspectives,” she said. “‘Standing on one leg, you’ll lose your balance.’ You need to have the various pillars of perspective. All of that went into a song like ‘Strangers’ and then also found its way into other songs.”

The band lived together for a period to write the album. Chris Thile wrote on Instagram of the “many trips across the country to write and make demos”

and the “constantly evolving sharednote of lyrics.” Watkins said it was a unique time for another reason.

“This was definitely the most collaborative writing process,” she said, “because I think we’re all better at collaborating as we’ve had more and more experience and we’re less precious about any given idea. We’ll fight for our opinions and state our case if we feel strongly about something, but there’s always this understanding that this song is going to be better if the three of us find something a musical or a lyrical choice that’s going to be satisfying to all of us.”

It’s another way they’ve grown and matured together.

“On Why Should the Fire Die?, we were just learning how to co-write. On A Dotted Line years later, we didn’t have a lot of time to co-write. We came together with some pretty intact song starts,” she said. “We finished it all together, but we didn’t get to really get in the weeds the way we wanted to. It just simply wasn’t the time.”

I had to ask, as a fan, would we have to wait nine years for the next album?

“We definitely don’t want it to be that long. Time just kind of gets away from you,” Watkins said, adding, “We all have enough projects going on that the timing is a very real part of it all. But we intend to come back as Nickel Creek sooner than later and not have it be quite so long between albums.”

Nickel Creek’s show at Tower Theatre will be its last of the album cycle. She promised a crowd-pleaser of a setlist.

“I think we’re going to be in a very celebratory kind of mood that night,” she said. “It’s going to be very special.”

Nickel Creek plays 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St. Tickets are $49.50-$79.50. Visit towertheatreokc.com.

Nickel Creek

7 p.m. Nov. 25

Tower Theatre 425 NW 23rd St. towertheatreokc.com

$49.50-$79.50

Nickle Creek | Photo Josh Goleman

Nickle Creek | Photo Josh Goleman

LIVE MUSIC

These are events recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

NOVEMBER 13-19

NOVEMBER 27-DECEMBER 3

Shelly Phelps and The Storm, November 28, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES

Babymetal, November 29, The Criterion. METAL

Haus Lab || Westend, November 29, Tower Theatre. INDIE

Noah Bowman, November 30, Beer City Music Hall. ROCK

OKLAHOMA CITY METRO RESOURCES

Jelly Roll, November 13, Paycom Center. HIP-HOP

Amarillo Junction, November 13, JJ’s Alley Bricktown Pub. ROCK

Trett Charles, November 13, River Spirit Casino Resort. COUNTRY

Joel Forlenza, November 14, Othello’s Italian Restaurant. INSTRUMENTAL

Clay Street Unit, November 14, Beer City Music Hall. FOLK

The Standard Blues Fest 2024, November 15, The Standard. BLUES

Kolby Cooper, November 16, Diamond Ballroom. COUNTRY

McKee Brother Jazz Band, November 16, Bourbon Street Bar. JAZZ

Flamingosis, November 16, Beer City Music Hall. DANCE

Trippie Redd, November 16, The Criterion. HIPHOP

HOMESHAKE, November 17, Beer City Music Hall. INDIE

American Aquarium w/ Blaine Bailey, November 17, The Jones Assembly. COUNTRY

Rob Leines, November 30, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK

Madison Ryann Ward, December 2, Beer City Music Hall. R&B

Drake Bell, December 3, Beer City Music Hall. POP

Los Tigres del Norte, December 1, Paycom Center. LATIN

Tribute to Jesse Ed Davis, December 1, The Standard. VARIOUS

Justin Timberlake, December 1, Paycom Center. ROCK

Bruce Benson & Studio B, December 3, 51st Street Speakeasy. BLUES

DECEMBER 4-10

Lindsey Stirling, December 1, Paycom Center. INSTRUMENTAL

Better Lovers, December 5, Beer City Music Hall. PUNK

Caleb McGee/John Elisha, December 6, The Deli. BLUES

Black Flag, December 6, Beer City Music Hall. PUNK

Beau Jennings & The Tigers As you might guess from the title alone, American Stories Major Chords, the latest album from Beau Jennings & The Tigers, drew comparisons to Bruce Springsteen for its story-driven songs populated by blue-collar characters when it was released in October. Now the album will get the Nebraska treatment when former Cheyenne frontman Jennings performs the songs solo and acoustic (with a couple of exceptions) for a live album recorded by Kyle Reid at the Santa Fe Train Depot. “I wanted a way to present the songs as they’d originally been written,” Jennings explained. “Hopefully the train goes by and makes it on the record.” The show starts 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave. in Norman. Tickets are $20. Visit normandepot.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 Photo Chase Kirby / provided

Joanne Shaw Taylor, November 17, Tower Theatre. BLUES

Washed Out, November 19, Tower Theatre. INDIE

NOVEMBER 20-26

Edgar Cruz and Friends, November 20, Broke Brewing Company. ACOUSTIC

Jazz Jam, November 20, 51st Street Speakeasy. JAZZ

Shanin Blake, November 21, Beer City Music Hall. POP

Trenton Fletcher, November 21, Tower Theatre. COUNTRY

Livingston, November 22, Tower Theatre. REGGAE

Bedlam Live Local Bands, November 23, Bedlam Bar-B-Q. VARIOUS

El Alfa, November 23, The Criterion. POP

Tanner Usrey, December 6, Tower Theatre. COUNTRY

The Nixons, December 7, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK

Le Youth, December 7, Beer City Music Hall. DANCE

Paul Wall, Frankie J, Amanda Perez, December 7, Tower Theatre. POP

Wreckno, December 12, Beer City Music Hall. DANCE

Live music submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon the first Wednesday of the month. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma 3355 S. Purdue Ave. regionalfoodbank.org regionalfoodbank.org/get-help 405-972-1111

YWCA 2460 NW 39th St. ywcaokc.org 405-948-1770

City Rescue Mission 800 W. California Ave. cityrescue.org 405-232-2709

City Care Night Shelter 6001 N. Classen Blvd. citycareokc.org 405-652-1112

NAMI Oklahoma namioklahoma.org/resources/oklahomaresources

Oklahoma City Animal Shelter 2811 SE 29th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73129 www.okc.gov/departments/animal-welfare/programs-and-services/adoptions/ pets-available-for-adoption 405-297-3100

NATIONAL RESOURCES 988Lifeline 988lifeline.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.org 1-800-799-7233

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) www.samhsa.gov 1-800-662-4357

To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) twloha.com pleasestayalive.com

Trans Lifeline 877-565-8860

Veterans Crisis Line 800-273-8255

PFLAG pflag.org/find-resources

The Trevor Project thetrevorproject.org/resources Text START to 678-678

Human Rights Campaign hrc.org

Anti-Violence Project avp.org 212-714-1141

American Civil Liberties Union aclu.org

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Homework

Can you feel less anger about a person who wronged you? It would be good for your health to do so. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

You may be on the verge of the breakthrough I prophesied a while back. Remember? I said you would be searching for the solution to a boring problem, and on the way you would discover a more interesting and useful problem. That exact scenario is about to happen. I also predict that the coming weeks will be a time when you tame an out-of-control aspect of your life and infuse more wildness into an overly tame part of you. I will speculate on one further stroke of good fortune: You will attract an influence that motivates you to be more passionately pragmatic about one of your key dreams.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

It’s time for some friendly warnings that will, if heeded, enable you to avoid problematic developments. 1. An overhaul in your self-image is looming; your persona requires tinkering. 2. Old boundaries are shifting and in some places disappearing. Be brave and draw up new boundaries. 3. Familiar allies may be in a state of flux. Help them find their new centers of gravity. 4. Potential future allies will become actual allies if you are bold in engaging them. 5. Be allergic to easy answers and simplistic solutions. Insist on the wisdom of uncertainty.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

To honor and celebrate your melancholy, I’m turning this horoscope over to Gemini author T. H. White and his superb formulation of the redemptive power of sadness. He wrote: “The best thing for being sad is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then—to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

A Massachusetts woman named Andrea Martin loves chickens so much she treats them as family. A few years ago, she took pity on one of her favorites, a young bird named Cecily, who had been born with a damaged tendon in one of her legs. Martin arranged to have the limb amputated. Then she made a prosthetic device on a 3-D printer and had it surgically grafted onto Cecily’s body. Success! The $2,500 cost was well worth it, she testified. I propose we make Andrea Martin one of your role models for the coming weeks. May she inspire you to take extra good care of and shower bonus blessings on everyone and everything you love. (PS: This will be really good for your own health.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

Once a year, the city of Seoul in South Korea stages a SpaceOut Festival. Participants compete to do absolutely nothing for 90 minutes. They are not allowed to fall asleep, talk, or check their phones. To test how well they are banishing stress, burnout, and worries, their heart rates are monitored. The winner is the person who has the slowest and most stable pulse. If there were an event like this in your part of the world sometime soon, Leo, I’d urge you to join in. I expect the winner would be a member of your astrological tribe, as you Leos now have a high potential for revitalizing relaxation. Even if you don’t compete in a Space-Out Festival, I hope you will fully cash in on this excellent chance to recharge your spiritual batteries.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

My favorite Virgos love to learn. They are eager to add to their knowledge. They have a highly honed curiosity that is always percolating, continually drawing them towards new comprehension. On the other hand, some of my favorite Virgos are inefficient at shedding long-held ideas and information that no longer serve them. As a result, their psyches may get plugged up, interfering with their absorption of fun new input. That’s why I recommend that you Virgos engage in regular purges of your mental debris. Now would be an excellent time for one of these sessions. PS: The futurist Alvin Toffler said that a key to intelligence is the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn. I invite you to act on that counsel.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

I endorse Libran tennis star Serena Williams’ approach to self-evaluation—especially for you right now. She testified, “I’m really exciting. I smile a lot, I win a lot, and I’m really sexy.” I’m convinced you have the right to talk like that in the coming weeks—so convinced that I suggest you use it as a mantra and prayer. When you wake up each morning, say what Williams said. When you’re asking life for a sweet breakthrough or big favor, remind life why it should give you what you want. Feel free to add other brags, too, like, “I’m a brilliant thinker, a persuasive negotiator, and a crafty communicator.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

You are entering a phase when you can acquire more mastery in the arts of self-care and self-sufficiency. I hope you will become more skillful in giving yourself everything that nurtures your emotional and physical health. Have you gathered all you need to know about that subject? Probably not. Most of us haven’t. But the coming weeks will be a favorable time to make this your main research project. By the way, now is also an excellent time to kick your own ass and unbreak your own heart.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

My father was a big fan of the military. As a young man, he served as a lieutenant in the army and for a time considered making that job his career. I’m the opposite of him. I keenly avoided becoming a soldier and have always been passionately anti-war. I bring this subject to your attention because I think now is an excellent time for you to get clearer than ever about how you don’t resemble your parents and don’t want to be like them. Meditate on why your life is better and can get even better by not following their paths and ways. There’s no need to do this with anger and blame. In fact, the healthiest approach is to be lucid, calm, and dispassionate.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

At age 49, James Patterson retired from his job as an advertising writer. Until then, he had produced a few novels in his spare time. But once free of his 9 to 5 gig, he began churning out books at a rapid pace. Now, at age 77, he has published over 305 million copies of 200+ novels,

including 67 that have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Would you like to make an almost equally memorable transition, Capricorn? The coming weeks and months will be an excellent time to plan it and launch it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

The Breakfast Club was an iconic 1985 film about teenagers coming of age. Critics liked it. At the box office, it earned 100 times more than it cost to make. Aquarian director John Hughes wrote the screenplay for the 97-minute movie in two days, on July 4 and 5 of 1982. I predict that many of you Aquarians will have a similar level of productivity in the coming weeks. You could create lasting improvements and useful goodies in short bursts of intense effort.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Ben & Jerry’s is a wildly successful ice cream maker that sells it products all over the world. Its founders are two Pisceans who met in seventh grade. Over 45 years since they launched their business, they have become renowned for their wide variety of innovative flavors and their political activism. When they first decided to work together, though, their plans were to start a bagel business. They only abandoned that idea when they discovered how expensive the bagel-making equipment was. I suspect that you are near a comparable pivot in your life, Pisces: a time to switch from one decent project to an even better one.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

PUZZLES

By

ACROSS

1 E xams first administered in 1926

5 V iew from St. Moritz

9 ‘ ‘I thought you were my friend!?’’

13 Load of laundry

17 J eweler’s unit

19 Complete journey . . . or what 84-Down makes in this puzzle?

21 Woodworker’s spinner

22 L ike Yeats, but not Keats

23 Aids in car buying

24 Remove from packaging

25 Complete some reps

27 In the red

28 D o-to-do delivery?

29 J oan Cusack and Robert Downey Jr. each spent one season on it, for short

30 Certain court documents

33 In which 1 + 1 equals 10

36 Former senator Kennedy

37 Completing a cycle, like 84-Down in this puzzle?

40 ‘ ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic,’’ for one

42 B orrower’s note

43 L ike many verification codes

46 Impressively tough, in slang

47 Crocheting template

50 Re-lease?

52 N ickname for a 2000s Yankee slugger

53 M ontreal hockey player, to fans

54 C heck scanner, for short

56 A .P.R.-lowering option

57 A .P., Reuters, etc.

59 H udson Bay or the Caspian

63 Hair-lightening brand

64 Sherlock Holmes, e.g.

66 A pt central entry for this puzzle

67 T he Lone Ranger, to Tonto

69 G ender-neutral possessive

71 Possesses

72 O ffice message

73 M illimeter-wide photo used for conveying secret messages

77 P ants, informally

81 Roofed porch

82 L ate-night sub, say

86 G arfield’s predecessor

88 Weary cry

90 Company whose name ends in an exclamation point

91 Steak option in northern Canada

93 Celebrity chef Hussain who won ‘‘The Great British Bake Off’’

94 However

95 Fit to serve, in a way 96 Ireland, poetically

97 N ewlyweds’ booking 104 B ehind

105 G ives a lot of attention, with ‘‘on’’

107 O ld ____, Conn.

108 Supermodel with a palindromic name

109 ___ Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state

110 ‘ ‘What have we here!’’

111 ‘ ‘They’ll grow out of that’’ . . . or a description of eight squares in this puzzle

115 Every member of the C.I.A.’s K-9 unit

116 ‘ ‘____ Affaire de Femmes’’ (1988 French classic)

117 It can be quite sappy

118 H alf of an exchange

119 ‘ ‘Let’s do it!’’

120 Texter’s ‘‘As I see it . . .’’

121 Co. that introduced Dungeons & Dragons

122 M eans of getting unstuck

123 B lack ____

124 Margaret Thatcher, e.g.

125 C hiding sound DOWN

1 H its a rough patch, perhaps

2 J udge seen on a bench

3 M ajor ordeal

4 Lip

5 Constellation in the southern sky

6 Reed or Rawls

7 Delay

8 Sledder’s outfit

9 Color named for a famed prep school

10 Oh-so-regrettable

11 W hat’s mined in a stannary

12 B ig name in shipping

13 Wi sh-list item

14 T ime ‘‘up’’

15 Act rudely in a crowd

16 D id some spelling?

18 J ersey-born rock icon, familiarly

20 Roman numeral that anagrams to part of the eye

21 ‘ ‘Charlie’s Angels’’ actress

26 C harlie’s Angels and others

28 T heir dorsal fins can reach six feet in height

31 Stopover

32 Vessel for an omelet

34 D iminuendo al ____ (‘‘fade to nothingness,’’ on a score)

35 Slot-machine lever

37 Marked

38 Property unit

39 Europe’s highest volcano

40 Nintendo antagonist in purple overalls

41 Decorate

44 First name on the Supreme Court

45 L ifesaving device, for short

46 C ry loudly

48 Skilled

49 Symptom of an allergic reaction

51 Fork part

53 M ob enforcer

55 Add milk to a customer’s coffee, in diner lingo

58 Feature of James Earl Jones’s voice

60 ‘ ‘That hits the spot!’’

Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute).

61 G un-lobby org.

62 S ome N.F.L. linemen, in brief

63 G ave a big kiss

65 B ig name in experimental music

68 C PR expert

70 Insignificant amount

72 ‘ ‘____ Robinson’’ (Simon & Garfunkel hit)

73 Cookies made with ground almond or coconut

74 Highly agitated

75 Ain’t that the tooth!

76 C rime-novelist Josephine

77 S ound from beneath a sheet

78 Skywalker portrayer

79 Guesstimate

80 Elite naval groups

81 N early succeeded . . . but there’s a catch!

83 Green-light

84 T his puzzle’s subject

85 Places for grilling

87 H orned antelope of southern Africa

89 C ry of frustration

92 ‘ ‘You follow?’’

98 Elizabeth of ‘‘WandaVision’’

99 A .F.C. East player

100 Bird that’s incapable of walking backward

101 B allpark figure

102 Cr y in a laser-tag arena

103 Spanish ‘‘I love you’’

106 J edi foe

109 N onsense word in a playground rhyme

112 P refix with glyceride

113 G entle attention-getter

114 P olite term of address

PUBLISHER

Kimberly Walker

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CONTRIBUTORS

OPERATIONS

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Patrick Hanscom phanscom@okgazette.com

SOCIAL MEDIA & LISTINGS COORDINATOR

Leslie A. Spears listings@okgazette.com

DIGITAL & BRAND CONSULTANT

Angela Clark Little

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Brittany Pickering editor@okgazette.com

REPORTERS

Phil Bacharach

Daniel Bokemper

Ben Felder

Greg Horton Jo Light

Jeremy Martin

Marisa Mohi

Sarah Neese

CREATIVE

ILLUSTRATORS

Steve Hill

Nick Hermes

Oklahoma Gazette is proud to partner with Oklahoma Comic Arts Foundation to support local artists. For more information or to apply for the directory, visit www.okcomicarts.org.

VIDEOGRAPHY / REELS

Jo Light

Jeremy Martin

Jeffrey Martinovic and Jeff Chen Puzzles edited by Joel Fagliano