Oklahoma Gazette 6-10-15 by Oklahoma Gazette

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Film festival’s 15th year includes everything from prank calls to stunt cyclists

deadCENTER Film Festival Program inside!

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CONTENTS 21

ON THE COVER

NEWS

deadCENTER Film Festival runs WednesdaySunday with nearly 100 screenings as well as workshops and paid and free events across the city. Check out our coverage and the official program. INSIDE

Culture: 15 years of film

Culture: ICON Awards

VOTE! Now in its 31st year, Oklahoma Gazette’s reader-driven Best of OKC contest is officially underway. This year, there’s even more to vote for, so grab your ballot and tell us what you love about Oklahoma City! INSIDE

LIFE

Food & Drink: The Saucee Sicilian, Dead Drunk Festival, food briefs, foodie films, OKG eat: new places

Metro: southside crime forum

Culture: Urban Roots

News briefs

Youth: library volunteers

Chicken-Fried News

Commentary

deadCENTER Film Festival Program

Best of OKC Nomination Ballot

Youth: Odyssey of the Mind

Culture: black mass film

Community: Jesus House

Letters

LIFE 16

OKG picks

MISSION STATEMENT Oklahoma Gazette’s mission is to stimulate, examine and inform the public on local quality of life issues and social needs, to recognize community accomplishments, and to provide a forum for inspiration, participation and interaction across all media.

Visual Arts: As Yet unNAMED, Best of the West, Jesús Moroles

Performing Arts: Oklahoma!

Active: The First Tee, youth soccer camps, aquatic centers

Sudoku / Crossword

Music: 89th Street Collective, David B. Hooten, reviews, listings

Film: Being Evel, deadCENTER recommendations

Astrology, Classifieds

CONGRATULATIONS JOEL SCOTT

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To claim your tickets, call us at 528-6000 or come by our offices by 6/5/15.

OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 3

Lance McDaniel

dead days deadCENTER Film Festival celebrates 15 years of bringing movie magic to Oklahoma.

By Ben Felder

Cacky Poarch, one of the original volunteers of deadCENTER Film Festival, often compares the early years of the event to an old Corvette. “It was really fun but also a little bit dangerous,” Poarch said. “You didn’t know if the wheels were going to come off or what you were getting yourself into. But now, the [festival] is smooth and pretty, like a Cadillac.” Entering its 15th year, deadCENTER has grown into one of Oklahoma City’s premier summer events, drawing nearly 30,000 attendees and a wide collection of independent films and filmmakers.

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Kim Haywood

deadCENTER Film Festival Wednesday-Sunday Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive .................................... Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16 150 E. Reno Ave. .................................... Devon Energy Auditorium 333 W. Sheridan Ave. .................................... Terrace Room Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. .................................... Great Lawn Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. .................................... deadcenterfilm.org $10-$150 Note: For festival tickets, schedule and more information, check out the official deadCENTER program guide in this issue.

...

The Corvette versus Cadillac analogy works, but the festival and its organizers were also likened to daredevils setting their sights on a seemingly impossible task only to prove the naysayers wrong. “deadCENTER has been taking huge risks throughout its history,” said Lance McDaniel, the festival’s executive director since 2010. “Trying to establish something really cool in Oklahoma City was a real challenge 15 years ago. Now, Oklahoma City is the toast of the world, but it wasn’t that way when the festival first started.” The festival seems to fit in modernday OKC with its up-and-coming vibe and intimate accessibility to world-class

talent. But when a pair of brothers launched deadCENTER in 2000 and gave the reins over to a small, yet aggressive group of local film advocates, success was not a likely outcome. “I don’t know why we never gave up,” Poarch said as she remembered screenings in front of just one or two audience members in the first few years. But in a city that had adopted a “Why not us?” mentality at the turn of the century, the deadCENTER team knew in their guts that they could build something great. “It really is amazing what has been created,” Poarch said.

Expanding vision

The 15th deadCENTER Film Festival runs Wednesday, June 10 through Sunday, but the organization also recently completed a 15-city film and education tour across the state. The festival’s distribution program also ensures that deadCENTER is not just showcasing great film but is also helping create it. “We are constantly looking for ways where we can help other filmmakers,” McDaniel said. “When I first came [to deadCENTER], I was blown away by how great they treated the filmmakers, and I think that’s what we do better than any film festival.” Any filmmaker who attends the festival is guaranteed to meet with a film distributor, and there are various workshops to help get films off the ground.

The education program, which McDaniel helped take to a new level when he became executive director, works with high school students across the state in an effort to inspire them to follow their passion for film. “It was really important for us that young filmmakers in the state of Oklahoma knew about the opportunities they had,” said Kim Haywood, deadCENTER’s director of programming and education. “If a young kid wants to be a filmmaker, we talk about the education opportunities that exist to them because we are going into these small towns where some kid in Guymon might not have any clue that he can be a filmmaker.” In addition to traveling throughout the state, deadCENTER brings in 50 to 60 of the high school students they meet across Oklahoma to attend a multi-day seminar meeting with filmmakers and award winners who have gathered for the festival. “The cool thing to me is that they get to network together,” Haywood said. “If there is a kid who cares about film and another one just two towns over, maybe they can get to know each other and work together on a project.” While the education component of deadCENTER is thriving, so is its main annual festival, which kicks off Wednesday night with a concert before the official opening night party and films on Thursday. This year’s festival includes a lineup that appeals to the thrill-seeker, including Being Evel (See page 66.), a documentary on the life of Evel Knievel that will be shown for free on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens on Saturday. Another high-energy film at this week’s festival is Rolling Papers, a documentary on The Denver Post’s pioneering marijuana coverage during Colorado’s first year of legalization. Uncle John is a suspenseful narrative feature that tells the story of Dutch’s disappearance in a small Illinois town and the role John played. The festival includes many more documentaries, shorts, narrative features and several parties and panel discussions. From humble beginnings, deadCENTER has grown into a giant party that takes over downtown, celebrating the growth of film and the growth of the city it calls home. “I remember when it would blow our minds that people would actually come to our film festival here in Oklahoma City,” Poarch said. “When I think about where it has grown to, it makes me want to cry.”

P HOTOS BY M a rk Ha n coc k

news culture

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OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 5 6/8/15 1:42 PM

Bradley Beesley

Chip Fudge

Bird Runningwater

Okie ICONs deadCENTER honors Oklahomans who stand out for their service to film. by ben felder

deadCENTER Film Festival Wednesday-Sunday deadcenterfilm.org $10-$150 Note: For festival tickets, schedule and more information, check out the official deadCENTER program guide in this issue.

deadCENTER Film Festival’s second Oklahoma Film Community ICON award winner is Chip Fudge, a man who has helped expand the event’s presence into urban Oklahoma City and the growing Film Row district. Fudge, who is the founder and chairman of Claims Management Resources and a prominent developer, restored several historic properties throughout OKC, including some in Film Row, the neighborhood the festival moved its offices to last year. Through the festival’s early years, Fudge played a key role in providing screening venues to deadCENTER and encouraged event growth. “I got involved about 11 or 12 years ago, and I was so impressed with the dedication from the [festival staff] that I decided to help a little bit,” Fudge said. “Eventually, it just seemed appropriate to us that deadCENTER ought to be on Film Row.” Fudge will be honored prior to the festival’s opening night film, Best of Enemies, 6 p.m. Thursday at Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive. “It’s important to me for Oklahoma

6 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

City to foster our creative community ... and deadCENTER is an example of that,” Fudge said. “It’s just critically important, in my opinion, so we can build a community that our kids want to live in and one that pulls our kids back.”

They’re honored

Four other Oklahoma Film ICON award honorees will be recognized during deadCENTER: Bradley Beesley, Bob Berney, Tim Blake Nelson and Bird Runningwater. “From actor James Marsden and producer Hunt Lowry to Oscar-winning makeup artist Matthew Mungle, the ICON award has offered overdue recognition to familiar names and introduced huge industry successes that have flown under the radar,” said Lance McDaniel, festival executive director. According to McDaniel, 2015 Oklahoma Film ICON award honorees also will attend the festival, speak on panels, attend parties and host Q&As after their film screenings. Beesley, a Moore native, is a prominent documentary filmmaker. His works Hill Stomp Hollar, Okie Noodling, Summercamp!, The Creek Runs Red, Okie Noodling II and Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo have played at Sundance and South by Southwest and on HBO and PBS. Beesley also is known for having a close working relationship with Oklahoma-based band The Flaming Lips. His film The Fearless Freaks, a documentary spanning 15 years of the

band’s career. He also co-directed sci-fi frolic Christmas on Mars with the band’s lead singer, Wayne Coyne. Two other films by Beesley, Calls to Okies and The Verdigris (See page 67.), will have Oklahoma premieres at this year’s event. Beesley joins Melissa Scaramucci, a film producer and former executive director for deadCENTER Film Festival, and Austin-based filmmaker Ben Steinbauer for an Okie Film ICON Panel discussion 3:30-4:15 p.m. Friday at the museum.

Eventually, it just seemed appropriate to us that deadCENTER ought to be on Film Row. — Chip Fudge

Bob Berney is the CEO of Picturehouse and has a 20-year career in film acquisition, marketing and distribution. While president at Newmarket Films, Berney partnered with Mel Gibson to release The Passion of the Christ, which became the highest

grossing independent film of all time. Berney’s latest film, Gloria, screens 7:15 p.m. Friday at Devon Energy Auditorium, 333 W. Sheridan Ave. He joins Entertainment Attorney Jay Shanker and film curator Michael J. Anderson for an Okie Film ICON panel discussion 1:30 p.m. Friday at the museum. Tim Blake Nelson is a director, writer, singer and actor from Tulsa who has appeared in more than 65 movies and television shows, including O Brother, Where Art Thou?; The Incredible Hulk; and Lincoln. A graduate of Oklahoma Arts Institute, he hosts a screening of his latest film, Anesthesia, 8 p.m. Saturday at the museum. Runningwater is the associate director of Native American and Indigenous Programs for the Sundance Institute and previously served as executive director of Fund of the Four Directions, the private philanthropy of a Rockefeller family member. Runningwater graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1994 and is a recipient of Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation’s fellowship in public policy and international affairs. He also is an alumnus of Americans for Indian Opportunity’s Ambassadors Program and Kellogg fellows program. Runningwater will lead a discussion about Sundance programming and indigenous film 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the museum.

P HOTOS P R OVI D ED

NEWS CULTURE

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Oklahoma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 7 5/26/15 10:50 AM

ma r k h a n coc k

NEWS metro

We’re starting to see the wider benefits of economic, social, security and safety through talks like this. — Ryan Baker

Planned prevention Police work with residents to teach them how communities can reduce crime through better design.

by ben felder

About half of nine entrances into a northwest Oklahoma City apartment complex in a high-crime neighborhood were closed recently after police officers met with its manager. “By the time we get on scene, the offenders are gone,” said officer Robert Skalla, explaining how easy a getaway can be for any burglar who has several escape routes out of an apartment or home they target. Skalla, along with other members of Oklahoma City police’s Hefner Division, met with south OKC residents last week to facilitate community crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), or the concept that criminal activity can be reduced through simple changes in planning, design and management of public spaces. “It is big on the East Coast, it’s big on the West Coast and it’s gaining momentum here in Oklahoma,” he said. “It’s basically the idea that the perception of the environment dictates criminal behavior.” During the forum, officers showed how something as commonly overlooked as overgrown bushes can block the street view of a home’s windows and front door, giving criminals more places to hide when targeting a residence. “We want any would-be offender, whenever they come on to your property, to feel like they are being watched,”

8 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

said Robert Henderson, an OKC law enforcement and intelligence officer. Homes with inviting front porches, well-maintained yards and bright LED lighting welcome wanted guests while providing strong deterrents for criminals. “If you live in a rundown neighborhood where 80 percent of the homes are rundown, we are going to have a crime problem … When we come to your home to do a burglary report, it will take one, two, up to three hours ... of being out of service,” Skalla said. “There are certain things that you all can do in your home to help your police department so we have more time to go after the violent offenders.”

Prevention design

Ryan Baker is a programs director with Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma, which co-hosted the forum. He said educating the public about the importance of placemaking and neighborhood design in crime prevention then empowers communities, which can help sway the city to incorporate more strategies, especially as a new general obligation bond approaches. “Placemaking is stuff that a lot of young urbanists talk about, but to many, it feels more like expensive, publically funded [projects] for millennials,” Baker said about many

Master Sergeant Robert Henderson speaks during a recent Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design workshop in south OKC.

concepts that are centered on walkable and bikeable neighborhoods. “In reality, so much of what they said demonstrates that there are really viable benefits.” Police officers also showed how cities across the nation utilize community-minded developments like public art and increased foot traffic on neighborhood sidewalks as ways to beautify while reducing crime.

“[Traffic calming and public art] are two things there doesn’t seem to be enough momentum on, but we’re starting to see the wider benefits of economic, social, security and safety through talks like this,” Baker said. Dexter Nelson, head of OKC’s Hefner police division, said Henderson and Skalla were the only two trained officers in the department in the specialty of CPTED, but there was an effort to expand the program. “We can’t do this by ourselves,” Nelson told the southside crowd. “We are asking the community to go back to the days of old and look out for each other. Get to know your neighbors, talk to them and find out ways to improve the environment in a way that deters crime.” Nelson said police were also working with the mayor and city council in an effort to promote changes in ordinances and building requirements that consider CPTED concepts, including reducing the number of apartment buildings in a square mile. “What we really need is this information to distribute to the grassroots level,” Baker said. “We want neighborhoods, residents and voters to start talking about these things because that’s when it really starts to gain momentum. What we need is people, the ones who vote, to understand the benefits of these things and to ask for them.”

Deterring criminals Police shared these environmental design tips to enhance crime prevention efforts in neighborhoods and communities: • When home, open your blinds to send a visual cue that someone is there. • Make sure your house is well lit at night. Doors, garages, driveways, gate entries and porches should be lit, preferably by white LED bulbs, which enhance colors and make them more visible. • Walls, dumpsters and transformer boxes are frequent graffiti targets. Taking a preemptive step of painting them with murals can make them less appealing targets. • If someone tries to enter your home while you are there, call police. Also, make noise inside to let them know the home is occupied. • Encourage neighborhood design that spurs walking and front-yard and frontporch activity. Active, aware and engaged neighbors also help minimize the potential for criminal activity.

Source: Oklahoma City Police Department

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Off wire City officials and engineers are in the process of finalizing streetcar stop locations and exact rail placement along the proposed downtown route. Oklahoma City Council received a presentation last week on the status of the streetcar, which is expected to be operational in 2018. The proposed route includes 22 stops along the nearly 4.6-mile route and an additional stop in front of the future intermodal transit hub at the Santa Fe train station. That stop will not be in use, as the initial streetcar line will not travel past it. Additional engineering work includes determining the exact locations the streetcar will be on and off an overhead wire system. The city is purchasing cars that have the capability of running on battery power for limited amounts of time, which means overhead wires will not be necessary throughout the entire route. The railroad bridge over Sheridan and Reno avenues required some off-wire capability, as there is not enough room under the bridge to include wires.

“Best suspense ars.” I’ve read in ye

“It seems to me there needs to be a public process before you demolish a home when you apply for the permit.” That was Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid speaking at last week’s city council meeting about the issue of businesses acquiring residential property and tearing down homes for parking. Shadid said the issue was prevalent along Western Avenue and area residents were complaining to him. City staff told Shadid that a business would have to rezone any residential property to commercial prior to making it a parking lot. Shadid said he was interested in having each case of demolishing a home for parking be reviewed.

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Fracking film Sierra Club chapters from Oklahoma and Kansas will host a meeting in Medford on Saturday to discuss the threat of earthquakes, which the organizations believe is directly linked to fracking practices in the region. Governments in Kansas and Oklahoma have also acknowledged a link between fracking and earthquake activity. “At a time when residents and business owners of Kansas and Oklahoma are left with thousands of dollars of damage caused by the swarms of earthquakes in our two states, we need our local and state governments to intervene and act immediately in developing and enforcing rules and regulations the oil and gas industry must abide by when conducting hydraulic fracturing and using injection wells,” said Oklahoma Sierra Club Chair Barbara Vanhanken. “We feel the responses by our respective corporation commissions have been slow and they have been reluctant to establish strong enough rules and regulations on the disposal of fracking waste fluids into injection wells for the oil and gas industry.” The meeting is noon to 3 p.m. at Medford Civic Center, 123 S. Main St., in Medford. The agenda includes lunch; a screening of the film Groundswell Rising; a conversation with the film’s director, Renard Cohen; and a discussion with Todd Halihan, professor of hydrogeology at Oklahoma State University.

MARK HANCOCK / FILE

Quotable

Reading teams After a one-year authorization, Gov. Mary Fallin approved the extension reading teams under the Reading Sufficiency Act, which allows students who do not pass the third-grade reading test to be evaluated by their parents and educators. “The Reading Sufficiency Act puts into place a rigorous system for measuring student reading and provides extra attention and instruction for children who are falling behind,” Fallin said in a statement last week after she signed Senate Bill 630 into law. “The extension of the reading teams ensures that parents are well-informed about their children’s progress and working cooperatively with teachers to get those children up to grade-level.” SB 630 made other changes to the Reading Sufficiency Act, including the requirement that an individualized remediation reading plan be created for any first- or second-grader not reading at grade level.

Bennett bid Forrest Bennett (pictured) announced his candidacy for the 2016 race in House District 92, a seat held by Richard Morrissette, who terms out next year. Bennett, a Democrat, is a college government teacher and said education and public schools are a major focus for his campaign. “We have hardworking families in the heart of Oklahoma City who don’t have access to good schools or jobs with a livable wage, through no fault of their own,” Bennett said. “My view is that we should do all we can to meet hard work and responsibility with opportunity. That means creating a business-friendly environment and ensuring that public schools get the resources they need to educate our kids at a competitive level.” House District 92 includes downtown Oklahoma City and runs south to Interstate 240. Last week, Bennett appeared on Oklahoma Gazette’s Capital City Podcast and discussed his views on education in Oklahoma and civic participation among young adults, another topic he is passionate about. You can find that episode at okgazette.com. “I’ve followed the Legislature for several years now, each year hoping they will tackle the tough issues that are keeping our kids and our families from the opportunity to realize their full potential,” Bennett said. “Each year, they choose instead to waste their time and our taxpayer dollars on unnecessary and sometimes unconstitutional bills. I’m running for the Legislature to make sure that the people of House District 92 have a representative who will make tough issues like education, jobs and safe streets a priority.”

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By the numbers 43 percent. That’s the increase in homeless students in Oklahoma from 2012 to 2014, according to the Oklahoma Department of Education. Oklahoma Watch recently reported on this trend and said reasons for the increase are complex and include rises in poverty, drug abuse, teen pregnancy and high rates of incarceration and mental illness. Oklahoma Watch also reported that a bill by Sen. Kay Floyd was signed by Gov. Mary Fallin this year and will require the state to gather more detailed information and statistics on the issue of student homelessness.

OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 11

CHiCKEN CKEN Energy country If Oklahoma was its own nation, our daily production of 5.15 billion cubic feet of dry natural gas would place it at No. 18 among top global producers, revealed a recent report from American Petroleum Institute. “[Oklahoma is] ahead of nations such as Mexico and the United Arab Emirates,” wrote Tulsa World reporter John Stancavage. “Oklahoma’s rise is even more impressive when you consider that it has occurred during the past few years when prices for gas have been in a slump.” Success (and income) like that sure would look awesome in a chamber of commerce pamphlet filled with pies (we prefer apple) and charts (we prefer the Indie Singles Top 50 music one). Texas eked itself into a spot between Russia (No. 2) and Iran (No. 3) with 18.84 billion cubic

12 | JUNE 10, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

FRiED NEWS feet of dry natural gas production per day. Our neighbor Louisiana landed between Algeria (No. 9) and Netherlands (No. 10) with its 7.98 billion gallons of daily production. Similarly, Arkansas muscled into a slot between Nigeria (No. 25) and Oman (No. 26) with 3.13 billion cubic feet of daily production.

Smooth criminal

Residents of Luther might want to ruminate a little more before heading to any ballot boxes. That’s because a former Luther city councilman and mayor was recently arrested for ordering Oklahoma Department of Corrections inmates to strip six tornado sirens of valuable metals so he could take them to a recycling shop in exchange for a little extra foldin’ money, reported

News9.com. This calls to question his ability to govern for many reasons: 1. Inability to think about public safety. 2. Inability to think economically. He allegedly paid the inmates $120 to steal the copper, yet he received only $160 for the metal. 3. Inability to gauge the cost v. benefit. The estimated cost to repair the damage is $31,000. 4. He was caught. Sixty-six-year-old James Richard Smith served 12 years as councilman, reported News9.com.

Fried favorite Foursquare (it’s like Yelp, but without any of the community involvement) tallied its check-ins and comments to find the nation’s “singular tastes” in its quest to find the dish “that is most special and unique to each state.” Maine craves lobster. Maryland is

crazy for crab cakes. For some reason, the God-fearing people of Missouri want toasted ravioli. Oklahoma? Come on. Don’t act like you don’t know. Here, we’re all about the chickenfried steak. Whether it’s from Denny’s or Cheever’s Cafe, we are a people who like to take a perfectly good piece of steak and bread it, fry it and smother it with cream gravy. In OKC, other CFS luminaries like Ann’s Chicken Fry House, Classen Grill and Chuck House made its list of favorite places to devour the heartattack-on-a-plate delicacy. If you find our collective choice in food a bit embarrassing, let us point out that Nevada’s most sought after food is “bottle service.” We might be pudgy, but at least we’re not a bunch of degenerates. (At least not until we visit Las Vegas.)

No scarf

Marriage, arrested

Speaking of rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court recently decided in favor of a Tulsa woman who sued Abercrombie & Fitch because it refused to hire her after she wore a hijab to her job interview. The court handed down a ruling in favor of Samantha Elauf, who argued that she wore the headdress because of her religious obligations, reported NewsOn6.com. Many social media trolls lambasted Elauf … apparently because she is Muslim, so obviously, she’s part of a vast conspiracy to institute Sharia Law for everyone, everywhere. Or something like that. (We quit reading in order to protect our sanity.) Well, we don’t believe the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in any way includes the forced acceptance or adherence of Sharia Law. But, heck, what do we know? Our publishers are attorneys who largely gave up practicing in order to run a tabloid (-size newspaper). The court also cited the act in its 9-0 ruling. We can’t forget to emphasize another big news item here: The Supreme Court agreed 9-0!

In a move that probably shocked no one and enraged many, Oklahoma’s Department of Corrections (OKDOC) decided that no prison inmates may wed until the U.S. Supreme Court issues its decision about same-sex marriage across the country. U.S. inmates have been able to marry since 1987, when a Supreme Court decision legalized it. In October, a ruling by the same court made it legal for samesex couples to be hitched. The Supreme Court is reviewing cases from several states, and a ruling is expected sometime this month. According to freedomtomarry. org, “Since June 2013, there have been 65 rulings in favor of marriage for same-sex couples.” Thirteen states do not legally recognize same-sex marriages. While there is no courtissued national moratorium prohibiting same-sex inmate weddings pending the ruling, OKDOC apparently decided it just couldn’t cope with the drama

and hardship of allowing marriages of any kind while it waited. KRMG.com quoted OKDOC spokeswoman Terri Watkins: “If same-sex marriages are ruled legal, then the policy will need to be changed.”

Well, shoot We again top a list of trends, but it’s not one any other state would want to emulate. The Counted, a database project by The Guardian (yes, the one in Britain), uses public records and verified crowdsourced information to chronicle the growing number of Americans killed by police officers so far this year. Per capita, Oklahoma — with a population of almost 4 million — tops the list with 23 killings so far this year. Of those, seven were black, 15 were white and one was Hispanic/Latino. Of the 23 victims, most were killed by gunshot, data shows. Arizona, with a population just

over 38 million, ranks No. 2 per capita with 25 deaths. However, looking solely at the number killed by police so far this year, California overwhelmingly dominates the top spot with 79 deaths. Texas ranks No. 2 with 50. Oklahoma ranks No. 5. (Note: These were the figures collected at press time.) Nationally, black Americans were more than twice as likely to be unarmed as whites. Thirty-two percent of blacks were unarmed, 25 percent of Latinos/ Hispanics were unarmed and 15 percent of whites were unarmed, the data, sourced from public records, shows.

Quote of the week “Hydraulic fracturing is safe.” U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), in reaction to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency that stated the extraction process of hydraulic fracturing has “not led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources.”

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brings 3 uniquely different concepts all in one location in the heart of Bricktown.

DOUX, a craft cocktail lounge, offering all natural juices compounded with a vast liquor, fruit, candy and herb selection. Open Wed- Sat from 5pm to 2am.

The Roost, whiskey and cigar lounge with live jazz every weekend. Open Tue- Wed from 5pm to 12am and Thurs- Sat from 5pm to 2am.

Oklahoma City’s newest nightlife destination is Cosmopolitan. With sweeping penthouse views of Bricktown and Downtown OKC, the 12,500 square foot complex offers 3000 feet of patio and is second to none. The ideal place to make your next night out one to remember.

STALK US!

7 S MICKEY MANTLE DR, OKLAHOMA CITY • 405-225-1956 • COSMOPOLITANOKC.COM OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 10, 2015 | 13

COMMENTARY M A RK HA N COC K / FI L E

Becoming an art-smart city BY TYSON MEADE

Oklahoma, and specifically Oklahoma City, is the perfect place to be an artist. After living in New York and Shanghai for several years with a brief tiptoe into Saudi Arabia and Egypt, I came to realize this and moved back to my home state. Believe it or not, I have not regretted this decision for a minute. Each time I came back to visit, I was surprised at how much was happening and by the communal, grassroots push to make a once desolate interstate rest stop crossroads into a thriving, albeit small, artist community. With folks like Lance McDaniel leading deadCENTER Film Festival, Ferris O’Brien spearheading TheSpyFM and Wayne Coyne hosting celebs like Miley Cyrus and opening the wonderfully sordid WOMB art gallery, Oklahoma City has the potential to be a place for artists to live and grow and be unfettered. And thanks in part to people like Coyne, the envelope is pushed a bit here and there to make more room for all of us. WOMB is where I’ve experienced

envelope-pushing art happenings that rival and even eclipse anything else I have seen anywhere in the world. We should not fear sexuality or the vagina or anything like it. Or maybe we should. I don’t know, and that’s not the point. OKC’s main advantage has always been desolation. It has served me well for many years. An artist can hole up and woodshed to hone his craft and not be distracted by the hustle and bustle of a bigger city. For those who are financially clever, the cost of living is so cheap that rent woes are almost nonexistent. Mix cheap living and our remoteness and bands like Flaming Lips, indie darling Broncho and wise-beyondits-years Skating Polly thrive. At the same time, an artist is not created in a vacuum. When said artist is ready to unleash himself on the world, there are ways to do so right here in the metro area. Filmmakers have deadCENTER and musicians have Oklahoma Rock Show on TheSpy and live music venues. The media here is undyingly

OKC’s main advantage has always been desolation. It has served me well for many years.

supportive of local art of all kinds. Another aspect I love about OKC is its energy. There exists a positive, encouraging energy in the art scene that’s contagious. As an “elder” in our music community, I have observed how local musicians do not cut each other down. Instead, they support each other. Two of my favorite local bands, Gum and Helen Kelter Skelter, embody this ethos. Earlier today, I bumped into Johnny Bohlen of Them Hounds, and though I had only met him once before (I got to see Hounds play a blistering

Opinions expressed on the commentary page, in letters to the editor and elsewhere in this newspaper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.

show), he and I talked like old friends. This is the Oklahoma I adore. This energy also is nourished by the film world. McDaniel has so much of it that he turned it into a festival. Last year, I was finally able to attend for the first time, and I was stunned by the event’s scope. I found myself hobnobbing with two producers who also recently produced a Broadway show. They were thrilled that their film was showing at deadCENTER. At that time, of course, I didn’t know I would soon be producing a film — Calls to Okies: The Park Grubbs Story, directed by Bradley Beesley and Ben Steinbauer — that’s in this year’s festival. Yes, another point I love about Oklahoma is how a person like me can drift between songwriting, painting and producing a film. And here, I love that the inclusion in such varied “industries” isn’t at all surprising to anyone. Thank you, Oklahoma. I love you. Tyson Meade is a musician, artist and film producer who lives in Oklahoma City. He produced Calls to Okies: The Park Grubbs Story, which screens Friday and Sunday at deadCENTER Film Festival.

LETTERS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to jchancellor@ okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette. com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification. Art, education

I feel great empathy with Oklahoma City Public Schools’ (OKCPS) efforts to provide equitable arts funding (News, Education, “Creative funding,” Ben Felder, May 20, Oklahoma Gazette). I know the value of making arts part of school curriculum. I was principal of an initial Oklahoma A+ school, and then was statewide director of OKA+. Now, I travel the country, helping schools as they struggle with the same challenges we face here. It’s critical that schools have the

14 | JUNE 10, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

resources and training they need so art programs can be transformers that research shows they can be. My concern is that as new OKCPS leaders have to do more with less, they may further reduce and “equalize” arts, leading to what I call “making schools equally bad.” In 2002, I was one of four principals who met with the superintendent to ask for increased arts allocation if we were chosen as A+ schools. It wasn’t just to have more art and music time. It was so we would have the expertise on staff to integrate those disciplines into how every child learns. I don’t doubt that Lora is correct that the allocations are “all over the place,” but I suspect the same can be said about special reading and math coaches. And yet I hear no calls to remove those teachers from schools. When we asked for more teacher time, it was with the expectation that to keep the teachers, we would show gains. So, did we? Yes. A five-year study

showed that A+ schools not only had higher achievement than the district, but also fewer discipline issues, better student and teacher attendance and more parent involvement. One of the reasons for the improved outcomes was the teamwork from great arts teachers. In fact, Rhonda Taylor, now fine arts director, was our school’s music teacher. In 2006, George Kimball did a study to assess if students in A+ schools had higher reading and math scores than non-A+ students. They did, with

statistical significance. We’ve never claimed that art education is a silver bullet. But the research is clear that when the arts are part of learning, students tend to stay in school, do better and become wellrounded, productive citizens. If we like those outcomes, schools must keep their teachers so we can have schools worthy of our children. — Jean Hendrickson, director emeritus of Oklahoma A+ Schools Oklahoma City

Hi, I’m Desmond Mason. Growing up, the impact of my neighborhood and the demand of sports controlled my life. I needed a release. An escape. A getaway from it all. That’s where the arts came in. Art has the power to transform lives. Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the beauty, creativity and healing that can come from exposure to the arts. We need your help to give access to the arts to underserved members of your community. I challenge you to join the cause.

Give to Allied Arts today. www.alliedartsokc.com – (405) 278-8944 OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 10, 2015 | 15

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te azet e G a t hom Gazet a e l t k t a ze tte m 4O a Ga ette 201 Oklaho a Gaze te m © o 14 zet lah Gaz hom © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 4 Ok ahoma azette 1 0 1 z 2 l h tte ma G © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 4 Ok 1 z 201 Oklaho a Gaze te h t m © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 4 e o 1 z h 0 a a 1 z h © 2 4 Okl oma G ette © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 1 z h 0 a a 1 z 2 l G h 0 a k a © © 2 4 Okla oma G ette 14 O lahom Gazette 0 1 z 2 h © © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 4 Ok ahoma azette 1 0 1 z h © 2 4 Okl oma G ette © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 1 z h 0 a a 1 z 2 l G h k a © la picks a Gaare eevents © 20 4 OkOKG te 14 O lahom Gazette m 0 o 1 2 recommended h 0 azbytOklahoma k a a © 2 e l G O t k t m a © 4 1 ze ho editorial ette members. 14 OGazette zstaﬀ hom 0 a a © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 2 l G k © OFor fullocalendar 1 z ma azlistings, h ette 014 gokto ahokgazette.com. © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 2 l G a © O te 1 z h 014 klahom a Gazet © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 2 © 1 z m h 4O © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 201 Oklaho © 1 z h 4 © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette 201BOOKS © 1 z h 99 0 a a UP TOG $11 ONLY. e 2 VALIDOONklDINNERS © DISCOUNT Paul Goldman Book Signing, author will sign his tt ePURCHASE. EQUAL omaOR LESSER 14 TAKEN OFF h 0 azVALID new collection of ecstatic poetry, Upon Your Canvas, a 2 l G k PER PERSON. NOT WITH a © LIMIT 2 4COUPONS e O t 3 p.m., Jun. 13. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest t m e o 1 z h ANY OTHER OFFERS. EXPIRES 6/17/15. 0 a Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT a 2 G te kl t a © e e O t z t m 4 a e o 1 z h 0 a William Bernhardt Reading, two-time winner of the © 2 4 Okla oma G ette ette Oklahoma Book Award will be reading his featured work, 1 z Gaz tte h 0 a a 2 p.m., Jun. 14. The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., Norman, 2 l G k a © e e O t z t m 307-9320, pasnorman.org. SUN 4 a e o 1 z G h 0 a a 2 l G te k t a © e e O t z t m Debra Docker Book Signing, children’s author and 14 ze ho a Ga ette winner of the Kansas Voices writers’ competition in short © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette z fiction will sign her G.P. Putnam novel Deadly Design, a 1 z G h 0 a a a 2 e l G 5-6:30 p.m., Jun. 16. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth k m a © e ett O t z t m 4 a e Road, Edmond, 340-9202, facebook.com/bobinok. TUE o 1 z G h 0 a a a 2 e l G t k t m a © O te Don’t Be Shy, Oklahoma author Ralph Cissne reading ze t m 4 a e o 1 z G h signing of Don’t Be Shy, Poetry of a Single Life; © 20 4 Okla oma Ga ette and oma Gazette to follow, 8-9:30 a.m., Jun. 17. Chi Studio + 1 h 0 az e reception a a 2 e l G t k t Gallery, 2300 NW 17th St., 401-0540, chi-okc.com. WED m a © O o ze tt m 4 a e o 1 z G h 0 a a te © 2 4 Okla oma G ette hom Gazet a 201 Oklah e Gaz ttFILM tt m a © e e o z m h 4 a a 1 ze G ho 0 a a a 2 e l G t k t m © teSchool, (US, 2003, dir. Todd Phillips) three old tOld ma 4 O a|hSUN laho a Gaze11AM-9PM open a fraternity near their alma mater, 7 p.m., 20•111AM-4PM e | MON-SAT l o a Gaze friends t k t m © e Jun. Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave. , 232O o tte10.okcfarmersmarket.com. 50TH©&2MERIDIAN 014 klahom a Gaze6506, WED klah ma Gaz ttNW e e e O t zOKLAHOMASTATIONBBQ.COM t m ho 4 a e o a 1 z l G h 0 a k Camp, (US, 1983, dir. Robert Hiltzik) painfully a O te © 2 4 Okla oma G Sleepaway shyeAngela tte Baker is sent away to summer camp with her hom Gazet a 1 z 947.7277 l h 0 a k cousin and soon after arrival, things start to go horribly a a 2 e l G O t © Ok ma wrong, 7 p.m., Jun. 10. The Paramount, 701 W. Sheridan hom Gazet 4 o a 1 l h 0 k a Ave., 517-0787, theparamountokc.com. WED © 2 4 Ok l 4 O ahoma azette 1 l G 0 k a 2 Still Alice, (US, 2014, dir. Richard Glatzer) Alice Howland O © 14 is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget hom a l k words and receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s 14 O Disease, 7:30 p.m., Jun. 11. Oklahoma City Museum of Art,

11th annual lavender Festival This family-friendly fest features breakfast and lunch fare from an assortment of artists and vendors, including food prepared with lavender (chicken, cookies and drinks). You can buy lavender plants, soap, candles and essential oils. Did we mention there will be lavender? Those not so into the flowering plant can find jewelry, clothes, workshops, live entertainment and more. It runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Lavender Valley Acres, 10041 County Road 1410, in Apache. Admission is $5, and youth under age 12 are admitted free. Visit lavendervalleyacres.com.

Saturday

415 Couch Drive , 236-3100, okcmoa.com. THU

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, (US, 1993, dir. Duwayne Dunham) three pets escape from a California ranch to find their owners in San Francisco, 8 p.m., Jun. 11. Chisholm Trail Park, 500 W. Vandament Ave., Yukon, 350-8937. THU Big Hero 6, (US, 2014, dir. Don Hall) the special bond that develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with friends to save their hometown from an evil villain, 9 p.m., Jun. 12. Little River Park, 700 SW 4th St., 793-5090. FRI

HAPPENINGS

compatibility, and overall deliciousness, 6:45 p.m., Jun. 12. Forward Foods, 2001 W. Main St., 321-1007 forwardfoods.com. Forward Foods, 2001 W. Main St., Norman, 321-1007, forwardfoods.com. FRI

Bike Night, live Music from Empire Grey and Sugar Shack food truck, 6 p.m.-12 a.m., Jun. 12. Fort Thunder Harley Davidson, 500 SW 11th St., Moore, 793-8877, fortthunderharleydavidson.com. FRI

! Champagne & Sparkling Wine Tasting, one-ofa-kind event raises proceeds for St. Anthony Hospital; featuring small bites, live music by Avenue, an array of Champagnes and sparkling wines, as well as samples of whiskey, scotch and cognacs, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Jun. 12. Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City, 1225 N. Broadway Ave. , 236-1224. FRI

Junk Hippy, comprised of 200 vendors booths ranging from handmade items, vintage furniture & jewelry, industrial pieces, architectural salvage and bohemian treasures, 9 a.m-6 p.m., Jun. 13. Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd. SAT

FOOD Cheese & Wine Throwdown, ITALY VS. SPAIN, rate countries based on diversity of styles, general wine pRoViD eD

EarthKind Gardening: Beneficial Insects & Pollinators, a garden lecture about horticultural practices presented by Oklahoma County Master Gardeners Association for the benefit of members of the community, 6-7:30 p.m., Jun. 10. Will Rogers Garden Center, 3400 NW 36th St., 943-0827, okc.gov/parks/will_rogers. WED

Live on the Plaza, Monthly artwalk event which promotes emerging artistic talent in Oklahoma City, 7 p.m., Jun. 12. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 3679403, plazadistrict.org. FRI

Saturday Cooking Class, learn to make delicious curry chicken, 10-11 a.m., Jun. 13. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Road, Edmond, 509-2700, uptowngroceryco. com. SAT Weekly Farmers Market, shop goods from local produce, bakers and artisans, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Jun. 13. Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave., 232-6506, okcfarmersmarket.com. SAT

Out to Win As you’ve probably noticed, deadCENTER Film Festival is well underway. This year, organizers selected several films that are focused on LGBT issues. Out to Win premieres 9:30 p.m. Sunday during its free, outdoor film screening on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Learn more about LGBTQ films playing at deadCENTER on P. 67 and in the official festival program guide in this issue.

Sunday

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LIKE US!

Dead Drunk Festival As if there isn’t enough to do and see this weekend during deadCENTER Film Festival. But no deadCENTER experience is complete without visiting Dead Drunk Festival over on Classen Curve. Grab a drink, listen to live music, visit with some zombies and check out Award Winning, an art installation by Leslie Hensley. Learn more in Oklahoma Gazette’s feature story on P. 22.

Saturday

YOUTH Okietales, educational program designed for youths ages 5-9 to learn Oklahoma’s diverse history, ranging from topics of the Wild West to Land Runs and Pioneer Life, 10:30-11:30 a.m, Jun. 10 & 17. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive , 521-2491, okhistory.org/historycenter. WED/WED Make-it Mondays, make a craft using sticks, twigs and other materials; make things like natural paint brushes, looms and wind mobiles, 10 a.m.-noon, Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/ events. MON Matthew’s Dream by Leo Lionni, for children ages 3-5, young artists are invited to experience art through books and art projects, 10:30 a.m., Jun. 16. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. TUE Little Big Chefs, cooking class for parents and kids; learn to make kabobs for everyone to enjoy, ages 5-8, 2-3 p.m., ages 9-12, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Jun. 16. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Road, Edmond, 509-2700, uptowngroceryco.com. TUE

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PERFORMING ARTS Jarrod Harris, comedy performance by comedian on tour, The Most American American in America, 8 p.m., Jun. 10-11., 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m., Jun. 12-13. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. WED-SAT

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Oklahoma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 17

p RoVi DeD

continued

Jazz Jam and Blues Jam at Second Friday art Walk 2912 Paseo Drive

sauceDonPaseo.com

521.9800

Jazz in June and Norman Arts Council teamed up to present Jazz Jam and Blues Jam as part of the council’s Second Friday Art Walk. Friday at The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., in Norman, you’ll hear music from Oklahoma jazz, funk, R&B, electronica and hip-hop fusion act Culture Cinematic (pictured). Visit Dreamer Concepts, 428 E. Main St., in Norman to hear music from Wess McMichael & The Ravens. Both shows run 6-9 p.m., and both close with open-stage jams that anyone can join. Admission is free. Visit 2ndfridaynorman.com.

Friday

Inaugural Funniest Person Contest, Oklahoma City’s funniest comedians compete for the title and cash; 8-10 p.m., Jun. 10-11, 17. ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 329 E. Sheridan Ave., 974-4700, acm.uco.edu. WED-THU/WED Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennesse Williams, the classic play of the relationship among members of the tycoon’s family and the conflict between Brick and his wife, Maggie, 8 p.m., Jun. 11-13. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2264, okcciviccenter. com. THU-SAT Excerpts from Faultline, a free collaborative dance performance based on Shobana Jeyasingh work of Faultline; headed by local choreographer Michelle Moeller and guest choreographer Amy Querin, 8-11 p.m., Jun. 12. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com. FRI The Winter’s Tale, play presented by Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park telling the story of a king who suspects his wife cheated on him and banishes her and their newborn from the court; years later this event leads two young lovers into a series of twists, 8 p.m., Jun. 11 & 16-17. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/ events. THU/TUE-WED

ACTIVE Sunset Rooftop Yoga, enjoy Yoga Flow every Thursday evening at sunset on the Caliber Building’s rooftop; class is accompanied by live music, 7-8 p.m. Balance. Yoga. Barre., 911 N. Broadway Ave., 6206807, balanceyogabarre.com. THU Tango with RACE, Martha & David Wells offer a Tango demonstration and free Class; in collaboration, a performance by RACE Dance Company to promote their show ‘ENERGY’, 6-9 p.m., Jun. 12. Everything Goes Dance, 1721 NW 16th St., 525-1000, everythinggoesdance.com/. FRI Dad’s Day 5K, family friendly event featuring a run and walk for all members of your family along with children’s activities, bounce houses and food trucks; all benefiting the Lilyfield’s adoption and foster care programs, 8 a.m., June 13. Oklahoma Christian University, 2501 E. Memorial Road, Edmond, 425-5000, oc.edu. SAT

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Warrior/Superhero Yoga, learn to build strength and flexibility with superhero-inspired exercises in the special yoga class; as you move through the sequence of yoga poses, you’ll learn the stories and get in touch with your inner warrior, 3 p.m., Jun. 14. Almonte Library, 2914 SW 59th St., 606-3575, metrolibrary. org. SUN OKC Dodgers vs. Nashville, professional baseball game, 7:05 p.m., Jun. 11-13, 6:05 p.m., Jun. 14. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 218-1000. THU-SUN

VISUAL ARTS America’s Road: The Journey of Route 66, exhibit shares the history of one of the world’s most famous highways including photographs, narrative, music and objects from the highway’s heyday. Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum, 1400 Classen Drive, 2354458, oklahomaheritage.com. Best of the West, JRB Art at The Elms hosting art exhibition of nationally recognized artists, Joe Andoe, Billy Schenck, and Bert Seabourn, who paint the essence of the American Southwest. JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 528-6336, jrbartgallery.com. FRI D.G. Smalling Exhibit, showcase of his newest ‘singleline’ artwork, in which he creates an image drawn from a continues line. Exhibit C, 1 E. Sheridan Ave., Ste. 100, 767-8900, exhibitcgallery.com. Enter the Matrix: Indigenous Printmakers, exhibition exploring how printmaking has become a matrix for cultural and key figures of artistic exchange. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 3253272, ou.edu/fjjma. Ghost Towns: A Photographic Exploration of Claudette Torneden, photographer fascinated with history through art records images of the social climb and disappearing generations; she explores many of the state’s historical sites and ghost towns documenting remaining history. Red Dirt Gallery, 13100 N. Colony Pointe Blvd. #113, Yukon, 657-6207, reddirtartists.com.

If I Were, artist Holly Wilson creates one of a kind figures cast in bronze; the figures capture moments of our vulnerabilities and strengths. Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com.

The National Weather Center Biennale, international juried exhibition presenting: Art’s Window on the Impact of Weather on the Human Experience. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 3253272, ou.edu/fjjma.

Jan Hellwege: My Blue Mind and KB Keuteman: Manitou Spirit Collection, oil paintings by artist Jan Hellwege and mixed media works by KB Keuteman. Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com.

Ultimate Painting Finals, the best local artists are back to compete for your vote, over three 20 minute rounds, 7-10 p.m., June 12. Wine & Palette, 201 NW 10th St., 227-0230, wineandpalette.com. FRI

Pencil Light, a series of drawings inspired local poet Jane Vincent Taylor’s newly published book, Pencil Light. Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE 3rd St., 815-9995, artspaceatuntitled.org. Political Cartoon Collection, collection consisting of 51 original newspaper cartoons from 1903 to 1950. University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, 974-2000, uco.edu. Relics from the Akashic Prairie, body of work inspired by dreams, spiritual readings, random thoughts and moments of synchronicity comprised of mixed media including clay, wood, paint and glass by artist Molly O’Connor. The Project Box, 3003 Paseo St., 609-3969, theprojectboxokc.com. Sticks and Stones and Glass and Bones, mosaic works by artist Jenny Perry. Governor’s Gallery, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., 521-2931, arts.ok.gov. The Kitchen Sink, new works in photography, ceramics and abstract paintings by gallery artists Jean Keil, Caroline Cohenour and Chad Woolbright. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo St., 525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com.

Vitrum Novus Exhibit, the exhibit Vitrum Novus introduces modern approaches and collaborative concepts in illuminated glass art; New works by Christopher Pendleton and Collaborative Works by Guest Artists Angela Slack and Katherine Reynolds. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com. WED Warhol: The Athletes, a series of ten portraits of famous athletes commissioned by Andy Warhol’s friend and collector Richard Weisman; exhibit represents represents Warhol’s career and the interactions that would occur between the arts and sport worlds in the decades to follow. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com. Works by Regina Murphy: Celebrating 94 Years of a Life Filled with Love, Beauty, Grace & More; free public reception to meet and greet with the artist will be from 5-7 p.m., Jun. 12, Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com. FRI

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Film and Video educator Seminar Oklahoma Arts Institute and deadCENTER Film Festival offer their renowned education programs to our Oklahoma teachers during a free, two-day Film and Video Educator Seminar that runs Friday through Saturday. Teachers will earn an official certificate of completion that also can count toward their professional development hours. To see if there is still space available for the program, visit deadcenterfilm.org/contact-us.

Friday-Saturday

For OKG music picks see page 65

OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 19

Help your favorites win

top sCore!

vote on page 36 20 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

P HOTOS BY GA Re TT FI S Be C K

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

the Saucee Sicilian Mobile food truck | thesauceesicilian.com | 412-0789 What WORkS: Fresh, affordable and delicious neapolitan-style pizzas. What NeeDS WORk: Lines get long when the food is in high demand.

Pie-sano!

tIP: Ask for chili oil to add a kick of heat to any pie.

Gannon Mendez places a pizza into a brick oven.

The Saucee Sicilian might serve the best pizza pie on wheels, or anyplace for that matter. BY GREG ELWELL

Open your mouth and eat these balls. Nonna’s meatballs that is. She handrolls them and serves them in a marinara sauce bursting with flavor, waiting to explode in your mouth. Outside The Saucee Sicilian, the roving food truck manned primarily by Gannon Mendez and his mother, Nonna (aka Priscilla Jones), you’re promised not just a good pizza but probably a few salty jokes, too. They like to have a good time. The truck they’ve constructed is a party on wheels. Tables on three sides fold down. Big, flat-screen TVs are built into the back and emerge from the sides. There’s a roof, too, in case the weather starts ... weathering. But even if there were none of those amenities, I’d still make it a point to find The Saucee Sicilian because it makes a heckuva pie. Not every food truck should have appetizers because not every food truck is pleasant to hang around for a full meal. But the focaccia

Nonna prepares focaccia aboard the Saucee Sicilian food truck in Oklahoma City.

($4) and sauce and balls ($5) are the kinds of dishes I’d gobble up in any Italian restaurant. Fresh, right-from-theoven bread is an intoxicating luxury. Paired with Nonna’s fall-apart meatballs, it’s a winner every time. But let’s not act like you’re not getting a pizza. Stop it. Stop acting. You are not good at it. You make Frank Stallone look like Sylvester Stallone with your terrible acting. So stuff your face with 8 inches of Capizzi ($9) instead. A Neapolitan-style

pizza, the Capizzi is cooked fresh when you order and comes topped with roasted red peppers, ricotta and mozzarella and big cloves of sweet, roasted garlic. My recommendation (on this and every other pizza) is to get the chili oil as well. Mamma mia that chili oil! It has a burst of flavorful heat I can’t resist. As a big fan of meats, I am also a big fan of the Noto and the Tusa (both $9.50). The Noto starts with red sauce and adds hot soppressata (think pepperoni’s fancier cousin) and Nonna’s meatballs, garlic and basil. The Tusa swaps out the meatballs for Italian sausage and piles on hot capicola (think ham’s fancier cousin), mushrooms

and chili oil. The Saucee Sicilian also makes its own pesto. What is pesto? It’s heaven if it was green and made with basil. One of the best showcases for it is on the Mt. Etna ($9.50). In the middle is red sauce, then mozzarella, then pesto. Roasted garlic villagers run from the flavor eruption, but they won’t get far. You will eat them. [moment of silence] Are you my friend Rob, who tries to order pepperoni pizza at Starbucks? Good news, Rob! The Catania ($9) is a pepperoni pizza with basil. It’s a pretty tasty pepperoni pizza. You don’t have to get any other cool flavors, like caramelized onion or artichokes, Rob. You can just have this thing, which is a better version of the thing you always order everywhere. You can also get it if you’re not Rob. The staff won’t ID you or anything. Do you still have room for more food? Liar! You are full. Terrible acting, but I’ll play along. If you crave something sweet, the Buona Vita ($6) is a calzone … filed with s’mores. Yes. Chocolate. Marshmallows. Covered in powdered sugar. It absolutely will get on your clothes, but you won’t care. The Saucee Sicilian isn’t just the best pizza you can get from a food truck; it’s some of the best pizza in the city. Seek it out. Buy a pie already. Have a seat around back and watch a game. They like to have a good time, and you probably will, too.

Tusa pizza OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 21

LIFE FOOD & DRINK Best Breakfast Jim’s Diner Jim’s Diner

M O N D AY- F R I D AY 6 A M - 1 0 P M 7950 NW 39TH EXPWY • 405.495.5105

P ROVI De D

Jim’s Diner

Mortally wasted Everyone’s a winner at this drinking, music and art festival, and Leslie Hensley has the ribbons to prove it. BY GREG HORTON

Dead Drunk Festival 4 p.m. Saturday-2 a.m. Sunday Classen Curve Free Note: Guests must be 21 years old to attend.

Award Winning 7-11 p.m. Grease Trap Gallery 5100 Classen Circle

Zombie Party Starts 4 p.m. Saturday The Drunken Fry 5100 Classen Circle

Bed People and DJ Tom Hudson 10 p.m. Saturday HiLo Club 1221 NW 50th St. $5

deadCENTER Film Festival GrappleHabit: Oklahoma City’s Addiction to BLOW double-header showing with The Real Enemy 9:45 p.m. Thursday and 3 p.m. Saturday MidFirst Bank Theater Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16 150 E. Reno Ave. deadcenterfilm.org $10-$150 Note: For deadCENTER festival tickets, schedule and more information, check out the official program guide in this issue.

Leslie Hensley doesn’t do anything halfheartedly. From creating, organizing and promoting art shows with Grease Trap Gallery to pro wrestling events for Balthazar’s Ladies of Wrestling (BLOW), she takes everything to the mat and holds it there until it taps out. Her passion for winning and entertaining adds a dynamic vitality to Oklahoma City’s artistic community. Combine that with her quirky and thought-provoking sense of humor and, well, everyone ends up laughing at themselves. And that’s the best thing that could happen in any creative scene

22 | june 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Leslie Hensley center prepares for this week’s Dead Drunk Festival. that sometimes might inadvertently end up taking itself too seriously. In fact, even deadCENTER Film Festival joined her team this year. A short mockumentary of her female pro wrestling group, GrappleHabit: Oklahoma City’s Addiction to BLOW, screens Thursday and Saturday. Perhaps to celebrate the irony and achievement of showcasing female pro wrestling and her art in an upstart, juried indie film festival, she developed a mini-fest of her own. Dead Drunk Festival kicks off 4 p.m. Saturday at several locations. Its epicenter is Classen Curve. HiLo Club, Grease Trap Gallery and The Drunken Fry will feature music, revelry, zombies and its centerpiece, Award Winning, an installation Hensley created for Dead Drunk. “When you’re a kid, you get trophies for participating in nearly everything, and at some point, you have to decide what to do with them,” Hensley said. “Most people keep them for a while and then finally throw them away.” Hensley enlisted volunteer help to break down hundreds of ribbons, medals and trophies. So many of us, especially as kids, work hard to be accepted and win only to be “awarded” with a third runner-up ribbon. Award Winning exemplifies the sometimescontradictory meanings of success. See it 7 p.m. Saturday at Grease Trap. Hensley said everyone is welcome to stop by and visit. And she wants guests to find a purpose for all the mindless wandering people do at festivals by visiting the zombie-themed drinkfest at The Drunken Fry and shambling over to HiLo Club for live music and DJs. See; everybody wins.

FOOD BRIEFS

M A RK HA n COC K

BY GREG ELWELL

Mutts sold “Don’t you think people in Norman, in Edmond, in Midwest City would enjoy this too?” asked Kevin Wilkerson, the new co-owner of Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs with his wife, Laurel Wilkerson. Owners of the Oklahoma City metro-area Marco’s Pizza franchises, the Wilkersons recently bought Mutts, 1400 NW 23rd St., from Chris Lower and Kathryn Mathis, who also started Big Truck Tacos, Back Door BBQ and Pizzeria Gusto. “We love the food, the vibe and the service,” Wilkerson said. “Being in the industry, I thought it was a neat concept.” He found that each time he and his wife would return to OKC from out of town, they always craved Mutts. He said it’s not the usual chicken-pizza-burger option. Though they plan to open more locations and add dedicated Mutts food trucks, Wilkerson said he’s not planning to make any changes to the menu. “Chris and Kathryn did a great job with Mutts,” he said. “We don’t want to break it or change it.”

Grandad’s, the casual, non-smoking bar decorated like the basement of your oldest relative, is no more. Owner and operator Greg Seal left the business after a split with formerly silent partner Kyle Sweet. The space at 317 NW 23rd St. will become something new, as Sweet recruited new partners Drew and Anna Mains, who also own Knucks Wheelhouse and In The Raw Bricktown. “We’re excited to build something that will continue what Grandad’s did so well and be a true neighborhood bar,” Anna Mains said. “Our whole goal is to make it someplace every person in the surrounding neighborhoods can find something to enjoy.” The concept does not have a new name yet, but Mains said it will remain a bar while adding a snacks menu. “Right now, we’re getting in and looking around at what needs to be cleaned and fixed,” she said. They hope to open in late summer or early fall, but that will be dictated by progress more than a hard-and-fast opening deadline date. “It’s more important to us that we execute everything perfectly rather than open before we’re ready,” she said.

Poach OKC Moto Chef’s Guy Romo (pictured) returns Tuesday with the inaugural Poach pop-up dinner. The five-course meal will be cooked sous vide — a method of slow, even poaching in a temperature-controlled water bath — with some molecular gastronomy. Each course will be paired with wine. Held at chi gallery, 2300 NW 17th St., the event is open to guests ages 21 and over, and the minimum entry fee is a $100 donation. To be notified of future dinners and to purchase tickets, go to poachokc.com. Romo plans to post pictures and information on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @poachokc.

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Broken Arrow 3202 W. Kenosha St. 918-254-8337

South OKC 8324 S. Western Ave. 405-635-8337

Norman 700 N. Interstate Dr. 405-307-8337

Tulsa Hills 7848 S. Olympia Ave. WEST 918-301-8337

Dine-In • ToGo • Catering • Banquet Facilities OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 23

P HOTOS P ROVI DeD

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Delectable cinema

Course of Food

Satiate your cravings for original and food-themed movies with these deadCENTER Film Festival standouts.

BY GREG ELWELL

** COMING SOON ** 1909 S DOUGLAS BLVD MWC 7745 S WALKER (I-240 & WALKER) • 405-631-0783 SANDBBURGERS.COM 20 NW 9TH • 405-270-0516 5929 N MAY • 405-843-8777 14020 N MAY • 405-418-8477 24 | june 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Marc Dunham wants more. As executive producer of Course of Food, he hopes it’s the first in a series of documentaries highlighting independent farmers, growers, producers and artisans. “Small-time entrepreneurs really have an impact on the food we eat,” said Dunham, director of the Francis Tuttle School of Culinary Arts. “Big companies have the microphone all the time. These people don’t have a platform.” The documentary which premieres as part of deadCENTER’s Okie Not So Short Shorts showcase Saturday and Sunday, centers on Waynoka hog farmer Andy Bowen. A former restaurant worker, Bowen says in the film that he looked at the products they were getting to cook with and thought he could do better. So he moved out to his father-in-law’s land and began raising animals. Why pigs? Because it was the one thing his father-in-law didn’t know much about and Bowen wouldn’t feel stupid all the time. Course of Food is introduced by Dunham and features him during a closing cookout, but for the most part, the episode eschews narration and lets Bowen live and breathe on camera. It’s a loving look at the sometimes harsh and frustrating work of

Course of Food

sustainable farming. The camera finds Bowen contemplating, sitting and smoking alone outside, moving his hogs through grazing areas and meditating on the meaning of what he does. “Raising hogs on pasture is a struggle. Just logistically it’s a struggle,” Bowen said. “There are good reasons people raise them in barns.” Hogs are destructive. It would be easier to keep them packed together in a building, but that’s not the kind of rancher he wants to be. Bowen’s goals are to give pigs a happy life, to honor them and raise them in such a way that they are the best for people to eat. Dunham said what helped him first click with Bowen was their shared thinking on food and sustainability. “Really, Andy’s choice in life — and why we get along so well — is a different way to look at why we’re here,” he said. “Some people think we’re the master of our dominion and they have that ‘Earth is here for us’ mentality. In the other camp, where Andy and I are

City of Gold

City of Gold Food lovers at deadCENTER must get to a screening of City of Gold, the documentary about famed Los Angeles restaurant critic Jonathan Gold and his love affair with the city’s diverse menu. Gold is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer with a penchant for discovering the best Los Angeles has to offer, from food trucks and burger joints to the mom-and-pop ethnic restaurateurs living the American dream. The film features interviews with a number of chefs and city luminaries, but the most illuminating sequences are those spent one-on-one with Gold. His path from proofreader to food critic and champion of the true Los Angeles is both humorous and insightful, especially for those who love to eat their way through a new city. City of Gold will be shown Saturday and Sunday.

philosophically, we view ourselves as stewards. Earth is a gift, and our job is not to be its master but its caretaker.” From a chef’s perspective, Dunham said Bowen’s hogs are excellent. The fat-to-meat ratio, the firmness, the taste — everything is better. “Have you ever picked up a Hormel pork tenderloin at the grocery store? It’s almost slimy,” he said. “That’s because of the things they’re fed, how they’re raised. If they’re raised right, fed right and treated right, they yield a better end product.” That’s true for Course of Food as well. Dunham and director Christopher Hunt put all the right ingredients into their documentary. The result is a film that gives the audience perspective on the life of an independent grower and explains, without preaching, the philosophical questions involved in the foods we eat. “Every person that worked on the film in one way or another did it because they believed in the vision,” Dunham said. Now, they hope audiences enjoy the film and maybe ask themselves a few questions about where their next meal really comes from. Note: Find times, ticket info and more in the official deadCENTER program in this issue.

The Last Sandwich From the demented minds behind S&M Lawn Care and Cinema Six comes the short The Last Sandwich. Written and directed by Mark Potts, it tells the story of a man who has forgotten how to make sandwiches. “I like sandwiches, and I thought the idea of a guy who forgot how to make them was really stupid. But then I put it in a serious context, and while still stupid, it made me laugh very hard and that made it worth making,” said the Norman native. “Some of the other guys weren’t so sure, and I just asked that they trust me. In the end, I think they were wrong not to trust me but also very right.” Potts said after the script went through a few drafts, the shoot came together quickly and was edited and color-corrected in just a few days. This was another collaboration with the group HeckBender (Benjamin Crutcher, Winston Carter and Brand Rackley), which Potts has been working with for more than a decade. “I think it’s a short that lives or dies in the first 10 seconds,” he said. “You really have to give yourself over to the premise in order to see why we thought it was funny.” The Last Sandwich screens Thursday and Saturday as part of the Comedy Shorts program.

The Last Sandwich

Oklahoma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 25

Fresh, gnu Oklahoma City is getting wild with a slew of gnu restaurants. Where they are getting these gnus is a mystery, but there must be a surplus because there are a bunch of them. Oh. Hold on. New restaurants. Not gnu. (Stupid Hooked on Phonics lessons never covered homophones.) Anyway, here are a bunch of recently opened restaurants you might want to give a try. We’re not sure if any of them are serving gnu. — by Greg Elwell, photos by Mark Hancock and Garett Fisbeck

Hidalgo’s Cocina & Cantina 200 S. Santa Fe Ave., Edmond | 285-2424 hidalgosrestaurant.com

The only thing bigger than the portions at Hidalgo’s are the smiles. Tucked into the corner of an Edmond shopping center, this Mexican and pan-Latin restaurant is filled to the brim with happy, helpful servers and a variety of tasty dishes. Want to try some of everything? Check out the parrilla piled high with beef, chicken, shrimp, pork, Argentinian chorizo and veggies.

Fuze Buffet & Bar

The Black Raven

6512 Northwest Expressway | 603-8668 letseat.at/fuze-buffet-bar

14471 NE 23rd St., Choctaw | 390-1400 theblackravenpub.com

There’s big. There’s bigger. And there’s Fuze, which is a buffet that feels like it was plucked out of Las Vegas and dropped in OKC. What are you hungry for? Mexican? Sushi? Stir-fry? Burgers? Steak? Barbecue? From noodles to sandwiches, salads and cocktails, this buffet has it all. So if you leave hungry, that’s on you, man.

What is an Irish pub doing in Choctaw? A better question is, What are you doing in Choctaw? And the answer should be, Going to The Black Raven for Irish delicacies like Guinness beef stew, shepherd’s pie or the Raven Burger with Guinness cheddar. Best of all, this fun, homey bar is replete with great service and a welcoming atmosphere.

Best Bread under the sky

Plus cookies & granola

E VOT US

BEST THAI RESTAURANT 6606 N. Western Ave. • 879-0330 • www.bigskybreadokc.com

500 NW 23rd St.

405.524.0503

LIKE US ON

900 NW 150th St. • Edmond • 150th & Western 405.286.1440 • Mon-Fri 6:30-6:00 Sat. 8:00-5:00 26 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

Maya Latin Cuisine 3929 N. College Ave., Bethany | 470-4497 facebook.com/mayalatincuisine

South America comes to Bethany with Maya Latin Cuisine. More than your usual Mexican restaurant, this new eatery serves intriguing dishes like Crepas Maya (three chicken-filled crepes) and carne a la Tampiquena with grilled flank steak and chilaquiles. And if you somehow have room for dessert, Maya serves a traditional homemade rice pudding.

Land Run Grill and Wine Bar

GiaGia Vietnamese Family Restaurant

1400 SE 12th Ave. Suite 348, Norman 310-2370

2624 N. Classen Blvd. | 602-5095 facebook.com/giagiarestaurant

It’s not a requirement to arrive at Land Run in a covered wagon, but you might want to bring a crowd to explore this mighty menu. It’s eclectic, which means there’s a little something for everyone. One order that stands out is the “hog wings.” These pork shanks come covered in tender, tasty meat and are served with sweet Thai chili sauce or barbecue sauce.

Our city has no shortage of Vietnamese restaurants, but the more the merrier if you’re talking about outstanding food like GiaGia. Hidden away on Classen, this family-run business serves all the greatest hits (like pho and glass noodle pork) and plenty of new favorites. If you haven’t tried congee — a savory Vietnamese rice porridge — now is your chance.

Bonjour 3705 W. Memorial Road, Suite 707 twitter.com/bonjourcafeokc | 286-9172

Hi! Greetings! Howdy! Bonjour will have you saying, “Hello, gorgeous,” to a big plate of crab cake Benedict with crispy potatoes. Led by chef Vuong Nguyen, Bonjour has impeccable credentials and has already racked up a stable of loyal customers. But when you’re serving chocolate waffles covered in fruit, toffee and whipped cream, it’s not like anyone will be leaving unhappy.

SUSHI, APPETIZERS, ENTREES, SALADS, NOODLES, DESSERT

VOTE FOR US

BEST SUSHI

1201 nw 178th st • Edmond • 2nd & Western 285.8484 • thesushibarok.com

M-F 7am-6:30pm • Sat 9:30am-4pm 2310 N Western 524-0887 Oklahoma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 27

life culture

Withering roots One of the few remaining black-owned music, art and food venues in Deep Deuce announced its closure. BY WilliAM W. SAVAGe iii

Our drivers are independent contractors who deliver Oklahoma Gazettes each Wednesday. Drivers are paid by the drop with significant hourly-equivalent earnings. Minivans and trucks work best. Insurance and good driving record required. To be out on your own, earning money in the fresh air, call our Circulation Department, (405) 605-6790 or come by our offices at 3701 N Shartel Avenue, OKC to apply.

FIerCely lOCAl AND INDepeNDeNT! 28 | June 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

For five years, Chaya Fletcher worked her fingers to the bone at Urban Roots to keep the true legacy of Oklahoma City’s Deep Deuce neighborhood alive. Saturday night, however, the restaurant, bar, art gallery, music hub and poetry venue that she and her husband ran closed its doors at the end of a weeklong celebration of culture and artistic collaboration. Dozens of artists, musicians and venue fans participated in Preserving Our Roots Music Fest, a lineup emblematic of the rich motif Fletcher painted at Urban Roots for half a decade. For many, the weekend announcement was a disheartening surprise. “I just want the world to know how hard we tried to provide a culturally artistic outlet in such a worthy place,” Fletcher said after the final celebration. “We feel like we did good work, and we hope, because of our efforts, culturally significant ventures continue to happen and we show up to support them.” The venue began with a simple goal. “There weren’t many spaces that I felt were open to the arts,” Fletcher said just weeks ago before making tough decision to close Urban Roots for financial reasons. “You can go and have a nightclub and dance and party, but when you have a black artist or poet or

screenwriter or dancer, where do they go [to showcase their art]?” For at least half of the 20th century, Deep Deuce was the answer to that question in Oklahoma City, an answer that became known nationally by word of mouth. The loss hit the community hard. “When we opened our doors in 2010, we hoped to honor and preserve the roots of our ancestors in a sacred place,” Fletcher wrote in a post on the venue’s official Facebook page. “We feel we were instrumental in initiating new opportunities for culturally significant ventures and hope for those to see continued success.”

Cultural exchange

While Deep Deuce is now recognizable for its condominiums and walkable streets that attract affluent OKC newcomers, its legacy is that of a lively and artistic community borne from segregated America. “I think it’s been invaluable, Urban Roots being there,” said Anita Arnold, executive director of Black Liberated Arts Center (BLAC) on N. Lincoln Boulevard. “I see them as a … representative of the history down on Second Street. It is important that there is a presence of a rich and wonderful history, and they represent that. If they

P HOTOS BY M A R K HA n COC K

chaya fletcher, owner of urban roots

[go] away, I don’t think we would have anything to remind us of that history.” Arnold’s comments also came before the announcement of Urban Roots’ closure, and it remains to be seen what will happen to the historic building that housed the establishment at 322 NE Second St. But the outpouring of love, respect and positive memories posted to the venue’s Facebook page shows that Fletcher’s efforts will not soon be forgotten. “I met and made friends in there that I will cherish for a lifetime,” one woman commented. “This was our oasis. I’m brokenhearted,” added a young man with videos of Urban Roots poetry and jazz performances on his Facebook page. Fletcher helped launch the business in 2010, developing a “flexible and creative” concept intended to promote culture and interaction. “When you drink and break bread together, you use the food to bring people with differences together in a shared, collected space,” she said.

“On some levels, it has been very wellreceived. On other levels, it has been kind of confusing to some people who don’t really get the absence of this cultural element in Oklahoma City.” That cultural element is significantly more absent this week, for both Deep Deuce’s legacy and any Oklahoman invested in the arts. “[It was] a very fragile relationship to get people to understand that, yes, we’re black-owned, but this isn’t segregation again,” Fletcher said. “This [wasn’t] a black-only place.” A mother of three, Fletcher heard those misconceptions spoke of the business’s “dollars” not being as “diverse” as they needed to be. When Urban Roots was featured on the reality TV show Restaurant: Impossible, a few people called her to chastise her. “I have had people call and threaten us. They’ve called me a racist and a nigger in the same sentence because they didn’t see any white people working here when we were on Restaurant: Impossible,” she said. “People have yelled at us for not having any white people [pictured] in the art on our walls.” The incongruity of those criticisms aside, Fletcher points out that the positive comments she has received greatly outnumber the obnoxious ones. “For me it’s like, ‘What’s the big deal if you’re the only white person here?’ I’m usually the only black person in a lot of places I go,” she said. “In situations where you’re the only white person, you’re not really conditioned to do it. It’s different when you’re part of the majority, and then you go to this place where you’re not anymore. It’s just a level of comfort.”

African-American America

As Urban Roots reaches the end of its run, few hints remain of cONtiNueD ON NeXt PAGe

Musicians like Sean C. Johnson performed regularly at Urban Roots.

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OklahOma Gazette | June 10, 2015 | 29

life culture

Anita Arnold in her office with a large painting of Charlie Christian by artist Melvin R. Smith, a graduate of Frederick A. Douglass High School, the same school that Charlie Christian once attended.

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Deep Deuce’s past prowess and its importance to the community. Arnold praised Dan M. Davis Law Offices at 300 N. Walnut Ave. for restoring the old Calvary Baptist Church building and making it available to the community it served for so many years. The church, however, could be seen to represent a great and competing irony of the district. Much of city’s urban growth has been young, wealthy and white, with talented college graduates actively recruited to the city on a promise of culture, opportunity and bustling development. But that demographic does not remember or consider the world prior to Interstate 235 and the phrase “urban renewal.” It likely knows Dan Davis’ television commercials better than it knows the history of the church or how it once turned down the application of a pastor named Martin Luther King Jr. because he was too young. And while the venue’s reputation as a classy, hip establishment grew, the knowledge of Halley Richardson’s shoeshine parlor, the Oklahoma City Blue Devils and passionate jazz-band battles slips away. “When you go to Deep Deuce, you don’t expect to see a place like Urban Roots, even though you should because of the history,” Fletcher said this spring. The area’s history is something Fletcher and Arnold both fear is absent in the general public, and Urban Roots’ closure frightens historians even more. “History gets lost so easily,” said Arnold, whose organization sponsors the annual Charlie Christian International Music Festival, which started in Deep Deuce and now reaches across Oklahoma. “I would hope that the generation there now and going forward could, in fact, know the history. I would think that history should come forward with future generations moving in there.” That might be a long, uphill battle for Arnold, Fletcher and others

concerned with the intellectual preservation of both troubling and inspiring times in Oklahoma. It raises an old question that can be answered with an equally old joke: How does one discuss the effects of “separate but equal” while celebrating the rich history of African-American America? Very carefully. “This is my favorite place to play in OKC. It’s definitely deserving of [its] good reputation,” said Jeremy Thomas, a versatile musician who played at the venue during its final week. “It really means a lot because it [kept] the live music scene here fresh. When it comes to live music — predominantly along the lines of jazz — it’s not just an African-American heritage; it’s an American heritage. And this place [helped] us keep that alive.”

Inclusive history

Other artists raved about Urban Roots in person and posted regretful messages about the closing across social media. “When you come to hear a jazz group here, you’re going to hear them do their thing,” said trombonist Zac Lee, “whereas, most places, you’re playing cocktail music, you’re playing dinner music. That’s fine and all. I spent most of my life learning thousands of these old songs, and I do want to play them from time to time. But here I get to play new stuff. You get to throw down and do your thing.” Lee and Thomas’ comments were made before Urban Roots closed, but both said they felt pride taking the stage in such a historic area of Deep Deuce. “When you look at Charlie Christian, you know, that name is slowly disappearing from our lexicon,” Lee said. “He was a major figure, not just in the development of jazz but in the development of American music. We’re all very aware of his presence still being here. We come here with an awareness and a respect for this history.” Fletcher’s family lived much of that

history, including during the time the building that housed Urban Roots was home to Ruby’s Dance Hall and Grill, a restaurant where Fletcher’s grandmother waited tables while pregnant with Fletcher’s mother. “I think some of my proudest moments are when people of my grandparents’ age are here in Urban Roots and I see the sense of pride they have,” Fletcher said this spring. “Whether they know me or my family, when they come in and see that all that remains of their childhood is one black-owned business, I get to hear the stories they have. They have taught me so much — things I would never have known because I’m 35 and I grew up in an integrated society.”

What’s next?

Where will people go now to reminisce on how Deep Deuce used to be? What will the next generation of Oklahomans remember or understand about Deep Deuce’s significance? Fletcher worked for half a decade to make her venue an important part of those answers, and

soon, those questions will need even more focus. “How do we create a medium?” Fletcher said of the thought behind her business. “I think that in OKC specifically, yes, we have advanced in race relations, but we still have race issues.” Fletcher pointed to the preoccupation that some people have with Bobo’s Chicken, a legendary late-night food establishment at 1812 NE 23rd St. “They say, ‘Oh, I’m an urban pioneer. I took my kid to Bobo’s. We waited in line in the ’hood,’” Fletcher said. “People think that black is the ’hood or sketchy or whatever. We can be OK with who we are as a culture but still be appealing to all people.” With Urban Roots, Fletcher attempted to fill a community and cultural void. “We are more than what people just stereotype us as. We are educated. We like the same things you like. We like good music, good food, good wine. We are the same in so many ways,” she said. Her venue existed as a statement to that fact, a reminder of important history and a colorful horizon for the future. “Classy?” Fletcher considered the term when told that’s how Urban Roots had been described. “I don’t think it was intentional. I think it’s a result of who we attracted. We attracted people who were outgoing, traveled, educated, fashion-forward people. Are we black hipsters? I don’t know if there’s a name for us yet. But maybe that’s who we are because we are people who are driven by local fashion, music, art and poetry. We are the people who made Deep Deuce cool originally.”

calvary Baptist church

OklahOma Gazette | June 10, 2015 | 31

Teen heroes

Metropolitan Library System is seeking volunteers for its summer reading program.

BEST

MEDITERRANEAN LUNCH SPOT

6014 N MAY 947-7788 zorbasokc.com

32 | June 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

BY AliSSA liNDSeY

Local teenagers have the chance to be heroes in their communities thanks to Metropolitan Library System, which kicked off its Summer Reading Program on June 1 with a superhero theme. By signing up to volunteer, teens will get the chance to interact with children participating in the program and help hand out incentives to them when they reach their goals. Volunteers can also serve their communities by signing up to be reading buddies who read one-onone with kids at the library. Through involvement in a teen service team or teen advisory board, teenagers help brainstorm, plan and execute library programming with the help of the librarians. The teenagers get to participate in the crucial planning stages and then volunteer on the day of the event. These teams are also a great place for young people to meet their peers and make friends with similar interests, said Kim Terry, director of marketing and communications for Metropolitan Library System. “We get so many families, children and adults coming to the library. We’re trying to get a lot more teens ... So the advisory boards and the teams come up with these creative programs to get them in the library,” said Terry. Often, the volunteers end up enjoying the mentoring and leadership experience so much that they continue to volunteer after the conclusion of their projects. In 2014, Metropolitan Library System had more than 900 teen volunteers during the Summer Reading Program, Friends of the Library Book Sale and other events throughout the year. In August, the library will throw a party at Laser Quest to thank all of the volunteers for their help.

A sculpture of a collard lizard stands guard at the entrance to Northwest Library. Oklahoma teens can use their volunteer experiences with the library as resume boosters because they will build key career skills. By assisting customers with online needs, volunteers can improve their computer skills, and the teens who interact with patrons in the customer service area can sharpen their communication skills. They can even develop their artistic abilities by creating bulletin board designs. Volunteering at the library can also be a way to pave a path to employment for teens. The library is always hiring library aids. Employees who work this part-time position sort and shelve books, clean and assist with customer service. Starting pay is $10.02 per hour, and the hours are flexible, depending on individual library needs. Most library branches are always actively seeking volunteers, Terry said. Once teens have applied and been accepted to volunteer, they will watch some online training videos and discuss volunteering expectations. Interested youth ages 12 to 17 are welcome to volunteer without a background check, but anyone 18 years or older must submit to one. The Summer Reading Program runs through July 31, and both adults and children can sign up online. To learn about volunteer opportunities at your library, go to supportmls.org/volunteer and click on “opportunity search.” To sign up for the Summer Reading Program, visit metrolibrary. org/summerreading. Contact Heidi Port, volunteer services coordinator, with questions at 606-3762 or volservices@ metrolibrary.org.

M A RK HA n COC K

life YOutH

SPONSORED PROGRAM

filmSCHEDULE 2015 Narrative Features Documentary Features

Shorts Programs Animated Feature

Special Events Panels

THU 11

FRI 12

12:15pm-1:15pm kidsFEST Shorts 2:30pm-4:30pm Deep Impact Shorts 5:15pm-7:15pm Okie Not So Short Shorts

12:30pm-2:30pm How to Dance in Ohio 3:15-5:15pm Lone Man’s Land 6pm-8pm SKID

6:30pm-8:30pm Love, Sex & Death Shorts 9:15pm-11:15pm Horror Shorts

11:45am-1:45pm Deep Impact Shorts 2:30pm-4:30pm The Good, the Bad, and the Somewhere Inbetween Shorts 5:15pm-7:15pm Love, Sex & Death Shorts 8pm-10pm Okie Not So Short Shorts

11:30am-1:30pm The Good, the Bad, and the Somewhere Inbetween Shorts 2:15pm-4:15pm Okie Shorts 5pm-7pm Horror Shorts 7:45pm-9:45pm Not So Short Shorts

9:30pm-11pm This is Spinal Tap

10pm-1pm Kid’s Fest (Myriad Gardens Terrace Room) 9pm-9:30pm Awards Ceremony (The Great Lawn at the Myriad Gardens) 9:30pm-11:30pm Being Evel

9:30pm-11:30pm Out to Win

6:45pm-8:45pm 7 Chinese Brothers

12:30pm-2:30pm The Verdigris: Search of Will Rogers 3:15-5:15pm City of Gold 6:00pm-8:30pm The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

12:30pm-2:30pm How to Dance in Ohio 3:15pm-5:30pm The Stanford Prison Experiment 6pm-8pm Welcome to Happiness

7pm-9pm Hollis 9:45pm-11:30pm Doubleheader - Grapple Habit: Oklahoma City’s Addiction to B.L.O.W. and The Real Enemy

9pm-11pm Uncle John

12:15pm-2:15pm Shawn the Sheep 3pm-5pm Doubleheader - Grapple Habit: Oklahoma City’s Addiction to B.L.O.W. and The Real Enemy 5:45pm-7:45pm Welcome to Happiness 8:30pm-10:30pm By Blood

12:15pm-2:15pm SKID 3pm-5pm Harry & Avis 5:45pm-7:45pm The Verdigris: In Search of Will Rogers

6pm-8pm Best of Enemies 8:30pm-10:30pm Rolling Papers

11am-12pm OF+MO Panel: Filmming in Oklahoma 12:30pm-1:15pm Distribution Panel 1:30pm-2:15pm Conversation with OK ICON Bob Berney 2:30pm-3:15pm Conversation with Mayor and Filmmaker Mick Cornett 3:30pm-4:15pm Conversation with OK ICON Bradley Beesley 5:30pm-7:30pm The Stanford Prison Experiment 8pm-10pm The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

1:30pm-2:15pm Conversation with OK ICON Bird Runningwater 2:30pm-4:30pm Native Storytelling 5:30pm-7:30pm Eternal Princess 8pm-10pm Anesthesia

12:30pm-2:30pm City of Gold 3pm-5pm The Veil: A Work in Progress

6pm-8pm Okie Shorts 8:45pm-10:45pm The Overnight

12pm-2pm Hollis 2:45pm-4:45pm 7 Chinese Brotherss 5:30pm-7:30pm Harry & Avis 8:15pm-10:15pm The Overnight

12pm-2pm By Blood 2:45pm-4:45pm Lone’s Man Land 5:30pm-7:30pm Uncle John 8:15pm-10:15pm Mekko

10am-12pm Stella Artois Waffles and Beer Filmmaker Brunch (Filmmakers only)(OKCMOA) 10:30am-12pm Film Distribution Speed Dating (Filmmakers only)(OKCMOA) 8pm-10pm NOW PLAYING: Oklahoma Film + Music Filmmaker Reception (Filmmakers and Passholders)(IAO Gallery) 11pm-1am Slice Magazine’s Founder’s Frolic Passholder Lounge (Passholders)(IAO Gallery)

5pm-7pm Stella Artois Happy Hour at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop 11pm-1:30am Awards Night After Party (Myriad Botanical Gardens)

6:30pm-8:30pm Comedy Shorts 9:15pm-11:15pm Rated R (No, Seriously) Shorts

GREAT LAWN AT THE MYRIAD GARDENS

INASMUCH THEATER AT HARKINS

NOBLE THEATER AT OKCMOA

WILLIAMS THEATER AT HARKINS

SPECIAL EVENT

SUN 14

7:15pm-9:15pm Gloria

DEVON ENERGY AUDITORIUM

MIDFIRST THEATER AT HARKINS

SAT 13 12:45pm-2:45pm Comedy Shorts 3:30pm-5:30pm Not So Short Shorts 6:15pm-8:15pm Rated R (No, Seriously) Shorts

AMERICAN FIDELITY THEATER AT HARKINS (#4)

FERRELLOIL THEATER AT HARKINS

Please note that the films screened at deadCENTER Film Festival are unrated. Any films shown after 6 p.m. might have mature themes and are not appropriate for those under the age of 18.

5pm-10pm Opening Night Party at OKCMOA Rooftop (Passholders only) 10:30pm-1:30pm Opening Night After Party at Fassler Hall

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OKL AHOMA GAZ ETTE | J U NE 10, 2015 | 41

JOIN THE MORNING EDITION BOOK CLUB

LIFE YOUTH

Discussion June 22 • 7pm At Full Circle Bookstore

EXOTIC TROPICALS FOR YOUR HOME & GARDEN

Real genius Cleveland Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team dominates the world. BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

5308 N. Classen Blvd. • OKC

42 | JUNE 10, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

In a packed auditorium filled with 200 or so well-behaved yet wiggly children and their parents, Oklahoma City’s Cleveland Elementary School celebrated something huge. One of its two Odyssey of the Mind (OM) teams made it to the world finals in East Lansing, Michigan, and came home with the World Championship trophy. It was the last day of school, and the annual final assembly was underway. Teachers lauded students, students power-clapped for each other when prompted by Principal Morris and for the really big stuff, they brought out the firecracker clap, which means they made streamers with their fingers, adding whistling sound effects. This got the crowd revved up. But when the OM team took the stage, even the firecracker clap wasn’t enough and the children dissolved into jubilant applause and loud cheers. This is a saga of perseverance and teamwork. This team of six improbable heroes battled weather, nerves, terrible cafeteria food, prop catastrophes and even a broken bone, yet remained undaunted, eyes on the prize, until every single opponent had fallen in their wake. They beat the Germans,

Cleveland Elementary’s Odyssey of Mind team — Bobby Cochrane, Jordan Keast, Ryan McLaughlin, Drew Marshall, Noah Reid and Ian Oswald — receives its trophy for placing first in the world finals. who had incorporated high-tech lighting effects into their competition piece. They beat the Chinese and the South Koreans. They beat a bunch of Texans. They beat the Centennial Elementary team, which had been doing its share of trash-talking. They beat everyone in the world. They are Ian Oswald, Noah Reid, Jordan Keast, Robert Cochrane, Ryan McLaughlin and Andrew Marshall, and their story begins last October. They shared details of their odyssey in a boisterous group interview at the school. On the way into the room, the kids installed their trophy (which, they were quick to point out, is bigger than the chess team’s) right on the front desk for all to see. All but one, Oswald, are veteran OMers. Marshall has been competing for four years, Cochrane and Reid for three and Keast and McLaughlin for two. Oswald, a fourth-grader, is the youngest team member. Everyone else

is in fifth grade. A couple had been to the world finals before. Marshall’s parents, Ryan and Jenn, coached the team, which met at their house. “I am so proud of how this team has learned to work together, helping and encouraging one another, building upon one another’s ideas to problem solve and come up with some crazy creative solutions to problems,” said Coach Ryan. Richard Zamor, from Owasso, is Oklahoma’s OM World Finals Coordinator. He; his wife, Marianne; and their children have been involved with the program for more than 30 years. It was Marianne who got the family involved when she befriended Owasso’s gifted and talented teacher who was using the program herself. “The program teaches students how to think divergently by providing open-ended problems that appeal to a wide range of interests. Students learn how to identify challenges and think creatively to solve those problems. They are free to express their ideas and suggestions without fear of criticism,” Zamor said. “The creative problemsolving process rewards thinking outside of the box. ... By tapping into creativity and through encouraging imaginative paths to problem-solving, students learn skills that will provide them with the ability to solve problems great and small for a lifetime.” The group’s project of choice was an interesting one for such young students. “We chose the silent movie because this group is focused on the theatrical,” explained Keast.

Reid agreed. “I’ve always liked theater, so I joined. It’s fun,” he said. Oswald joined up because he was asked and because he had heard it was cool. He, like all the others, plans to continue his odyssey. When the team began its journey last October, the first order of business was to settle on which of the five problems they would choose. The problems are designed to challenge students to solve problems from various perspectives, such as the mechanical construction or engineering of a machine designed to solve a particular set of criteria or create an original play around a theme. The kids wrote a play, complete with an original musical score. The main character of the story is a hamburger that has been in the deep freeze since 1915. He comes out of the deep freeze in 2015 afraid of being eaten. To avoid the fate of being consumed, he decides to make a movie so people will like him. The other character in this story is a movie critic, the critical pickle. The hamburger director creates a silent movie because he is not familiar with movies with sound because movies were silent in 1915. The movie created is an epic horror film about a villainous mouth — what is scarier to a hamburger than a mouth? This tale takes place in the town of Sense-nati. Like any good villain, the evil mouth wants three things: money, power and the total annihilation of Brussels sprouts. To get power, the mouth goes to a power plant. He fails horribly and ends up getting electrocuted. “We have a bunch of leadership on this team. They each have their own strengths and skills that fit perfectly together to get all of the pieces of the problem solved. Plus, they just really like each other, which is a bonus,” Coach Jenn said. The decision for the intrepid Cleveland team to compete in the category 5 problem was unanimous. “In this problem teams will create and present a performance depicting a Director character that produces and presents a silent movie featuring a humorous villain character that commits three silly acts of ‘villainy,’” the problem’s description read. “Characters that are in the movie may not speak as part of the presentation of the movie. Instead, like classic silent films, the team will use music played on a team-created instrument and creatively displayed subtitles to convey its story to the audience and judges. Also, teams will use a signal to indicate when the movie begins and ends.”

R. Kelly

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P HOTOS P ROVI DE D

LIFE CULTURE

Spirited reel Local filmmakers premiere their documentary about local spiritual warfare that became international fodder for news channels.

BY GREG HORTON

deadCENTER Film Festival The Real Enemy doubleheader with Grapple Habit: Oklahoma City’s Addiction to B.L.O.W. 9:45 p.m. Thursday 3 p.m. Saturday Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16 150 East Reno Ave. $10-$150 Note: For deadCENTER festival tickets, schedule and more information, check out the official program guide in this issue.

When Adam Daniels performed his black mass at Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City last year, a documentary film crew was accompanying him before and during the event. Filmmakers Tate James and Daniel Giles Helm will present their final director’s cut of documentary The Real Enemy at deadCENTER Film

We’d

LOVE your vote again!

44 | JUNE 10, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Adam Daniels in a scene from The Real Enemy. Festival this year. “Daniel [Giles Helm] and I were raised in church in Oklahoma,” James said. “Our churches and households believed in spiritual warfare; they were common concepts in our lives — ideas we have moved away from now — but it was interesting to watch those concepts take over an entire national news cycle.” In fact, the events in Oklahoma City occupied an international news cycle as well, which is one of the reasons an earlier cut of The Real Enemy was so popular at Ethnografilm Festival in Paris in April. For people outside the bubble of spiritual warfare — the same people who have likely never heard the name Frank Peretti — the idea of a cosmic battle between demons and The Real Enemy

angels, God and the devil, believers and forces of darkness is the stuff of canned-plot horror movies, not an event that is staged at a civic center. Daniels appears in the documentary in very frank interview segments, and to their credit, the filmmakers never enter into judgment; they simply let Daniels say what he wants to say. “I think they did a good job of revealing my personality as it actually is, not how local media portrayed it,” Daniels said. The film delves into the lead-up to the event and includes interviews with Daniels’ wife, Everett Cox (a local exorcist), two academic experts on religion and several on-the-spot interviews with the crowd outside the civic center the night of the event. James and Helm even dig into the fractures in the Satanic community in Oklahoma City, including the break between Daniels and James Hale when The Church of IV Majesties rented the civic center in 2010 for a reverse exorcism, a ritual that involved casting out the Holy Spirit. Cox appears in the film because James said the longtime deliverance minister had an actual plan of attack leading up to the event. Cox, a former investment banker, is well-known in certain Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian circles in the state due to his Deliverance Ministries, a spiritual warfare ministry that has been performing exorcisms since the early 1980s. “They were meeting regularly, having prayer meetings to contest the black mass,” James said. “They were also interesting because they believe very similar things to Daniels’ group, but they obviously come at it from different sides.” The film is not family-friendly. The language is strong, the material is religiously complex and some of the imagery might disturbing to some people. The filmmakers do not shy away from Daniels’ status as a registered sex offender — again, they allow Daniels to speak for himself on the issue, but they have the good sense to allow someone else to tell another side of the story. The film is evenhanded, and James said they expended a lot of energy just keeping themselves out of it. “We wanted to present the ideas and facts and let people make up their own minds,” James said. Covering events with this level of theatricality and polarizing religious narratives is incredibly difficult, but James and Helm succeed.

Join us June 19 & 20 from 10am-4pm for our one year anniversary! Live Pigeons • Art Food trUCKs

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American Pigeon Museum & Library 2300 NE 63rd OKC 73111 • 405.478.5155

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 10, 2015 | 45

P HOTOS BY GA R E T T FI S B E C K

LIFE COMMUNITY

Jesus House

Breaking poverty Jesus House expands to offer more services to help people earn GEDs and better jobs. BY ZACH JACOBS

Over the past three years, Jesus House in downtown Oklahoma City has ministered to the physical needs of thousands of the city’s homeless, near homeless, addicted and mentally ill. Michael Bateman, executive director of Jesus House, said that the nearly 300,000 meals it has served, more than 100,000 items of clothing it has given away and more than 90,000 food baskets it has donated around Thanksgiving have “serv[ed] people that just haven’t had their cards dealt right to them.” Now, Bateman, his staff and a cadre of volunteers plan to help the city’s less fortunate through expanding the center’s educational services. More than 100 volunteers, staff, donors, public health officials and clients gathered in February at Jesus House, 1335 W. Sheridan Ave., to break ground on an expansion to the main building, one Bateman hopes will help break the cycle of poverty in the state. Since 2012, Jesus House’s Transitional Goals Program (TGP) helped clients earn General Educational Development (GED) credentials. However, all GED testing facilities in the metro use paperless tests. “We found that our GED preparatory program lacked the equipment and resources needed to effectively prepare our students,” Bateman said. He and the board also discovered a 2009 federal study that said the average single American needed at least a $16-perhour working wage to survive.

46 | JUNE 10, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

“Here, we are trying to get opportunities to get them minimumwage jobs,” said Bateman, adding that it is often a “red flag for addictive behavior” for those who work long hours and cannot make enough money to get by. Additionally, they found over 30 percent of Jesus House’s clients would utilize an updated GED program. Employing the idea that higher levels of education can lead to better jobs, better salaries and, ultimately, better lives, Bateman said the board’s plan helps educate locals so they can help themselves.

Helping Oklahomans

Bateman said the board reached out to its donor base, which included some of the city’s energy corporations and three major contracting and construction companies, to help raise more than $71,000 to fund the project. Not only was the fundraising project an “above and beyond” effort by those donors but it was also enough to fully finance the construction project. “That’s Oklahomans coming together, seeing a need and making it happen,” Bateman said. “Oklahomans just give, and the more we give and do, the more we receive.” He said the new facility will be slightly smaller than 600 square feet and will have a dozen desks and computers for clients to use to prepare for GED testing. Originally hoping for a mid-May completion date, the center is currently

Mike Bateman, Meg Salyer and county commissioner Brian Maughan during the Jesus House groundbreaking in February. waiting on city code approval to begin construction on the expansion.

Giving fish

In addition to the meals it serves, clothes it donates and educational services it provides, Jesus House also reaches out to the community through the AdoptA-Block program, in which its clients and other volunteers help beautify neighborhoods nearest the main facility. Jesus House also provides facilities for addiction recovery groups and a chapel open every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning to tend to clients’ spiritual needs.

The TGP will continue to help clients through its original offerings of medical care, prescription assistance, counseling, life skills classes, legal assistance, financial responsibility classes, employment placement services and housing placement. Bateman said the expanded learning services will help clients even further. “We want to give them hope,” he said, “so that when they leave, they won’t have to come back.” Visit jesushouseokc.org or call 2327164 for more information on the facility or how to volunteer with or donate to Jesus House.

life Visual Arts

Doodle pad Sketchbooks from O. Gail Poole reveal the artist’s many sides.

O. Ga i l P oole / P ROV ID E D

By Greg Horton

As Yet UnNAMED, The Sketchbooks of O. Gail Poole 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday Through June 26 The Depot 200 S. Jones Ave., Norman Free

Educators of all sorts have learned that the student who is dutifully sketching away in the middle of a lecture is actually listening to what is being said. The doodle — sketch being a more artistically respectful term — used to be punished by strict teachers, but the artistic temperament does not do well when forced to focus on just one thing, especially if that one thing is a teacher’s droning voice. When Norman businessman Jonathan Fowler sat on the Norman Public Arts Board with O. Gail Poole, he noticed that Poole was always writing or sketching in a sketchbook. “I didn’t know about Gail’s history as an artist,” Fowler said. “He was just a guy that served on the board, and we would have coffee sometimes. He was so humble that he never mentioned what a remarkable artist he was.” In fact, Poole was one of Oklahoma’s most accomplished artists, and some of those sketchbooks on which he worked during the meetings are on display at The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., in Norman through June 26. Fowler curated the show after discovering the sketchbooks while looking through Poole’s archived work. All of Poole’s unsold work was left to his daughter Nicole when he died in 2013. “Nicole and I met through a mutual friend, and she invited me to see his archives,” Fowler said. “When I

saw the sketchbooks, I got really excited and went through them immediately. It was like getting to re-experience Gail and, at the same time, see this whole other side of him.” Classifying Poole’s work is nearly impossible. Shari Jackson, owner of The Depot, said Poole was talented in many different styles and skill sets, including pen and ink, watercolors, pastels and oils. His subjects ranged from landscapes to portraits and cartooning. He was a master of many diverse styles. “Nicole and Jonathan picked a selection of sketchbook entries that beautifully reflect who Gail was as an artist,” Jackson said. “All the skill sets and styles available are on display.” Sketchbooks serve as an externalization of the mind of the artist. As Fowler found out when he searched through the books, Poole’s subjects ranged from the playful to the serious, dark and even humorously crude. “Gail was vocally political early in his life,” Fowler said, “especially about how important he thought rail was for Oklahoma. At some of the ACOG (Association of Central Oklahoma Governments) meetings, he would have these very poetic words about railroads juxtaposed next to a beautiful drawing of a train. Later in life, he was less vocal, but the sketchbooks continued to be an important outlet for his politics.” They contain all different kinds of drawings, including early sketches of works that eventually appeared in a different form. The original sketch for “Mind of Man,” a painting now part of the State Capitol collection, can be found in one of them. It’s like a glimpse into the development of the art itself. The show features ten large drawing boards with multiple sketchbooks on each, all opened to a particular page. Two iPad kiosks in The Depot allow visitors to virtually flip through the other pages in the books. Twenty-five framed giclée are also included in the show. These are sketches lifted from the books and professionally photographed by Neil Chapman. Many of the pieces at the show, including many unframed prints and a coloring book for children, are for sale.

All ages welcome • $15 in Advance $20 at the door

Tickets Available @ Ticketstorm.com

Great Food + Great Drinks + Beer Specials

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Okl ahoma Ga z et te | J u n e 10, 2015 | 47

life Visual arts

Southwest color World-renowned artists saddle up to JRB Art at the Elms for brunch.

Prix de West Brunch 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. sunday JrB art at the elms 2810 n. Walker jrbartgallery.com free

The summer heat is setting in, but something cool is happening at JRB Art at the Elms. Internationally acclaimed artist Billy Schenck will be at the gallery from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday for the annual Prix de West brunch. Schenck’s work is part of the gallery’s Best of the West exhibit and is featured along with Oklahoma artists Joe Andoe and Bert Seabourn. Schenck’s work is infused with humor, as is his conversation, but his early life was not. His success is partly “a great big fuck you.” “I grew up in an environment where I was constantly told I was incompetent, no good. It was my stepfather. He was a Hollywood cowboy — you’d recognize him, a TV cowboy from the late ’40s and ’50s,” Schenck said. Schenck used art as a means of escape, tracing and drawing cartoons as a child. He had a rough upbringing, and he said his grades were bad because of it. “I couldn’t get into college. I remember my mom driving me around to all these colleges in the area, and I couldn’t get in,” he said. As a resort, he applied to art school and was accepted. “It’s funny, but I remember thinking, ‘Well if I got in, this must not be a very good school,’” he said. Schenck, who won’t tell you where he’s from, is the king of contemporary Western art, a genre he co-created in the 1970s after working at Andy Warhol’s Factory, the avant-garde New York art studio that was the gathering place for musicians and artists of all kinds in the ’60s and ’70s. Schenck’s star catapulted to fame during the gritty 1970s New York years and has fallen and risen again in the decades since. “New York was so rough and raw in the ’70s. I read memoirs by people like Patti Smith — who I had friends in common with — and it’s like reading my own history,” Schenck said. “It was the best, best era. You met such cool people,

48 | June 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

New York was so rough and raw in the ’70s. I read memoirs by people like Patti Smith — who I had friends in common with — and it’s like reading my own history.

— Billy Schenck

all young and on the make, and you could be a young artist. We all had illegal lofts. My (then) wife and I had one in a former golf factory.” He left New York in 1975 because his career crashed, but since then, he has become the most widely collected artist in his genre. His work is internationally renowned and appears in the permanent collections of 48 museums. “I use the deserts and denizens of the Southwest as a point of departure. The landscapes and the figures that pass through these late-dusk settings become metaphors for an earlier time,” Schenck said. “Through these figures, I hope to evoke an ionic essence of what it was like to live and die in 19th century American Southwest.” Bert Seabourn works in paint and printmaking. Experimenting in many mediums for more than 50 years, he exhibits throughout the U.S. and many other countries and has work in public and private collections — including The Vatican Museums’ Collection of Modern Religious Art and Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History — internationally. Joe Andoe, who grew up on a farm in Tulsa, paints landscapes and animals. He earned an MFA from the University of Oklahoma and has lived in New York City since the ’80s. He is also an author and a filmmaker. He has paintings in collections throughout the United States, including The Museum of Modern Art in New York. The show runs through June 27 at JRB Art at the Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave.

a RTWORK BY Bi llY S C Hen C K

By CHristine eDDinGton

www.shopbowandarrow.com 617 N. Broadway Ave. • 601-0605 Hours: Mon-Fri 11-6 • Sat 11-4

OklahOma Gazette | June 10, 2015 | 49

P HOTOS BY M a R K Ha n COC K

life Visual arts A MusicAl DrAMA By susan Hunter & Tom shelton Based on the book by carol ryrie Brink

Opens June 5-14

Directed by Rebecca Upshaw

Stage Door Theatre

The

Jesús Moroles

601 Oak • YukOn, Ok 73099 • FridaYs & saturdaYs 7:30pm • sundaYs 2:30pm

tickets: visit www.stagedOOrYukOn.cOm

Parked art

Jesús Moroles creates a place of serenity for USAO students.

By GreG Horton

Go to

3 DOORS DOWN & SEETHER

okgazette.com/GWW to enter to win a pair of tickets:

Friday, July 10 @Firelake arena

GAZETTE’S WEEKLY WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED EACH WEEK IN THE TABLE OF CONTENTS Printed winners have 7 days to claim tickets

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& FUN RUN

presents

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma’s (USAO) first ever artistin-residence is altering the Chickasha university’s campus with a massive granite installation that will serve as a campus and community park. Coming Together Park is the work of Jesús Moroles, a sculptor whose work appears all over the world and includes a traveling Smithsonian show. The 40,000-square-foot park, which Moroles calls an “environmental installation,” is Moroles’ largest piece area-wise. He has sculpted larger pieces on a vertical axis, as he tends to craft large-scale works. Moroles has done commissioned work for Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), but this is his first installation in Chickasha. “Most of my work now is about

creating sacred spaces,” Moroles said, “and where better than a university, a place where students can find tranquility to soak up their experiences and reflect on what they are learning?” Moroles began to work with stone as a boy — his uncle was a master stonemason — and he was bigger and stronger than his peers, so he was able to help his uncle at an early age. However, he did not begin to sculpt until college and only then because he received a B in sculpture class. It was his first B, so he considered it a personal challenge to excel in sculpture. “I worked with everything in sculpture — steel, marble, all the normal materials — and eventually, I got to granite,” Moroles said. “The stone pushed me; I had a connection with it. Granite was the most

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50 | June 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Alice Dunaway forms granite pieces with an angle grinder.

Rob Vollmar looks out over Coming Together Park.

Brittany Standard marks granite pieces for cutting on the USAO campus.

I worked with everything in sculpture — steel, marble, all the normal materials — and eventually, I got to granite. The stone pushed me; I had a connection with it. Granite was the most challenging thing I ever tried. — Jesús Moroles

challenging thing I ever tried.” In 2011, Moroles was invited to help jury an art show at USAO, and he enjoyed being back on a campus. Layne Thrift, a professor of art, made Moroles aware of several large pieces of granite that had been donated to the university by a former professor.

“The foundation of her house was made of granite,” Moroles said. “The stone had sat unused, so we came up with a plan to use it.” As artist-in-residence, Moroles is working with Thrift and students to create Coming Together Park. The work began in May, and Moroles hopes to complete it in August. The park will feature large rings of granite around trees on the school oval, crushed granite and stamped concrete walking paths, benches and a grassy knoll for naps or sunbathing. Because Moroles likes to work with the land — he calls it “carving the ground” — the park will also feature an arroyo that will run with rainwater or function as a walkable, dry creek bed. “We are adding lighting and outlets for phones and laptops so the park is a place people can visit all the time,” Moroles said. “We want to get the community involved, too, so if anyone wants to volunteer, we have room for them to help.” In addition to the functional aspects of the park, Moroles is creating several smaller pieces of art that will be permanently on display.

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Oklahoma Gazette | June 10, 2015 | 51

life Performing art

Summer stars Oklahoma! opens Lyric Theatre’s new season. By Mark Beutler

Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. okcciviccenter.com 297-2264 $25-$86 Oklahoma! June 23-27 Mary Poppins July 7-11 Big Fish July 21-25 Billy Elliot Aug. 4-8

The groundbreaking Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma! redefined musical theater when it first appeared on Broadway in 1943. Even those who have never set foot on the red earth of the Sooner state have likely heard the catchy lyrics to the title song. Now, Lyric Theater is bringing Oklahoma! back to life as it kicks off the 2015 summer season. Oklahoma! runs June 23 through June 27 at Civic Center Music Hall. Lyric’s artistic director Michael Baron is directing the new production of the classic musical. “I was in the show when I was 19 in Orlando, Florida, and still have fond memories of this historic show,” Baron said. Most artists in musical theater

52 | June 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

Cast members for Lyric Theatre’s upcoming season. will at some point be a part of Oklahoma! But there are many special reasons for doing the show at Lyric this summer. “It is often considered the first American musical and was the first show Lyric ever produced in 1963,” Baron added. “It started our journey as a landmark institution for producing musical theater. It is not only one of the greatest musicals of all time, but it speaks to everyone in our state in a special way. It tells the story of who we are and why we are here in this beautiful area of the country. Plus, it’s a rare event when a musical’s title song is also the state song. Affection for the show is already built in when done in our state. Most importantly, it’s a story and work of art that Oklahomans can be proud of around the world and deserves the inspiring production Lyric is able to deliver.” Oklahoma native Christopher Rice returns to Lyric for the first time in several years in the role of Will Parker. He says Oklahoma! is one of the first movie musicals he remembers watching as a kid. “Lyric is where I made my professional debut around age 10,”

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Rice said. “To come back to that stage and have the chance to perform the musical that really started it all for me feels very full-circle. This homecoming is something very special for me.”

More music

In addition to Oklahoma!, other shows during Lyric’s summer run include Mary Poppins, which runs July 7 through July 11. It stars another Oklahoma native, Lindsie VanWinkle, in the role of everyone’s favorite nanny. “I am so excited to come home,” VanWinkle said. “For me, it will be about having fun, playing with the wonderful actors surrounding me and bringing to life the vision of our director and choreographer. Plus, I get to sing a duet with my mentor from the University of Central Oklahoma, Dr. Marilyn Govich [Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins]. I could just die happy on that stage.” Later in the month, Big Fish runs from July 21 to July 25. It is a story of larger-than-life tales as a father tries to reconcile with his son. Finally, Billy Elliott, the young boy whose talent and drive inspires his entire community, will dance on the Civic Center stage August 4 through August 8. Putting together each show takes a small army. Choreographers, set designers and costumers all work behind the scenes to make each show a memorable production. Jeffrey Meek has long been Lyric’s resident costume designer and said his work begins with a simple reading of the script.

“Long before fabric is ever bought and designs are drawn, there are several readings of the play and meetings with the directors,” Meek said. “I must decide how I want to convey the story through clothing. Every character has a specific trait that can be enhanced by how they look.” After many meetings with directors and fellow designers, Meek said it is time to start the design process. That includes sketches of the designs, which he said are important when dealing with a nontraditional production. “Because of the brisk time schedule at Lyric, my best designs appear on cocktail napkins and the back of envelopes,” he said. “I then shop for fabrics and materials. Once in the costume shop, patterns are made and fabrics are cut and passed out to a very talented group of stitchers that create the garments.” A large show at Lyric can take anywhere from four to six months to construct once it arrives in the shop. After the garments are made, Meek said, actors are fit and alterations are made. If all goes as planned, the costumes arrive at the theater for one of only two dress rehearsals before the public gets to see them. “Each costume takes a large crew of stitchers, craft people, wig designers, hair stylists and dressers to get to opening night,” Meek said. “Each costume tells a story — not only the story of the characters on stage but the story of countless hours of work and love that created it.”

Oklahoma Gazette | June 10, 2015 | 53

life active

p hotos by m a rk ha n coc k

First approach A local golf program piques interest in the sport and teaches children about integrity on and off the course.

Zachery Myers has participated in The First Tee since he was around 4 years old.

By Anya Alvarez

Walk through the front door of The First Tee of Metropolitan Oklahoma City and you will see why children enjoy spending their time there. The environment is warm and welcoming, but it also feels like a nice clubhouse at a golf course. The TV in the main entry airs Golf Channel, and behind the check-in desk are bags of golf clubs. One bag is emblazoned with the name Bob Tway. He is one of Oklahoma’s most well-known golfers and a major champion. The First Tee started in 1997 when the LPGA and PGA tours, Masters Tournament and USGA partnered to find a way to expose kids to golf and its values. The program has grown exponentially, serving more than 9 million young people in the U.S. As anyone involved in the program will tell you, The First Tee is not just about golf. “We want to use this as an opportunity to help young people learn life skills inherent to golf but that can also be applied to their life outside the golf course,” said Debi Martin, volunteer executive director of the First Tee chapter in Oklahoma City. “It’s a youth development program that teaches leadership skills ... and also helps instill more confidence in those who participate in the program.”

54 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

The First Tee established Nine Core Values that the organization believes are inherent to the game of golf and life: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. Cameron Shelton Jr. has participated in The First Tee since he was 5 years old. He said the confidence he has learned in the program has helped him on the golf course and in school. “When I’m taking a math exam, I have the confidence that I know I’ll do well,” he said. “I’ve really learned to believe in myself.” Zachery Meyers is 16 and has been in the program for twelve years. He believes honesty is the greatest value he has learned. “That’s one of the most important things in life ... you need to be honest with people so they aren’t getting a false [impression] of who you are,” he said. The First Tee is trying to break down the stereotype that golf is an elitist sport. With the costs of clubs, balls, greens fees and lessons, golf is inaccessible to many. The program provides all those things with a small enrollment fee of $25 for each session, which is seven weeks long. “What I’ve enjoyed about The First Tee is that they’re welcoming and don’t

When I take them to the golf course, they seem to act more mature than the adult golfers and seem to have more respect and consideration of others. — Jeff Westlake Cameron Shelton Jr. has participated in The First Tee since he was 5. leave anyone behind. They really want everyone to excel here,” Meyers said. Jeff Westlake enrolled his two children, Keegan and Kirstin, in The First Tee almost two years ago and said they have developed a certain level of maturity and confidence. “When I take them to the golf course, they seem to act more mature than the adult golfers and seem to have more respect and consideration of others,” Westlake said. “A couple weeks ago, Keegan was playing in a tournament in Tulsa with kids three years older than him, and he could not have cared less. And with Kirstin, she’s a lot more outgoing now and has a

really positive attitude when she meets other kids.” When Westlake saw the benefits of the program through his children, he decided to get certified to become a volunteer coach. For Kirstin, it’s all about being with other kids. “I like that it gives me the opportunity to meet different people, and every time I learn something new that helps my golf game, it makes me feel better about myself,” she said. As participants reach different levels of certification, they are eligible to apply for scholarships. Since 2003, more than $1 million in scholarship funds has been distributed nationally through The First Tee.

Oklahoma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 55

life active

Get your kicks at one of OKC Energy Football Club’s upcoming youth soccer camps.

The Energy at a recent game.

BY BRENDAN HOOVER

Oklahoma City Energy Football Club Assistant Coach James Ritchie had a good dilemma on his hands recently. His team defeated fellow United Soccer League (USL) club Tulsa Roughnecks FC 1-0 during the third round of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest cup competition in United States soccer. It meant that Ritchie, who directs Energy FC’s youth soccer camp program, would have to reschedule an upcoming camp to work around the team’s next game, a fourth-round matchup against Major League Soccer (MLS) powerhouse FC Dallas on Tuesday. “It’s not ideal, but it will still be fun,” Ritchie said of rescheduling the camps. “We’re playing one of the best teams in the continent, so we’re very, very excited about that.” Designed for boys and girls of all skill levels and abilities, the youth

56 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

soccer camps feature Energy FC players and coaches as instructors and use age-appropriate exercises that ensure all players are challenged in a fun and dynamic way. There are three camps available. The recreational camp (ages 4 to 14) focuses on individual development and fun; the advanced camp (ages 10 to 16) is for experienced players, focusing on individual skills, small group concepts and small-sided competitions; and the goalkeeping camp (ages 10 to 16) offers specialized training, including handling, shot stopping, crossing and distribution. The goalkeeping camp runs concurrently with the advanced camp, and keepers will join other players in small-sided games at the end of each day. “I’ve always loved working with young players,” Ritchie, a Glasgow, Scotland native, said. “It’s something I

enjoy, trying to push the game, especially in the USA. Back home, kids just play it in Scotland. It’s natural.” The recreational, advanced and goalkeeping camps that were scheduled for Monday-Wednesday, June 17 at North Oklahoma City Soccer Club (NOKC), 11711 N. Portland Ave., have been moved to new dates. Now, the camps will be held from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday; 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17; and 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18. A recreational camp originally scheduled for June 1-3 at Northwest Optimist Soccer Club has been combined with the recreational camp at the NOKC soccer complex, Ritchie said. Additional recreational camps have also been planned in Kingfisher on June 22-24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Briscoe Park, 301 N. Main St., and in Mustang on July 27-29 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at

Wild Horse Park, 1201 N. Mustang Road. Registration for all summer camps is $120. A parent or guardian must complete a liability waiver before campers can attend. Campers will receive a T-shirt and a ticket to an upcoming Energy FC match. This is Ritchie’s second year in Oklahoma City after joining Energy FC in 2014. Before that, he spent three years as head coach of Premier Development League (PDL) Kitsap Pumas, based in Bremerton, Washington. Ritchie also served as the Pumas’ indoor head coach, director of coaching for its youth academy and youth summer camp director. “It’s something I feel very passionate about,” he said. Visit energyfc.com or call 235-5425 to register for the camps.

p rovi de d

High Energy

Water city OKC opens aquatic parks so residents can escape the summer heat.

Photos by K eaton Dra p er

By Alissa Lindsey

Earlywine Family Aquatic Center 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday 3101 SW 119 St. 297-1418 $3-$7

Will Rogers Family Aquatic Center 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday 3201 N. Grand Blvd. 297-1451 $3-$7 Season passes are $60-$180.

The Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department has 17 park spraygrounds and two aquatic centers open for families to enjoy this summer. The spraygrounds are playgrounds with water toys to keep friends and families cool during the summertime heat. “You have all kinds of interactive water toys where people can go and basically get wet and splash in a fun and playful way,” said Jennifer McClintock, public information and marketing manager at OKC Parks & Recreation. The spraygrounds have misters, sprayers, buckets that fill with water and dump and bubblers, which are little fountains that come up from the ground. The toys can be activated by the push of a button and run on a cycle to conserve water, which comes from the same source as the residential water.

Covered picnic tables offer parents supervising their children an escape from the sun. “What we’ve found … is that people are going and they’re going for hours … They will bring coolers and they’ll stay for hours and really make an experience of it. They’ve also been a great place for neighbors and the community to really come together,” McClintock said. Admittance to the spraygrounds is free, and they are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Sept. 7. The family aquatic centers offer swimming pools with zero-depth entry for parents with small children, large water slides and many of the same toys featured at the spraygrounds. Full-service concession stands offer patrons items like soft drinks, pizza and pretzels, and patrons can enjoy their concessions in lounge chairs and in shade under umbrellas. Earlywine Family Aquatic Center, 3101 SW 119th St., also has a 40-foot plunger slide. “You get on a little raft and you drop down about 15 feet into what I would describe as a large bowl, and it swirls you around like a sink drain. And then it drops you down again and shoots you into a tunnel about another 20 feet,” McClintock said. Swimming lessons are offered for all ages and swimming abilities at the aquatic centers for $30 per person. Each session includes eight one-hour lessons. The aquatic centers are open 12 p.m.

Go Outside Spraygrounds 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Through Sept. 7

Douglass Park 901 N. Frederick Douglass Ave.

Lippert Park 5500 S. Shartel Ave.

McKinley Park 1300 N. McKinley Ave.

above and at top Douglass Park Sprayground

Minnis Lakeview Park

to 8 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday until August 13, when the aquatic centers are only open during select dates. Daily admittance to the family aquatic centers is $7 for people 48 inches and taller, $6 for people under 48 inches tall and $4 for patrons who aren’t swimming. Season passes are available for $60 per person or $180 for a family of four. Season pass holders can beat the crowds with an added bonus of early entry at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Earlywine Family Aquatic Center has a capacity of 500 swimmers, and the center is often busy, which can create wait times. Will Rogers Family Aquatic Center, 3201 N. Grand Blvd., opened in 2001 and was the first aquatic center in the city. This center has 1- and 3-meter diving boards.

Schilling Park

12518 NE 36th St.

537 SE 25th St.

Wiley Post Park 2021 S. Robinson Ave. For a complete list of city spraygrounds, visit okc.gov/parks/ pools. For more information, call 297-2211.

For summer 2016, improvements will be made to indoor dressing rooms and bathrooms and some pool play features will be upgraded. Children under 8 years old must be accompanied by an adult at both the aquatic centers and the spraygrounds.

Okl ahoma Gazette | j une 10, 2015 | 57

SuDOku Puzzle meDium Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3-by-3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9.

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AD DESIGN EDITORIAL LAYOUT AD COPYWRITING plus a flair for creativity. If you like to work (and play) hard, want to get paid for it, plus receive generous benefits, make the connection with our team by sending a cover letter and resumĂŠ to: The HR Manager at 3701 N. SHARTEL AVE. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. 73118 OR EMAIL MHARRISON@OKGAZETTE.COM NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE!

58 | June 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

NeW YORk TimeS CROSSWORD Puzzle ANSWeRS Puzzle No. 0631, which appeared in the June 3, issue.

J U L E S

U H U R A

S A I N T F R A N C I S C O L L E G E

T U L G I S T U S C O E S H Y P A S O R D T A R V E T A O A R W G E J S A O AW K L A G E E Y S H A M A R A T O V E R R B A G P I

A T S T E H A E N I E R WO Y N A Y N K C E R E E W E O K R K E S P H O O D P E

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U M M B A H R A O O H A U D F A R M G S O N N E T E R S T E S O N O O N K P H N A B E E O E D E R C K Y E MO I A L L Y WA W E E B A L E L M A C D C R O N B Y O S N A Y S U O S H T I R A Q U A S T T U M S OM I S E P I N A S E R I N R H A Z A R D T N H E R E I T I E E R I G O A S M S N O G L

O T R A S G O R G E T H E U N A I S L E

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A T N I I N O N Y O S O S U E K S N R O E W N AW E H H A E T W I A M I N S M A O Y F R I F A N O G

E S A N T O R A D I A T E

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F L I E S

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V E R N E

Note: When this puzzle is completed, an apt phrase can be found by starting at the top central letter and reading clockwise.

70 Lacto-____ vegetarian 71 Condemned 72 Gone 76 Hockey team with a patriotic name 78 Distraction for many an idle person ACROSS 80 Bests 1 Choco ____ (Klondike treat) 81 Capacious 5 School 82 Apple desktop 10 Items that may be labeled 83 National Novel Writing Mo. SMTWTFS 84 Havana-to-Palm Beach dir. 15 Dog sound 85 Eagerly accept 18 Series of numbers? 86 See 92-Across 20 Kurt Vonnegut’s Happy Birthday, 88 Handled roughly ____ June 90 Japanese for “teacher” 21 Former part of the British Empire 91 Message to one’s followers 22 Joe Biden’s home: Abbr. 92 Portrayer of 86-Across in Elf 23 “I expected as much” 93 Artifact 25 Towering 95 Rakes 26 Letters of obligation 97 Cooking-spray brand 27 Hair piece 98 “The Downeaster ‘____’?” (Billy 28 Currency that, in one Joel song) denomination, features a portrait of 100 Sleep mode? Linnaeus 106 Malt product 30 Garment for tennis, perhaps 107 Bring home the gold 32 Not as exciting 108 Barely manage 34 Return from a store 109 Breakfast-cereal maker 37 When blacksmithing began 110 Hyphenated fig. 39 Perfect orbit 111 Factions 40 Fanatical 112 “It was just a joke!” 41 66, e.g.: Abbr. 113 Where writing is on the wall? 42 Nav. rank DOWN 43 Run ____ 1 Mai ____ 44 Boarded 2 Bottom-row key 45 “Awe-SOME!” 3 Capt. Kangaroo’s network 47 Occurring in March and 4 Peak that’s known as “The Great September, say One” 50 Shenanigans 5 Rare notes 53 Dietary no-no 6 Crisp bit in a stir-fry 54 Grey and ochre 7 Further 55 “There is ____ in team” 8 String after B 56 Pleasant inflection 9 Seafood-soup base 57 Park opened in 1964 10 Series opener 59 Easy-peasy task 60 Chocolate- mint brand with peaks 11 Privy to 12 Attraction that operates under its in its logo own steam? 63 Temperature units 13 Not in the dark 64 Muscles worked by leg presses 14 Authorization 65 Anti-Revolutionary of 1776 15 Catcher of some waves 66 Gets harsher 16 Shake-ups in corps. 68 An example of itself

5 19

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80 84

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17 Champagne holder 19 Seasonal linguine topper 24 “____ even” 29 Expunge 31 Prepare to tie a shoelace, say 32 Staple of quiz bowls 33 Redolence 35 Pro ____ 36 Coin to pay for passage across the River Styx 38 Put another way 39 Strewn 41 Fodder for tabloids 44 Little bugger 45 Wise ones 46 Daughter of Hyperion 48 Condition of sale 49 TV’s The ____ Today 50 Bring, as to a repair shop 51 Thoroughfare 52 Dog sounds

100

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74 Pass 75 Hand source 77 Bank to rely on 78 Soaks (up) 79 Pouting expression 81 Major stockholder? 83 “m” and “n” 85 Hula hoop? 86 Dumbfound 87 Small change 88 June honorees 89 Parts, as blinds 90 Blind parts 94 Highway number 96 Variety of antelope 99 Fiction 101 Old White House moniker 102 Unit usually seen with the prefix deci103 Equal: Prefix 104 Big name in current research? 105 Point of writing?

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Collapsed, with “in” Ends of letters Somebody ____ Words below an orange on a license plate 60 One of 24 in a glucose molecule 61 Bagel topper 62 It might contain a list of postal abbreviations 63 Something you might get a kick out of? 64 Steven Wright’s “I intend to live forever. So far, so good,” e.g. 66 Capital city founded during a gold rush 67 Mariana, e.g. 68 ____ a one 69 What’s superior to Lake Superior: Abbr. 71 Hip-hop’s Mos ____ 72 Hematophagous creature 73 Buddy

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54 57 58 59

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Oklahoma Gazette | June 10, 2015 | 59

60 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

New age

Kids get rowdy during Everything is Not OK music festival at The Conservatory.

The Conservatory is now 89th Street Collective, but it still offers live music for all ages.

Ga rett Fi s bec k

life Music

By GreG HOrtON

teenage Bottlerocket with the copyrights, little kicks and community Pools 7 p.m. June 18 $10

Disentomb with cerebral effusion, Delusional Parasitosis, embodied torment and inqutious Deeds 3 p.m. June 19 $17

Psychostick with soul torrent and Pray for Prey 7 p.m. July 23 $10

The Conservatory was home to indie bands and their young fans for more than a decade, and new owner Nick Hampson hopes to continue that legacy in a club he has frequented and worked in since he was 15 years old. One of his first responsibilities as new owner was to find a new name for his self-described home away from home. Now called 89th Street Collective, the venue was The Green Door before it was The Conservatory. Previous owners Dustin Wallace and Gianni Santille took over the venue in 2003 when The Green Door relocated to east Bricktown. In February, they sold the venue to Hampson, who has worked in the club for nearly four years. “I started doing live sound when I was about 16, and that got me into music,”

Garett Fisbeck

8911 N. Western ave. 89thstreetokc.com find tickets at ticketstorm.com and Party Galaxy locations. Note: all shows are all-ages.

Teenage Bottlerocket plays June 18 at 89th Street Collective. katie H OVLanD / PrOViD eD

89th street collective

Hampson said. “I worked at the Coca-Cola Event Center and Bricktown Live, and that’s where I met people who booked bands.” Hampson started booking small acts as a result of his new connections, and a career in music seemed inevitable from that point. In addition to working at The Conservatory, he was also a fan of several bands that played there. It was a case of work and play in the same place, so when the previous owners decided to retire, he wanted to keep the venue active. “There are very few all-ages venues anymore,” Hampson said. “I was coming to shows here when I would not have been allowed into many other venues.” His appreciation for the kind of place that allows all ages and features underground bands made it an easy decision to buy the club, too. “I chose the name because it’s about a group of people that share or are motivated by a common interest or objective,” Hampson said. “Our scene, the punk rock scene, is always motivated by common interests, and we thought it would help people feel like the place was home just like it did when I started going to shows here when I was 15.” Hampson does love the punk rock

Nick Hampson, owner of 89th Street Collective. scene, but he said 89th Street Collective will do what the venue has always done: book indie bands in many different genres, including hardcore, metal and indie pop. He is handling the booking himself, and shows are already happening, sometimes a couple times a week and sometimes more frequently. As part of the new identity, Hampson has refurbished the bathrooms, purchased new signage and updated the PA system. He said there will be more changes, including relocating the bar to allow more space and possibly knocking out a couple walls to increase capacity. By repurposing some storage space as well, he hopes to increase the capacity to nearly 300. A change in ownership also means a change in licensing for the bar. Hampson has applied for the new license, and he said the venue will once again have a full bar. “We’re hoping for 30-60 days, but we don’t know,” Hampson said. “We will use the wristband system like we always have so that we can continue to be an all-ages venue.”

OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 61

life music

David B. Hooten has played for kings and queens, but he thinks his fellow Oklahomans are the jam.

David B. Hooten

By Mark Beutler

He has been nominated for three Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award and is a world-renowned musician who has played for the pope. Yet David B. Hooten remains one of Oklahoma City’s best-kept secrets. Hooten grew up in Duncan — quite a journey from the Italian countryside where he was born. His father was in the Air Force, and the family lived in various cities throughout Europe before returning home to the United States. His talent for the trumpet started at an early age. “I wanted to play trumpet since I was born,” Hooten said. “I bugged my parents for a trumpet until I finally found one at Bill’s Pawn Shop and bought it for $65. I taught myself how to play in the summer after fifth grade.” After playing for a local music store owner who thought he was 16, even though he was only 9, Hooten said he literally won every contest he could find for trumpet and piano. He later studied with legendary teacher Don “Jake” Jacoby when he was 15 and then with Dr. Leonard Candelaria at the University of North Texas. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education, Hooten attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a master’s degree in trumpet performance in 1989. That same year, he recorded his first album, The Trumpet Shall Sound, which included his version of “Amazing Grace.” The album sold tens of thousands of copies worldwide, and

62 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

through the years, he has recorded more than 20 albums of his own and performed on and produced more than 100 albums. He has also performed privately for the world’s elite. “I performed for the royal family of Thailand and was invited to record an album with the princess of Thailand,” Hooten said. “Performing for them was amazing. The king is a great jazz clarinet player, and the princess was a young trumpeter. The family has a great appreciation for music.” But the royalty wasn’t limited to Thailand. Hooten also traveled to London, where he performed at the 60th birthday celebration of Queen Elizabeth II. “What can I say? The queen is, of course, the queen,” Hooten said. “I also performed at a private audience for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome. I was humbled to speak to and to be blessed by the Holy Father. Back here in the United States, I performed for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush at the White House.” Hooten proposed to his wife Whitney in the China Room at the White House, and they now have three children.

Offbeat encounters

Through the years, Hooten has been versatile in many areas of the entertainment industry, even appearing as a Calvin Klein underwear model during his college days. Today, he is venturing into another business with

his kids, one taking him back to his Italian roots. “My mom owned a restaurant in Duncan called Mama Lucia’s,” Hooten said. “She started the restaurant in 1972. I played there each Thursday with musicians ranging from Wynton Marsalis to Henry Mancini. I bought the restaurant from her in 1995 but closed it in 2003 so I could be home more and raise my kids.” The matriarch’s sauce was the most popular item on the menu, so Hooten and his two oldest kids decided to market the dressing. “We started the business in our kitchen and initially sold it by the jar at Kamp’s Meat Market,” he said. “We kept growing and moved manufacturing to a licensed commercial kitchen, and David’s Meat Sauce is now in the frozen food section of 15 Homeland stores and will hopefully be in Braum’s soon.” In his spare time, Hooten’s charitable contributions include serving as president of Children’s Music Education Foundation, which he established. He and his wife also established the David and Whitney Hooten Foundation through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, which helps provide music opportunities for children. He also chaired Red Tie Night, the state’s single largest fundraising event benefitting Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Golf is one of Hooten’s favorite pastimes, and this weekend, Hooten and his son will attend the prestigious

I performed for the royal family of Thailand and was invited to record an album with the princess of Thailand. Performing for them was amazing. — David B. Hooten

Palmer Cup in Sugar Grove, Illinois. “I perform all the anthems and will be doing a special performance for Arnold Palmer at a dinner at Rich Harvest Farms,” he said. “We will be playing in the college pro-am and will be participating in all the festivities. I am the official trumpeter of the Palmer Cup and compose special music selections for the Golf Channel.” Despite the places he has been and his international success, Hooten prefers to stay grounded close to home. “People always say, ‘You can live anywhere in the world. Why Oklahoma City?’” Hooten asked. “I always tell them because the people are the finest you will find anywhere. Oklahoma is not only my home but my choice.”

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Oklahoma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 63

life Music reVieWs thompson square with various artists

Remembering Mountains: Unheard Songs by Karen Dalton | Spotify.com, Amazon.com

Enid-born singer-songwriter Karen Dalton released only two albums before her death in 1993, and neither contained anything she wrote. Into the ’60s, she often was called “the folk singer’s answer to Billie Holiday” as she performed a blend of jazz and country-tinged Cherokee folk blues and played banjo and guitar in the Greenwich Village folk scene with acts like Bob Dylan. When she died, legendary guitarist and good friend Peter Walker preserved her songs, poems and other works. When he self-published them in 2012, everything changed. When his pal Keifer Thompson — one-half of country duo Thompson Square and a native of Miami, Oklahoma — read it, he decided to take the project even further. He wanted an album. The result is Remembering Mountains: Unheard Songs by Karen Dalton. It includes

a roster of female voices and writing from the likes of Josephine Foster and Larkin Grimm performed by Thompson Square. The standout is Lucinda Williams’ “Met An Old Friend,” an emotive narrative of sin and forgiveness led by her low-slung vocals and lifted into the ether by graceful guitar, slide, violin and percussion for an effect that provokes forlornness, redemption and acceptance. Similarly, Grimm’s “For The Love I’m In” bubbles timeless and true, carried by a quenching mountain stream of delicate harmonies, pluckyyet-soft banjo and lyrical imagery of a couple that hides its shared thirst in memories. Find the album on vinyl at local independent record stores or digitally online. — Jennifer Chancellor

the leavelles

Mostly True Stories | soundcloud.com/the-leavelles, iTunes, Spotify.com

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3DOORSDOWN.COM 64 | june 10, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

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The Leavelles formed in the early aughts playing punked-up versions of country and classic rock songs as it developed and honed its sound and locked in its lineup. Most recently, The Leavelles, out of Atoka and north Texas, evolved into a four-piece including singer/guitarist Frank Colwell, singer/guitarist Joe McClour, bassist Justin Russell and drummer David Mahaffey. These days, they’re touring to promote the self-released album Mostly True Stories, a 10-track collection of sunny, pop-driven Americana- and country-tinged alternative rock. “Maureen” features uncomplicated, well-structured rhythm and drums and lyrics about a hardworking man who works two jobs so he can afford a ring for his love. “X’s and O’s” is pure pop with its “na-na-na’s,” power chords and lyrics

about battling neurotic self-doubt as a man washes down his Xanax with black coffee. The joy in this type of music comes from the seeming contradiction between the upbeat, infectious music you’re hearing and how it impacts the often cynical or misanthropic lyrics layered over it. The Leavelles demands comparisons to seminal bands that also deftly handled that dichotomy, like The Replacements, Weezer, Ryan Adams, REM, Drive-By Truckers and Wilco. There are references to Jack White, smoking, drinking, pulpits, love, leaving and discovery. It’s road-trip, poolside, backyard cookout music with enough substance and originality that it’ll become a seasonal must-hear. — JC

life Music Jahruba and the Jahmystics, Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman. REGGAE Jamie Bramble, Full Circle Bookstore. ACOUSTIC

Aaron Newman Band, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Jason Cassidy/Jake Worthington, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Andy Adams/Ben Brock & Friends, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Cigarette Bums/Who and the Fucks/Trash Pops, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS

Matt Blagg, Red Rock Canyon Grill. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Patrice Pike, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Jade Castle, Oklahoma City Museum of Art. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

LUCKY, Baker Street Pub & Grill. COVER Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ Pierre/Wanderer/ Speak, Memory, Industrial Skate Park, Norman. ROCK Rockwell Ryan, Red Rock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

THURSDAY, JUNE 11 Aaron Newman Band, Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar. ACOUSTIC Art Moves: Harumph, First National Center. POP Avenue, Baker Street Pub & Grill. COVER Brent Saulsbury/Will Galbraith/Wayne Duncan, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK Dack Janiels/ GURT/Dropshop, OKC Farmer’s Market. VARIOUS David Morris, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO July Talk/People/Team Nightstand, Opolis, Norman. POP LadyLove Road, Coffee Commission. FOLK Lynard Skynyrd, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. ROCK Replay, Red Rock Canyon Grill. COVER Rick Jawnsun, O Asian Fusion, Norman. ACOUSTIC Ryan Dorman, Wormy Dog Saloon. SINGER/ SONGWRITER ZOMBOY/MUST DIE!/Laxx, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. VARIOUS

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 Adam & Kizzie, Buck Thomas Park, Moore. VARIOUS Chris Brown/Sevyn Streeter/August Alsina, Chesapeake Energy Arena. R&B Christian Pearson/Gary Johnson, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO Cover Me Badd, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. COVER Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Sugar Creek Casino, Hinton. ROCK

Ryan Dorman, Grandad’s Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER Sardashhh/Classic Nolan Ryan/Arkanse, Blue Note Lounge. VARIOUS

Ga rett Fi s bec k

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Graham colton

Gentry, Kendell’s Bar. VARIOUS

Souled Out, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. ROCK SquadLive, Riverwind Casino, Norman. POP Stereo Deck, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK Sunchaser/Earth Made of Glass/Speak, Memory, Industrial Skate Park. ROCK Superfreak, Remington Park. COVER

OKG

music

Superfreak as The Blend, Remington Park. VARIOUS The Melvins/Le Butcherettes, Opolis, Norman. ROCK Troy Hardin, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY

SATURDAY, JUNE 13 Bed People, HiLo Club. HIP-HOP Cadaver Dogs/Freakabout/Your Mom, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

pick

lower Bricktown live on the Green friday

Nearly each Friday through July, Lower Bricktown Live on the Green showcases free live music from local performers. Graham Colton and The Lunar Laugh kick off the series with a concert 8 p.m. Friday on the Chevy Stage in Lower Bricktown Plaza, 115 E. Reno Ave. Upcoming performances feature Josh Roberts, Alumna, Adam & Kizzie, Twiggs, Chase Kerby, Evin Brady and more. Admission is free. The shows are all-ages. Visit drpeppermusic.com.

Chase Haberland, Full Circle Bookstore. VARIOUS Claire Piersol Trio, Uptown Grocery Co., Edmond. JAZZ

SquadLive, Myriad Botanical Gardens. POP

Cover Me Badd, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. COVER

Stars, Riverwind Casino, Norman. COVER

Crazy Love Hawk, 89th Street Collective. VARIOUS

Superfreak, Remington Park. COVER Superfreak as The Blend, Remington Park. VARIOUS

Derek Harris/David Morris, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

The Growlers/YOKO and the OH NO’s, Opolis. ROCK

Don and Melodee Johnson, Twelve Oaks, Edmond. JAZZ

The Suspects, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK

Equilibrium, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. JAZZ

ZuZu Petals, Bedlam Bar-B-Q. FOLK

Grant Stevens, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

TUESDAY, JUNE 16 Bryce Dicus, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY Carter Sampson/Ryan Pickop/Clint Alphin, The Blue Door. ACOUSTIC Last Ten Seconds of Life/2x4/Advocate, 89th Street Collective. ROCK LUCKY/Shaun Suttle, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. COVER

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Edmond. PIANO Kelcie Wolf/ Charles Hickman/Kyra Cargill, Rodeo Opry. SINGER/SONGWRITER

SUNDAY, JUNE 14

Tears for Fears, Brady Theater, Tulsa. POP The Mills Band, Thunderbird Casino, Norman. COUNTRY

Kyle Reid/Harumph, The Blue Door. VARIOUS

Bear’s Den, Opolis, Norman. FOLK

Life of the Party, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. COVER

Ben Folds, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Mark Vollersten, Red Rock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC

Edgar Cruz, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. ACOUSTIC

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Midas 13, OKC Limits. ROCK Miss Brown to You, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. JAZZ

Kaitlin Butts, Redneck Yacht Club. ACOUSTIC

Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Kam Brad, Colcord Hotel. VARIOUS

Kill the Reflection, 9 East Liquor, Norman. ROCK

Other Lives/Riothorse Royale/Dark Rooms, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Mark Vollersten, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Pat Green, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Kelly Willis, Lions Park, Norman. COUNTRY

Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

Matt Stansberry & The Romance, Myriad Botanical Gardens. VARIOUS

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Mike Hosty ‘One Man Band’, The Deli, Norman. ROCK

Steve Crossley, Red Rock Canyon Grill. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Other lives, cain’s Ballroom, tulsa, saturday

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

MONDAY, JUNE 15 Jimmy the Hat/Gentry Counce, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC Chamomile and Whiskey, Red Brick Bar, Norman. VARIOUS CJ Boyd, Dope Chapel, Norman. VARIOUS PrOViD eD

LIVE MUSIC

Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK

Tedeschi Trucks Band/Sharon Jones/The Dap-Kings, Zoo Amphitheatre. BLUES The Mowgli’s/Vinyl Theatre/Firekid, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK The Weathermen, Baker Street Pub & Grill. ROCK

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

OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 65

life film

Killer thrills

A documentary about daredevil biker Evel Knievel’s flamboyant and troubled life highlights festival’s free outdoor film event.

p hotos p rovi de d

By Ben Felder

deadCENTER Film Festival Great Lawn Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. deadcenterfilm.org Free Note: Lawn chairs, blankets and ice chests are encouraged. For festival tickets, schedule and more information, check out the official deadCENTER program guide in this issue. This is Spinal Tap 9:30 p.m. Friday Being Evel 9:30 p.m. Saturday Out to Win 9:30 p.m. Sunday

Evel Knievel was a complicated figure, which is the way America prefers its icons. A combination of death-defying talent and flamboyance drew millions of fans to him while his personal battles with alcohol and anger created a lengthy list of enemies. He was a man that a generation of youth looked up to yet one that few parents would want their child to someday become. “He was a hero to me as a kid, like he was to so much of our generation,” said Daniel Junge, who directed Being Evel, a documentary about the cape-wearing daredevil’s life. The film makes its Oklahoma premiere at a free, public, outdoor screening during this week’s deadCENTER Film Festival. “But as we grow up, we learn that our heroes are sometimes less than heroic,” Junge said. Robert Craig Knievel, who changed his name to Evel as a marketing stunt, is a Guinness Book of World Records holder for most broken bones in a lifetime — a reported 433 — who if he didn’t invented the sport of motorcycle long jumping at least brought it into mainstream American culture in the late 1960s and ’70s. Being Evel is an intimate examination of his rise to fame and his struggle to complete harrowing jumps and manage his own shortcomings as a business partner, celebrity and family man. Like its subject, Being Evel leaves viewers with conflicting thoughts: wanting to cheer

66 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

Being Evel

him to land a jump one moment and then shake their heads in disgust the next. “This film, 35 years later, is a way of trying to reconcile that childhood image with the person we know as an adult,” Junge said following a showing of the film at this year’s South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin. Being Evel’s deadCENTER screening will take place on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., as the festival’s annual free outdoor film Saturday night, drawing the largest audience of the week. “For our outdoor film, we are always looking for a film that has wide appeal,” said Kim Haywood, director of programming and education for deadCENTER. “This film is absolutely fantastic and shows how Knievel affected a generation of young men.” Being Evel offers a look at the public jumps and personality of Knievel as well as behind-the-scenes moments and interviews with those who were the closest to him. It also includes interviews with Johnny Knoxville, one of the film’s producers and a pioneer for a new brand of made-for-television stunts through his

Our memory of him is so kinetic and action-oriented ... but we didn’t know about the man behind all of this. — Daniel Junge own show, Jackass. “Evel was such a big influence on my childhood. Nothing stuck with me like that,” Knoxville told Rolling Stone at Sundance Film Festival. “No one went for it like that before Evel Knievel. I say that in the documentary, but it’s true.” Mat Hoffman, a Oklahoman and nationally known BMX rider, also served as a producer on the film and offers his own perspective on Knievel during documentary. The film chronicles Knievel’s ongoing quest to outdo his latest jump, which eventually takes him to Snake River Canyon in Idaho, a quarter-mile-wide jump he attempted in a rocket. The

jumps themselves are included in the documentary, but so is the promotional work Knievel did before each to draw a crowd, television cameras and sponsors. “The actual stunt is seconds, [but] he is a smart man and he knows he has to prolong the inevitable,” Junge said. “Our memory of him is so kinetic and actionoriented ... but we didn’t know about the man behind all of this.”

p hotos p rovi ded

life film

We recommend There are around 100 films to choose from during this week’s deadCENTER Film Festival, and we’ve chosen these standouts and theme-grouped selections that highlight the event.

By Jennifer Chancellor

deadCENTER Film Festival Wednesday-Sunday Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16 150 E. Reno Ave. Devon Energy Auditorium 333 W. Sheridan Ave. Terrace Room Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. Great Lawn Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. deadcenterfilm.org $10-$150 Note: For festival tickets, schedule and more information, check out the official deadCENTER program guide in this issue.

As deadCENTER Film Festival embarks on its 15th consecutive year, its roster has grown to include local, regional, national and international films in multiple categories like documentary, shorts, comedy and drama. Named for its location (in the dead center of America), the juried festival showcases the best of the best, curating around 100 films from more than 1,000 submitted for this year’s event, organizers said. Don’t be intimidated. Yes, for the uninitiated, choosing what to see and when can feel overwhelming. However, we hope this short list and the official program in this issue will help make your decisions a little easier.

Topical history The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

Directed by Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple) and presented by PBS, this is the first feature-length documentary to examine The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and how it impacted communities torn by the war in Vietnam, racism, poverty and political and cultural awakening. It includes archival footage of journalists, federal and local police, white communities and Black Panther members who experienced the party’s eventual fracture. The 116-minute film features Kathleen Cleaver, Elaine Brown, Emory Douglas and Jamal Joseph. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. It shows 8 p.m. Friday at Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, and 6 p.m. Saturday at Inasmuch Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

LGBTQ film focus

the gritty underground of contemporary Copenhagen and the unexpected death of his ex-lover. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. It screens 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 7:45 p.m. Sunday as part of the Not So Short Shorts showcase at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Adjust-A-Dream

Jonathan Wysocki writes and directs this six-minute short film about how a gay couple’s search for bedding as they ready to move in together leads them to discover more differences than how firm the foam should be on the pillow-top mattress. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. It shows 6:30 p.m. Friday and 5:15 p.m. Saturday as part of the Love, Sex & Death Shorts showcase at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Out to Win

NOMANSLAND

Karsten Geisnæs produces, writes and directs this 35-minute short film about how a man retains his dignity, authenticity and himself as he struggles to deal with

Award-winning Sundance film festival alumni Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar) chronicles the lives, careers and impact of professional gay athletes from across the globe. Included are Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, John Amaechi, Billy Bean and Brittney Griner. Admission is free. Out to Win screens 9:30 p.m. Sunday as part of deadCENTER’s free outdoor film series on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301. W. Reno Ave.

The Outfit

Malaysian-born filmmaker Yen Tan directs this 12-minute “inspired by true events” short comedy that examines how a simple choice in clothing impacts the life of a conservative congressman. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. The Outfit screens 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 12:45 p.m. Saturday as part of the Comedy Shorts showcase at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Actresses

Playwright and filmmaker Jeremy Hersh wrote and directed this 11-minute short film that follows the relationship of an off-Broadway star and her aspiring young protégée as they deal with performance anxiety. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Actresses screens 6:30 p.m. Friday and 5:15 p.m. Saturday as part of the Love, Sex & Death Shorts showcase at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Okl ahoma Gazette | j une 10, 2015 | 67

life film

Lone Man’s Land

Music films

Calls to Okies: The Park Grubbs Story

Edmond-raised filmmaker Bradley Beesley (Read more about him in our Oklahoma Gazette story about deadCENTER’s ICON award honorees on page 6) and Ben Steinbauer (Winnebago Man, Brute Force) created this 18-minute short film about the phenomenon of prank calls in the 1980s, long before such a concepts like memes and viral video existed. Here, a Bartlesville collective of bored and hilarious teens create Park Grubbs, a dirty, old man who makes inappropriate inquiries about everything from buying an old canoe to bathing entire families. What’s perhaps most charming about this film is how engaged their targets became in these pranks. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Calls to Okies screens 6 p.m. Friday and 2:15 p.m. Sunday as part of the Okie Shorts showcase at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

The Verdigris: In Search of Will Rogers

Also directed by Beesley, this 61-minute documentary feature follows singersongwriter Beau Jennings as he creates the soundtrack of famed Native American cowboy and humorist Will Rogers. Beesley’s trademark humor and ability to tell quirky, human-centric stories shines as he chronicles Jennings’

68 | june 10, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

offbeat and endearing journey through key locations in Rogers’ past while also learning about himself. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. The Verdigris screens 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 5:45 p.m. Sunday at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

I Like JD

This four-minute feature from Nathan Poppe and Travis Tindell explains why superfan Lorna Dixon traveled 4,000 miles from England to Guthrie to catch a live concert from Buffalo Valley-raised rocker JD McPherson. It screens with The Verdigris 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 5:45 p.m. Sunday at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

as a means to preserve its oral and documented history on film. The festival first partnered with the nation in 2009 when it screened the narrative feature Pearl, said Kim Haywood, the event’s director of programming and education. Also featured at this free, open-tothe public forum will be a traditional oral storyteller, Choctaw visual artist D.G. Smalling, a Chickasaw band, a hosted discussion following the film and a screening of Kiowa filmmaker Jeffrey Palmer’s award-winning short Isabella’s Garden. Admission is free. Native Storytelling runs 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday at the museum.

Technical Support

Train

Local R&B, neosoul and hip-hop duo Adam & Kizzie showcase the four aspects of this two-man act with this six-minute video by Brandon Johnson. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Train screens 6 p.m. Friday and 2:15 p.m. Saturday as part of the Okie Shorts showcase at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Gloria

This full-length feature, now being marketed and distributed by Oklahomafounded Picture House, examines the controversial life of pop star Gloria Trevi, often called the “the Mexican Madonna.” Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Gloria screens 7:15 p.m. Friday at Devon Energy Auditorium, 333 W. Sheridan Ave.

This three-minute video for local rockers Feel Spectres, filmed by Nathan Poppe and Travis Tindell, follows a girl on her journey to fix her lover. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Technical Support screens 6:30 p.m. Friday and 5:15 p.m. Saturday as part of the Love, Sex & Death Shorts series at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Special event screenings Stop by the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, for these three special event screenings.

Native Storytelling

Made by the Chickasaw Nation, halfhour documentary First Encounter, set in 1540, examines how the tribe met, partnered with and eventually ran off Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto and his party. It’s the first of a series of films that Chickasaw Nation Multimedia Group is creating

Eternal Princess

Actress Katie Holmes steps behind the lens for her new documentary about Nadia Comaneci, the legendary Olympic Gold medalist who, at age 14, scored a perfect 10. It first premiered in May at Tribeca Film Festival and was produced by ESPN. After the screening, Comaneci, along with husband and former Olympic gymnast Bart Conner, will discuss the process behind how the film was made and Nadia’s journey from communist Romania to Norman, where they both now reside. Ticketed admission is $10. It screens 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday at the museum.

The Veil: A Work in Progress

Award-winning Oklahoma City filmmaker Brent Ryan Green (Half Good Killer, Running Deer), founder of Toy

filmmakers Ezra Gentle and Sheilah Bright’s Lone Man’s Land tells the story of how ranchers in the Oklahoma panhandle town of Keaton maintain old-West tradition in the bleak face of soaring land prices. Ticketed admission is $10. Lone Man’s Land debuts 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Devon Energy Auditorium, 333 W. Sheridan Ave.

Native American who tries to adjust to his life as a parolee after two decades in prison. He finds peace and a looming darkness as he becomes involved with a community of impoverished natives. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Mekko screens 8:15 p.m. Sunday at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

SKID

A flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam gives its eccentric occupants plenty of time to get to know each other, from the opposing personalities inside the cockpit to an unscheduled in-flight attendant, an Oprah Winfrey-obsessed jilted lover, a spy, a man of faith and even a pot-bellied pig in SKID, a 92-minute feature by Oklahoma City filmmaker Ryan “Staples” Scott. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. SKID screens 6 p.m. Saturday at Devon Energy Auditorium, 333 W. Sheridan Ave. and 12:15 Sunday at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

Gun Films, presents his feature-length directorial debut this week with his “work in progress” premiere of The Veil. Shot on location in Oklahoma, the sci-fi adventure tells the story of a fierce warrior who extricates himself from the tribal factions, war and violence in his mission to create a new existence with the princess of a sacred tribe. He also will discuss the filming process, how and why he chose to film in Oklahoma and more.Ticketed admission is $10. It screens 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the museum.

Feature-length Oklahoma Lone Man’s Land

The world premiere of Oklahoma City

Mekko

This 84-minute feature from acclaimed Native American filmmaker Sterlin Harjo revolves around Mekko, a homeless

Hollis

This 95-minute narrative feature written and directed by Oklahoma City’s Sonny Priest tells the story of Darryl, a young man struggling to define himself despite

his small town, his father’s alcoholism, his brother’s health problems and a withering summer. Admission is $10 or included with a full festival pass. Hollis screens 7 p.m. Thursday and noon Saturday at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave.

The Real Enemy

Learn more about this film in our Oklahoma Gazette story on page 44.

The Verdigris

Learn more about this film in the summary in this story. Source: deadCENTER Film Festival

Free Will ASTroloGy Homework: Homework: Name two ways you think that everyone should be more like you. FreeWillAstrology.com. ArieS (March 21-April 19) “To look at a thing hard and straight and seriously -- to fix it.” Aries author Henry James said he wanted to do that on a regular basis. He didn’t want to be “arbitrary” or “mechanical” in his efforts. I invite you to make this perspective one of your specialties in the coming weeks, Aries. Pick out a tweaked situation you’d like to mend or a half-spoiled arrangement you want to heal. Then pour your pure intelligence into it. Investigate it with a luminous focus. Use all your tough and tender insight to determine what needs to be transformed, and transform it.

TAUrUS (April 20-May 20) Drug expert Jonathan P. Caulkins estimates that Americans are stoned on marijuana for more than 288 million hours every week. A U.N. report on global drug use concluded that Canadians consume weed at a similar rate. Among Europeans, Italians are number one and the French are fourth. But I encourage you to avoid contributing to these figures for the next twelve to fourteen days. In my astrological opinion, it’s time to be as sober and sensible and serious as you ever get. You have the chance to make unprecedented progress on practical matters through the power of your pure reasoning and critical thinking. Gemini (May 21-June 20) I think it’ll be better if you don’t engage in much sacrifice, compromise, or surrender in the next two weeks. Normally they are valuable tools to have at your disposal, but for now they may tend to be counterproductive. Judging from the current astrological omens, I suspect you need to be more commanding than usual, more confident in your vision of how to take action with maximum integrity. It’s time for you to draw deeper from the source of your own power, and express it with extra grace and imagination.

CAnCer (June 21-July 22) You will soon be escaping -- or maybe “graduating” is the right word -- from your interesting trials and tribulations. In honor of this cathartic transition, I suggest you consider doing a ritual. It can be a fullfledged ceremony you conduct with somber elegance, or a five-minute psychodrama you carry out with boisterous nonchalance. It will be a celebration of your ability to outlast the forces of chaos and absurdity, and an expression of gratitude for the resources you’ve managed to call on in the course of your struggle. To add an extra twist, you could improvise a rowdy victory prayer that includes this quote adapted from Nietzsche: “I throw roses into the abyss and say: ‘Here is my thanks to the monster who did not devour me.’” leo (July 23-Aug. 22) I propose a Friends Cleanse. It would be a three-weeklong process of reviewing your support team and web of connections. If you feel up for the challenge, start this way: Take inventory of your friendships and alliances. If there are any that have faded or deteriorated, make a commitment to either fix them or else phase them out. Here’s the second stage of the Friends Cleanse: Give dynamic boosts to those relationships that are already working well. Take them to the next level of candor and synergy. VirGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) After Walt Whitman published Leaves of Grass in 1855, he made sure it would get the publicity he wanted. He wrote anonymous reviews of his own book and submitted them to several publications, all of which printed them. “An American bard at last!” began the glowing review that appeared in one newspaper. According to my reading of the astrological omens, Virgo, you now have license to engage in similar behavior. You will incur no karma, nor will you tempt fate, if you tout your own assets in the coming weeks. Try to make your bragging and selfpromotion as charming as possible, of course. But don’t be timid about it. liBrA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) If you carry out the assignments I recommend, you will boost your charisma, your chutzpah, and your

creativity. Here’s the first one: Try something impossible every day. Whether or not you actually accomplish it isn’t important. To merely make the effort will shatter illusions that are holding you back. Here’s your second assignment: Break every meaningless rule that tempts you to take yourself too seriously. Explore the art of benevolent mischief. Here’s the third: Clear out space in your fine mind by shedding one dogmatic belief, two unprovable theories, and three judgmental opinions. Give yourself the gift of fertile emptiness.

SCorPio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) In the 16th century, roguish French author Francois Rabelais published a comic novel entitled The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel. In the course of his satirical story, a learned teacher named Epistemon takes a visit to the afterlife and back. While on the other side, he finds famous dead heroes employed in humble tasks. Alexander the Great is making a meager living from mending old socks. Cleopatra is hawking onions in the streets. King Arthur cleans hats and Helen of Troy supervises chambermaids. In accordance with the Rabelaisian quality of your current astrological aspects, Scorpio, I invite you to meditate on the reversals you would like to see in your own life. What is first that maybe should be last? And vice versa? What’s enormous that should be small? And vice versa? What’s proud that should be humble? And vice versa? SAGiTTAriUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) There’s no better time than now to ask the big question or seek the big opening or explore the big feeling. People are not only as receptive as they will ever be, they are also more likely to understand what you really mean and what you are trying to accomplish. Which door has been forever locked? Which poker face hasn’t blinked or flinched in many moons? Which heart of darkness hasn’t shown a crack of light for as long as you can remember? These are frontiers worth revisiting now, when your ability to penetrate the seemingly impenetrable is at a peak. CAPriCorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The writer Donald Barthelme once came to see the artist Elaine de Kooning in her New York studio. Midway

through the visit, loud crashes and bangs disturbed the ceiling above them. De Kooning wasn’t alarmed. “Oh, that’s Herbert thinking,” she said, referring to the metal sculptor Herbert Ferber, who worked in a studio directly above hers. This is the kind of thinking I’d love to see you unleash in the coming days, Capricorn. Now is not a time for mild, cautious, delicate turns of thought, but rather for vigorous meditations, rambunctious speculations, and carefree musings. In your quest for practical insight, be willing to make some noise. (The story comes from Barthelme’s essay “Not-Knowing.”)

AQUAriUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Sidney Lumet was an American director who worked on 50 films, including 14 that were nominated for Academy Awards, like Network and Dog Day Afternoon. Actors loved to work with him, even though he was a stickler for thorough rehearsals. Intense preparation, he felt, was the key to finding the “magical accidents” that allow an actor’s highest artistry to emerge. I advocate a similar strategy for you, Aquarius. Make yourself ready, through practice and discipline, to capitalize fully on serendipitous opportunities and unexpected breakthroughs when they arrive. PiSCeS (Feb. 19-March 20) “It is not only the most difficult thing to know oneself, but the most inconvenient one, too,” said American writer Josh Billings. I agree with him. It’s not impossible to solve the mystery of who you are, but it can be hard work that requires playful honesty, cagey tenacity, and an excellent sense of humor. The good news is that these days it’s far less difficult and inconvenient than usual for you to deepen your self-understanding. So take advantage! To get started, why don’t you interview yourself? Go here to see some questions you could ask: http://bit.ly/interviewyourself. 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.

OklahOma Gazette | june 10, 2015 | 69

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