OKC Fest 062514 by Oklahoma Gazette

FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY METRO OKC’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY VOL. XXXVI NO. 26 JUNE 25, 2014

Lady Antebellum

HAT TIP BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR P.43

Merle Haggard

FOOD: WE ROUND UP UNIQUE LOCAL EATS FOR NATIONAL CATFISH DAY P.21 SPORTS: REDHAWKS COACH RETURNS TO THE DIAMOND AFTER CANCER P.39

PROVIDED

OKC Fest rides top country names — and fun and games — into downtown.

2 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

CONTENTS 51

ON THE COVER

OKC Fest runs Friday-Sunday and celebrates everything great about our city. In its inaugural year, headliners include Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Merle Haggard, Randy Rogers Band and more. At night, buy a ticket and see the headliners. During the day, experience Free Fest with dozens of Okie-centric acts and multiple genres. Bring the family for food trucks, face painting and more. It all goes down near Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Read my cover story on P. 43 and check okgazette.com for exclusive content.

NEWS

LIFE

City: convention center hotel

OKG picks

Legal: marijuana laws

City: vacant properties

Sudoku / Crossword

Metro briefs

Food & Drink: National Catfish Day, Opus Prime Steakhouse, National Tapioca Day, halal, OKG eat: staff picks

Chicken-Fried News

Music: OKC Fest, The River Monks, Sardashhh, event listings, Depth & Current

Commentary

Letters

Film: The Paramount OKC, Jersey Boys

Astrology

Classifieds

Culture: ’50s architecture

Visual Arts: SoonerCon

Performing Arts: The Bolshevik Bride, Twelfth Night, Les Misérables 38

Books: The Mask Maker

Sports: RedHawks coach Tony DeFrancesco

— Jennifer Chancellor, editor-in-chief

OF SUGARLAND

JULY 5 7PM TICKETS $45-$90

GRANDBOXOFFICE.COM

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 3

M A RK HA N COC K

NEWS CITY

To build or not to build? Oklahoma City faces multiple decisions on a proposed hotel that’s tied to a new downtown convention center.

from left The Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel, Courtyard Marriott OKC Downtown, Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel and Skirvin Hilton hotels in downtown OKC. Will a new hotel spur development, tourism and revenue?

BY BEN FELDER

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part two of a two-part story about the proposed MAPS 3 convention center and related hotel. Find part one at okgazette.com. Seven years after its grand opening, the Renaissance Grand, a nearly 1,000-room convention center hotel in St. Louis, closed one of its buildings as $98 million in bonds used to help construct the hotel went into foreclosure. The hotel, which opened in 2002 and went through foreclosure proceedings in 2009, was recently sold to a group that plans to renovate it under a new financial package that will see the city of St. Louis take a reimbursement hit on loans it issued to help pay for the hotel development. It’s a cautionary tale that opponents of a potential convention center hotel in Oklahoma City can point to as a reason the city would be foolish to help support a similar hotel as part of a planned $250 million convention center. But in the same way OKC’s future convention center is a different project than those in other cities (see last week’s Oklahoma Gazette for more), a new convention center hotel in Oklahoma City, if one is ever built, would also follow a different path than ones built in cities like St. Louis, Boston and Nashville, where original occupancy estimates have not been met.

Is it feasible?

A new convention center, which was

4 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

The hotel is going to be riskier [than the convention center]. ... How much riskier? I don’t know. — Cathy O’Connor

approved by voters as a part of the 2009 Metropolitan Area Projects Plan 3 (MAPS 3), is coming to downtown. However, there are some who believe the success of the new convention center will depend on whether a large anchor hotel is also part of the project. The proposed hotel isn’t part of the MAPS 3 project, so city management is studying the best ways to attract possible investors. “It will work without a hotel,” said Cathy O’Connor, president of The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City. “But it won’t work as well as it’s able to. We will not be as competitive without [a convention center hotel].” The Oklahoma City Council is waiting for another report on the feasibility of a publicly supported hotel. O’Connor said the report, which is due this summer, will outline the options available to the city to help fund a hotel that could have as many as 775 rooms. The convention center will work

without the hotel, but the hotel won’t work without public assistance, O’Connor said. “Full-service hotels are hard to do without public help,” O’Connor said. “If you look around, we have a lot of hotels being built in Oklahoma City right now, but not a full-service hotel. The Embassy Suites is the closest, but it is getting some [public] help. It’s a tough environment for those big hotels.”

More than just rooms

The number of hotel rooms a city has is often viewed as a benchmark for attracting convention traffic. However, the total number of rooms is not always the most important factor, but rather how many of those rooms are within just a few hotels, convention center officials say. For example, Nashville, which is rated as a top 15 convention destination by the event and survey firm Cvent, has a total of 20,373 hotel rooms. That is 18,000 fewer rooms than St. Louis, which does not have as strong a convention industry. However, the difference between the two cities is that Nashville has a few larger hotels that are desirable for conventions that wish to locate the majority of their guests under one roof.

Cash or credit?

Oklahoma City’s proposed convention center is the most expensive MAPS project to date, but at an estimated $250

million, its price tag is only a fraction of those recently built or proposed in other cities. Also, the convention center is being built with money generated through sales tax, which makes the project less of a financial risk. Public assistance for a new convention center hotel could be achieved through a variety of methods, O’Connor said, including through tax increment financing, also known as TIF, or creating a nonprofit that owns the hotel. “The hotel is going to be riskier [than the convention center] just from that perspective,” O’Connor said about the funding options the city will face. “How much riskier? I don’t know. I think there are things that you can do to mitigate that risk, and those are some of the things the city council will want to look at. You certainly structure these things so the financial risk is not bore by the city.” O’Connor also adds that the city has a track record of conservative funding practices when paying for large projects. “Just general financial management in Oklahoma City is much more conservative than you will see in some other places,” O’Connor added. In the coming months, the city council will be presented with a detailed study on the funding options that exist for supporting a convention center hotel, and there will most likely be a vote on whether or not Oklahoma

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 5 6/16/14 1:00 PM

NEWS LEGAL

Going to pot BY BEN FELDER

Connie Johnson

Connie Johnson and Mary Jane make for a good match — politically speaking, that is. Johnson, a state senator who is running as a Democrat for U.S. Senate, announced her plan last week to try and get a marijuana legalization amendment on the November ballot. Polls indicate voters who might be drawn in November to back a marijuana legalization bill are more likely to vote for a Democrat. “Well, of course,” Johnson said when asked if her petition effort was partly an attempt to increase voter turnout come November. “It’s time for us to step up and play the game.” Johnson referenced ballot issues on a same-sex marriage ban in 2004 and restricting the use of Sharia law in 2010, which she said were Republican efforts to motivate its voting base. “But it’s not just a political move,” Johnson adds. “It’s a genuine concern about policy reform in Oklahoma.”

Support higher than expected

Johnson has a history of pushing for marijuana reform that offers proof that her recent petition effort is more than just a campaign tactic. Over the past few years, she has introduced legalization bills — including this year, when her bill never made it out of committee. Rep. Cory Williams, D-Stillwater, introduced a bill last year to remove possession of marijuana as a felony offense. It received unanimous

6 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

I was surprised [by the results]. I thought as conservative and as [Republican] as Oklahoma is, support for it would not have been that high. — Bill Shapard

approval from the House Public Safety committee but was never granted a hearing on the House floor. The Republican Legislature has been leery to act on marijuana legislation, and some believe residents of Oklahoma, the majority of which vote Republican, might also be against legalizing the drug. However, polls show that approval of a marijuana legalization bill in November might not be too far of a stretch. For the first time in history, a majority of Americans are in favor of making marijuana legal, according to a Pew Research poll conducted in 2013. In Oklahoma, a 2013 SoonerPoll found 57 percent of Oklahomans — which is a few points higher than the national average — are in favor of decriminalizing the drug. “I was surprised [by the results],” said Bill Shapard, founder of SoonerPoll. “I thought as conservative and as [Republican] as Oklahoma is, support for it would not have been that high.”

However, the 57 percent approval found by SoonerPoll does not guarantee an affirmative vote, should the issue make the November ballot. “Given that this is the first time that we have asked this question, the answers are probably absent of any type of campaign that might develop both for and against marijuana legalization,” Shapard added. Before voters have a chance to legalize pot, Johnson’s team will need to collect nearly 160,000 signatures to force the ballot issue.

The policy of weed

Has Johnson ever tried marijuana? “Sure I have,” Johnson said. “I’m a child of the ’70s.” If made legal, Johnson said she could see herself considering it as a remedy for arthritis. Marijuana has been proven to offer some medical benefits, at least in the way of stress and pain relief. But beyond the medical benefits, Johnson views marijuana legalization as a way to respond to the state’s problem with overcrowded prisons. Nearly half of Oklahoma prisoners are incarcerated on nonviolent convictions, and 10 percent are due to drug possession. Examples of harsh sentences are often used to show the damage marijuana laws have on individuals, but law enforcement officials often say the problem is not nearly as severe as portrayed by the media. Laws in Oklahoma charge offenders with a felony after their first charge for possession of marijuana. The intent to sell

is treated as a felony on the first offense. “A felony means you can’t get a certain job or housing [when you leave prison],” Johnson said. “When a person comes back from prison, that ability to rebuild your life has changed. Let’s look at why they are being arrested and why the laws are the way they are. Is it worth a felony?”

National trends

Two states — Colorado and Washington — have legalized recreational marijuana use, seven have decriminalized possession and dozens more allow for medical uses. Oklahoma would not be a trailblazer if it were to legalize marijuana, but it would be ahead of the curve on an issue that many social experts believe will eventually sweep across the nation, especially if states that allow for the sale of marijuana show positive tax revenue. The city of Denver alone is expected to see an extra $40 million in additional tax revenue in 2014 due to the legalization of marijuana. While Johnson hopes a marijuana ballot question gives her campaign better odds, she also hopes to spark engagement with segments of Oklahomans who have been detached from the electoral process, such as young voters. “I think this is one issue that can help bring younger voters out,” Johnson said. “It’s time to get them more involved and help them understand that if they aren’t doing government, government is doing them.”

MA RK HA N COC K

Sen. Connie Johnson views the marijuana legalization effort as good public policy, not as a campaign tactic.

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 7 5/28/14 4:01 PM

Empty promises Lobbyists and big money might contribute to the growing number of abandoned properties across the city.

M A RK HA N COC K

NEWS CITY

from left Charles Locke, Oklahoma City Code Enforcement superintendent, and Ron Pollard, municipal code officer for the City of OKC, check out a back porch where vagrants have been hanging out at a vacant property during a recent inspection.

BY BEN FELDER

Banks and realtors successfully convinced the state Legislature this year to halt Oklahoma City’s effort to control the growing number of abandoned properties. Lobbying efforts, campaign donations and the claim that property rights were at risk by state realty and bank lobbying groups were successful in pushing through a bill that prevents municipalities from creating any type of property registry. “The whole vacant and abandoned building ordinance got lost in some kind of argument [at the state Capitol] about property rights,” said Ward 4 Councilman Pete White, who, like most of his colleagues on the Oklahoma City Council, criticized the state’s action. “I don’t really know what happened.” OKC’s council approved the creation of an ordinance last year that would have required the owners of a vacant property to register with the city as well as pay an annual fee of less than $300. City officials said the registry would help code enforcers keep closer tabs on the estimated 12,000 empty homes and buildings across the city, which can bring down property values and use up city services, such as animal control and

8 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

police resources. A study from City Hall estimated that owners of blighted and vacant properties pay an average of $1,000 less in taxes than what occupied property owners pay. Opponents to the registry claim it violates the rights of property owners and imposes burdensome fees. However, some who favored the registry claimed the Republicancontrolled Legislature took local control away from the city and gave more power to individuals and companies that sit on vacant buildings for long periods of time in an effort to make a profit. OKC staff are reviewing options on how to proceed, said City Manager Jim Couch, but no plans have been finalized or presented to the council. “We have some options we are pursuing, but we are not ready to present those,” Couch said. “We are not sure if those options hold water or not.”

Opposition to registry

Conversations with city officials and urban planners show that supporters of the registry view the opposition as trying to protect banks and property owners that like to sit on vacant property for years at a time. Some

believe big banks still do not have a handle on the foreclosure crisis that hit the nation a few years ago and view a registry as a tactic to clean up blight. “The real estate and bank divisions have a huge lobby, and neighborhoods don’t have that,” said Georgie Rasco, executive director of the Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma. Rasco and other neighborhood leaders fought against House Bill 2620, which prohibits cities from creating property registries. The bill was passed this year. “I think the argument of property rights was absolutely one-sided,” Rasco said. “[Opponents] looked at the rights from the perspective of the owner and not the property rights of those who surround the property.” The lobbying effort to pass HB 2620 and kill OKC’s registry was led by Oklahoma Association of Realtors, Oklahoma Credit Union Association and Oklahoma Bankers Association, among other groups. Those three organizations combined to spend nearly $100,000 in campaign donations in the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. The majority of Senate and House members who received donations voted in favor of the bill.

The lobbying arms of Oklahoma Association of Realtors and Oklahoma Credit Union donated to the campaigns of 31 state senators, all but six of which voted in favor of HB 2620. Oklahoma Bankers Association dished out $60,000 in campaign donations. In efforts to pass vacant property registries in other cities across the country, banks have often responded with strong opposition. Supporters of the registry claim that banks do not properly maintain foreclosed properties, which have risen over the past few years across the city. RealtyTrac estimates that 945 properties are in foreclosure in Oklahoma City and that half are bank-owned properties. That is an increased of 31 percent from last year. Rasco said her side will regroup this year and try to bring the issue back up in the future with the hopes of passing legislation that would allow cities to create a registry. “We are going to take our cue from the city on how to proceed,” Rasco said. “But it needs to be brought up again.” Conrad Kersten contributed to this story.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 9

METRO BRIEFS

A new website hopes to shame more people into voting more often. BY BEN FELDER

Toby Keith, the country music star who often sings about America’s greatness, has been less than patriotic when comes to voting. The Norman resident last voted 596 days ago, according to data from the Oklahoma Election Board that is organized on a new website called BadVoter.org. The website allows any Oklahoma resident to look up their own name to see how many days it has been since they last cast a ballot. The catch? You can also look up the name of your friends, family, employers, elected officials and even famous Oklahomans. According to the site, Thunder coach Scott Brooks and business owner Aubrey McClendon have not voted in almost 600 days, while Barry Switzer cast a ballot in the most recent election. The website was produced by board members from the Oklahoma chapter of Common Cause, a nonpartisan political organization. However, the website is not an official project of Common Cause, which said it was not in favor of the tactic being used by Bad Voter. “The badvoter.org website has no affiliation — official or otherwise — with Common Cause or Common Cause Oklahoma,” said Jenny Rose Flanagan, vice president of state operations for Common Cause. “We work across the country to protect and strengthen voting rights, and we encourage citizens to exercise their rights. We’re emphatically not in

10 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

BadVoter.org allows you to peep just about anyone’s voting history.

favor of pressuring or shaming people to get them to vote.” Those behind the site understand the negative response it could generate, but they say it’s worth it in order to increase voter participation. “[We are] in favor of getting as many people to vote as possible, and we think this is a tactic that could work,” said Richard Hilbert, a board member of Common Cause. BadVoter.org is not the first time the shame attempt has been put into practice. In 2012, Americans for Limited Government (ALG) sent out letters telling recipients when they last voted, along with the voting history of their neighbors. Rick Manning, vice president of public policy and communications at ALG, said the letters were a one-time experiment. “It was the right idea to encourage people to vote,” he said. Manning said the experiment was halted after some recipients complained. In some cases, voter data was incorrect, Manning said. However, BadVoter.org only works as people visit the site, rather than sending voter information to unsuspecting people. “There is some significant research that indicates that ... if you know your neighbors know you have not exercised your duty [to vote], this may be a motivation to do so,” Manning said.

LAUREN HA M I LTON

Bad voters?

Fresh coat of paint

By the numbers

Two low-income, predominately Latino Oklahoma City neighborhoods will welcome busloads of volunteers to help homeowners with various restoration projects this week. The program is a partnership between Catholic HeartCamp, Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma, the City of OKC, HIS Paint, Pelco Products and Lowe’s in an effort to renovate the exterior of 20 homes in two different neighborhoods. The two neighborhoods are Classen-Ten-Penn (NW 16th Street/ Classen Boulevard/Pennsylvania Avenue/NW 10th Street) and the southwest OKC neighborhood of College Hill (SW 25th Street/ SW 29th Street/Walker Avenue/ Western Avenue). The neighborhood associations recruited the applicants and helped get donated materials. They also plan on helping the volunteer youth accomplish their goals. “We are all excited about this project because it will increase the quality of life for many of our neighbors who otherwise might not be able to afford to have the work done on their house,” said Rosa Tavarez, president of the College Hill Neighborhood Association. “This is what neighbors do to help one another.”

225,000. That’s the number of meals Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is expected to provide this summer to children who would normally be fed at school. During the summer break, many children who depend on school lunches go hungry.

Tweet of the week

Mick Cornett

M A RK HA N COC K/ FI L E SH ANNON CO RNMAN/FILE

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma

Say what?

“Kenny, this isn’t coming back,” Mayor Mick Cornett said to City Attorney Kenneth Jordan about a proposed in-home daycare ordinance at last week’s council meeting. The council had been discussing changes for in-home daycare providers that would have required additional standards to be met. However, opposition from daycare providers convinced the city to drop the issue. “I don’t suspect it will be coming back to us anytime soon, if ever,” Cornett said. Word to the wise

Like a lot of people on Twitter last week, Michelle Bui shared her memories of Stage Center, which is slated to be demolished any day now. The 44-year-old building was a quirky architectural gem. An effort to save the building failed this year. OGE Energy Corp. plans to build its new corporate office on the site.

This week’s word is runoff, as in the likely outcome for some of the races from Tuesday’s primary election. Results were not available at press time, but you can visit okgazette.com and check out Oklahoma Gazette’s special election Storify page for results and reactions.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 11

CHiCKEN

FRiED NEWS

Average is OK

Heel!

If you work long Getting into a fight in ICE NOT ENT days in a room full the mall is one thing, ABS GE of 30 hormonal but fighting and hitting ERA V A . MRS children, you might someone with high heels L NA MO ADS HOR*T HE want to take an is quite another, as 32-yearH S extra personal day old Ronnetta Baker learned once in a while. Luckily recently while shopping at Penn for Oklahoma City’s Square Mall. youth, OKC’s teachers are just According to NewsOK.com, Estelle average when it comes to attendance. Duarte, 24, was accosted by Baker after Oklahomawatch.com reported that telling her she did not, in fact, work in the OKC teachers missed an average of 11 mall. In response, Baker yelled at Duarte days during 2012-2013. That number is and then hit her, sparking a catfight — on par with the national average. and there’s nothing people love more than The data was gathered by the a good, old-fashioned catfight. But it gets National Council on Teacher Quality even better. The two knocked over a shelf (NCTQ). Oklahomawatch.com also filled with shoes, and Baker, thinking reported that the NTCQ says that heels would inflict more pain than her teachers missing more than 18 days a fists, grabbed a pair and hit Duarte in the school year can have a negative impact on head with them. their students. The two stopped fighting About 18 percent of OKC’s teachers when mall security finally missed more than 18 days during 2012showed up. Duarte 2013, just slightly above the national got some sexy stitches average. Receiving a C+ for attendance on her head, and isn’t so bad. Besides, it could be worse. Baker won a ride to P PCCounty Thirty-six percent of Buffalo, New York’s Oklahoma Jail teachers missed at least 18 days during the in a police cruiser. 2012-2013 school year. Despite witnesses and DAT

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Duarte’s head wound, Baker swore she was innocent of assault with a sexy shoe and said Duarte threw the first punch. You can’t stop wacky, but apparently it can be helped by a pair of fancy shoes.

SON

VIKINGS

Religious fervor

It seems that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and Oklahoma aren’t going to cut their close ties anytime soon — they’re much too close for that. NewsOK.com reports that Quail Springs Baptist Church’s Rev. Hance Dilbeck was elected the convention’s second vice president during its annual meeting in Baltimore June 10-11. The convention also applauded the Green family’s efforts to overthrow the contraception portion of the Affordable Care Act. The Greens, owners of Hobby Lobby, were presented with SBC’s John Leland Religious Liberty Award. Oh yeah. There’s more: Convention CE ABSENT NOTI attendees prayed that Hobby Lobby would AGE MRS. AVER win its court case. AL ORMONEADS *T H Because what aHSHcraft store DATE

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KELLAM BAPTIST CHURCH, 3400 N MERIDIAN, OKC GARY ADAMS, PASTOR OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH, 1201 NW 10TH, OKC STEVE KERN, PASTOR WINDSOR HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH, 5517 NW 23RD, OKC TOM VINEYARD, PASTOR FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 1201 N ROBINSON, OKC DR TOM OGBURN, PASTOR NORTHWEST BAPTIST CHURCH, 3030 NW 23RD, OKC DR BEN BRAMMER, PASTOR OKC CAMPASSION RICHARD BOND, PASTOR PENN. AVE METHODIST, 1320 N PENN AVE

and its crusade against contraception need are more prayers. The Washington Post reports that while presenting the award to Steve and Jackie Green, Russell Moore, president of SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said it was for “demonstrating a steadfast commitment to religious liberty by [their] unwillingness to separate [their] faith from the daily operation of [their] business.”

Next, he’s building an invisible jet

Adrian Peterson is a human being. He’s much bigger, faster and better at football than most other human beings, but he is a human being nonetheless. There are certain incorruptible laws of nature that apply to human beings — all of them — like the fact that, as we age, our bodies deteriorate; our muscles and joints become less durable; our faces begin to wrinkle; and our reproductive organs just stop working for some reason. But the Minnesota Vikings running back and former Oklahoma Sooner believes he’s exempt from this law.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN, 1001 NW 25TH, OKC DR CARL BOSTEELS ST LUKES METHODIST, 15TH 7 ROBINSON, OKC ST PAULS EPISCOPAL, 127 NW 7TH, OKC REV. MARILYN ROBERTSON FIRST METHODIST, 131 NW 4TH, OKC MAYFAIR BAPTIST CHURCH, 2715 NW 56TH, OKC REV. MATT HOFELD ST STEPHEN’S PRESBYTERIAN, 2424 NW 50TH, OKC REV. MARK BRADFORD, PASTOR MAYFAIR CHURCH OF CHRIST, 2340 NW 50TH, OKC REV. RANDY JOHNS CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN, 5101 N MAY, OKC REV. MEREDITH KEMP-PAPPAN, PASTOR

BAPTIST TEMPLE, NW 30TH & VILLA, OKC REV. JOE SINKOT OKC COMPASSION INC, 1122 N PENN, OKC RICHARD BOND, PASTOR WESLEY UNITED METHODIST, 1401 NW 25TH, OKC REV. DIANA COX CRAWFORD PEOPLES’ CHURCH, 800 BRITTON RD HERBERT COOPER, PASTOR SOUTHERN HILLS BAPTIST, 8601 S PENN DR DOUGLAS O MELTON FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 301 NE 27TH, MOORE DR KEVIN CLARKSON SOUTHWEST BAPTIST CHURCH, 1300 SW 54TH ST REV. JASON GADDIS, PASTOR

OKLAHOMA ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVERS • 1911 N BLACK WELDER • OKC, OK 73106 • 405.528.6410

THE FAMOUS BESTSELLER ABOUT AMERICAN FIGHTER PILOTS IN THE KOREAN WAR

THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI JAMES A. MICHENER ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Universally revered novelist James A. Michener wrote such books as the Pulitzer Prize-winning Tales of the South Pacific, the monumental bestsellers Hawaii, Texas, The Covenant, and The Source, as well as the nonfiction book This Noble Land and the memoir The World Is My Home. An outstanding academic, editor, and citizen, he served on the advisory council to NASA and the International Broadcast Board, which oversees the voice of America. 12 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

For many hours the admiral remained alone. Then toward morning he heard the anti-submarine patrol go out and as the engines roared he asked, "Why is America lucky enough to have such men? They leave this tiny ship and fly against the enemy. Then they must seek the ship, lost somewhere on the sea. and when they find it, they have to land upon its pitching deck. Where did we get such men?" We get a lot of them (I would say most), from Churches like these. they make good grades and graduate from high school. They go on to college and usually are in ROTC to help parents cover the high cost of their education. This is the story (in the movie, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, starring William Holden), of a WWII Navy Fighter Pilot. He was working as an Attorney in Denver and was called back into service and was retrained as a jet powered fighter bomber Pilot. He was bitter about being called back, thinking he had done his part in the Great War. He and his Group were being ordered to bomb one of the most heavily defended targets in North Korea. The Admiral (in the movie, played by Fredrick March), asked himself, “Where does America get such men such as these??

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“It doesn’t apply to me,” Peterson VIKINGS recently told a reporter. “I have a totally different mindset, mind frame.” To his credit, the 29-year-old phenom hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. I mean, the guy is only two years removed from a season in which he ran for 2,097 yards, the second most in NFL history, and he did it just months after ACL surgery. PCP But the man is still a human. His flesh and bones came from another human person, and he lives on planet Earth. Father Time will, inevitably, catch up to him. Have you seen Father Time run the 40-yard dash? The dude can fly.

The charred smell of success VIKINGSnamed A distillery

Twister in Moore is destroyed by ... fire? No, really. Twister Distillery,

the makers of Success vodka, got a little more exposure than its owners bargained for when the distillery caught fire and exploded recently. Onlookers reported a geyser of alcohol that erupted in a column of flame, which, in turn, cause the filled bottles in the makeshift distillery to explode. To add insult to injury, reporters were there to bear witness. Reporters from The Oklahoman were doing a profile of Twister Distillery and Jeff Thurmon, the operator. The fire and ABSENT NOTICE subsequent explosion left Thurmon with third-degree burns over most of his body E MRS. AVERAG and — this is where the insult comes in AL ON HORM AD — without pants. NewsOK reported that S SH*T HE emergency personnel found Thurmon outside the garage in his underwear. The fire claimed his clothes and facial hair. “This should not have happened – I never should have had people here,” Thurmon told NewsOK. The distillery had been warned by Moore fire officials that use of open flame is a no-no when it comes to making spirits. The DATE

distillery gleefully continued operations with its old-school still, heedless of the inherent dangers of the operation. According to the NewsOK report, Thurmon was working day and night to fill the company’s first order for 100 cases. The DIY setup is operated out of a garage in an industrial area and is owned by local chiropractor Alvin Philipose. There is no word on when or even if the distillery will resume operations.

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Coming up roses

This story isn’t funny, but our quest to find out what PCP smells like was. Recently, 30-year-old OKC resident Dana Lynn Edwards was arrested after a burglary call, reported NewsOK.com. Police noticed her holding a small child and pounding on a door, demanding her child back. Yeah, that’s odd. V IKINGS What happened next was horrifying. They then saw her place the baby into a trash bin. She was swiftly arrested, and

her child was taken to the Department of Human Services. That’s sad and peculiar. NewsOK. com reported that police said she had a strong odor of PCP on her when they arrested her. Quick Google-fu tells us that scent is similar to ammonia. Or, according to one anonymous drug forum user, it smells “sweet, rosy.” (She wanted a perfume made that smelled just like it.) Another: “Magic markers.” Also, another anonymous poster to Yahoo Answers colorfully said, “It smells like the baby powder PCP that a baby just farted and poofed up into your face.” So we checked Reddit for the final answer; it smells like “chemicals.” Because Reddit users pretty much know everything.

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DATE NAME

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COMMENTARY

Who’s on our planet’s side? BY DAVID OCAMB

This legislative session, more than any other session in Oklahoma’s history, the environment was under constant attack by well-funded and organized corporate lobbyists and radical right special interests. And this legislative session, more than any other, our elected officials have shown they are completely beholden to these interests at the expense of Oklahoma citizens’ health, air and water quality and even jobs. This legislative session, a bill passed extending and expanding tax breaks for profitable oil and gas companies conducting fracking in Oklahoma. Another bill — promoted by our utility companies and large out-ofstate groups like American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the Koch brothers — passed that will increase costs for consumers who install solar panels on their house. Our state’s budget reduced appropriations

Tax breaks and incentives are good when they benefit the energy industry, but we should penalize consumers who attempt to become energy independent. for the Department of Environmental Quality by 20 percent and then raided its revolving fund as well. Additionally, wind energy was under attack this session. Frank C. Robson, a wealthy landowner and Walmart heir who does not want to look at wind turbines, used his money and influence to attempt

to pass legislation that would have placed such severe regulations on the wind industry that all development would have ceased in Oklahoma. In contrast, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau fought all session for legislation that would have forbid any government body from enacting or enforcing any safeguards on farming and ranching in Oklahoma. So what have we learned about our elected officials consistency? Regulations are bad when large special interests don’t want them but good when they do. Tax breaks and incentives are good when they benefit the energy industry, but we should penalize consumers who attempt to become energy independent. And, most importantly, police and law and order are only good when they’re not policing industry and ensuring our environmental laws are being upheld.

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.

It wasn’t always this way in Oklahoma. Just last year, our Legislature managed to put aside partisan differences to enact good legislation for Oklahoma’s environment. Unfortunately, this year, common sense was trumped by big money and radical right ideology. It’s easy for us, as citizens, to throw our hands in the air and give up. We don’t have the big money of the corporate lobbyists to fight back. I urge each and every Oklahoman who cares about clean air and water and preserving our state so our children can enjoy an Oklahoma better than the one we have today to rise up. This election year, hold your elected officials accountable. See what grade your representative and senator received at oklahoma2. sierraclub.org/legislative. David Ocamb, a native Oklahoman, is the executive director and lobbyist for the Oklahoma chapter of the Sierra Club.

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. Online shops need to collect taxes

While I understand that things move slowly in Washington, D.C., I simply don’t understand why it has taken more than 20 years for Congress to take action to help America’s local businesses. I’m talking about the unfair advantage online-only retailers have over the small businesses lining our main streets. By not requiring online-only businesses to collect our state’s sales tax, Congress subsidizes them, placing their interests above local small businesses. As a result, more of our Main Street shops are cutting back or shuttering their doors. I just don’t see why anyone would think it’s acceptable to hold similar businesses to different tax requirements when the only difference between them is whether they operate online or out of a brick-andmortar storefront. That flies in the face of the free-market system upon which our

14 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

great nation was built. It’s the government picking winners and losers, plain and simple. No one wants to pay sales taxes — and no business really wants to have to collect them. But if we’re going to require one business to collect them, then we must require all businesses to do the same. It’s only fair. The Senate already passed e-fairness legislation by way of the Marketplace Fairness Act last year. It’s the right solution because it levels the playing field for businesses and it ensures the sales taxes paid by consumers benefit the communities where they live. It’s time for the House to show they also support the local businesses by passing e-fairness legislation once and for all. — Steve Schlegel Oklahoma City The truth

When I first read Michael Moberly’s negative response (Letters, May 28, Gazette) to Robin Meyers’ excellent commentary of a few weeks ago (Commentary, “Oklahoma’s mean Jesus,” May 7, Gazette), I wondered how he could miss the point so completely. But then I realized, by totally missing the point, Mr. Moberly beautifully proved Meyers’ point. Thank you, Mr. Moberly. And thank you, Dr. Meyers, for another

skillfully written dose of the hard truth. — William Kizer Oklahoma City Practice what we preach

While I have disagreed with Robin Meyers on many an occasion, he has a good point; if we don’t practice our Christianity, we aren’t living up to our “religion” (Commentary, “Oklahoma’s mean Jesus,” May 7, Oklahoma Gazette). I can’t say I am perfect either. What we need to do is disassociate the people from their practices. Jesus loved the sinner (person), just not his sin. I believe homosexuality is wrong; I believe that non-Christians have no way to go to

heaven. Christ said, “I am the way the truth and the light and no one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6). Too many in our mainstream churches have forgotten who God is and who Jesus is, and many don’t believe. We are all sinners and in need of forgiveness. Our command is to teach the world of Jesus and bring them to Him. That doesn’t mean that one is a bigot for saying that Muslims need to come to Christ and that homosexuals need to change. One cannot list all of the things that need to be changed to make us a great society. — David Hays Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 15

OKG picks are events

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

9313 N. PENNSYLVANIA • CASADY SQUARE MON-FRI, 10AM-5:30PM • SAT, 10AM-3PM

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FILM Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case, (Denmark, 2013, dir. Andreas Johnsen) reflects on artist Ai Weiwei’s battle against the lawsuit thrust upon him by the Chinese government in an effort to silence him, 7:30 p.m., June 26; 5:30, 8 p.m., June 27-28; 2 p.m., June 29. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 2363100, okcmoa.com. THU–SUN

FOOD Baby Food Fun, save money, create and prepare baby food from scratch, 6:30-9:30 p.m., June 26. Francis Tuttle Technology Center-Rockwell Campus, 12777 N. Rockwell Ave., 717-4900, francistuttle.edu. THU Chef Knife Skills, learn the proper way to chop, dice, mince, julienne and chiffonade vegetables, 6:30-9:30 p.m., June 26. Francis Tuttle Technology CenterRockwell Campus, 12777 N. Rockwell Ave., 717-4900, francistuttle.edu. THU Pinot’s Palette, wine and paint party, 7-9 p.m., June 26; 7-10 p.m., June 27-28; 2-4 p.m., June 29. Pinot’s Palette, 115 E. California Ave., 602-3850, pinotspalette. com. THU–SUN Midtown Market at Saints, fresh, Oklahoma-grown produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, honey and prepared foods such as salsa, jam, jelly and relish, 1 p.m., June 27. Midtown Market, NW 9th St. and Walker Ave. FRI Tipsy Artist, wine and paint party, 6:30-9:30 p.m., June 27. Tipsy Artist Studio, 124 W. Oklahoma St., Guthrie, 822-0481, tipsyartist.com. FRI Paint N Cheers, creative social art classes, 6:30 p.m., June 27; 2 p.m., June 29. Paint N Cheers, 1614 N. Gatewood Ave., 524-4155, paintncheers.com. FRI, SUN

P ROVI DED

Frozen, (U.S., 2013, dir. Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee) Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, 8:30 p.m., June 27. Devon Boathouse, 725 S. Lincoln Blvd., 552-4040, okcbf. org. FRI

Sonic Summer Movie Nights If you build it, Field of Dreams will come. Well, they built it, and Field of Dreams — arguably the best baseball movie starring Kevin Costner (of which there are many) — is coming to Sonic Summer Movie Nights. The popular film series starts back up 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 2 on the Great Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Admission is free. Call 445-7080 or visit myriadgardens.org.

Wednesday, July 2 H&8th Night Market, street festival built around a lineup of the city’s top gourmet food trucks, 7-11 p.m., June 27. H&8th Night Market, 815 N. Hudson Ave., h8thokc.com. FRI

HAPPENINGS Brown Bag Lunch: Organic Vegetable Gardening, Kamala Gamble has grown year round for 14 years and produces vegetables, herbs and flowers organically on her 1.5 acre suburban farm, noon, June 26. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, myriadgardens.org. THU

The Artistik Palette, the social painting place, 7 p.m., June 27. Artistik Palette, 5820 E. Reno Ave., Midwest City, artistikpalette.com. FRI Saturday Cooking Class, learn how to prepare easy and delicious meals, 10 a.m., June 28. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Rd., Edmond, 509-2700, uptowngroceryco.com. SAT

Midtown Block Party, STASH along with Waffle Champion and Dry/Shop host a Block Party to welcome locals into their Midtown District businesses, 6-9 p.m., June 27. Stash Midtown, 1108 N. Classen Drive. FRI

Lose 1/2” in 1/2 Hour

Wheel & Deal for Easter Seals, sixth annual fundraiser, auction and gala, 6 p.m., June 27. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. FRI Scissortail Traditional Dance Society, contra dance featuring live music by Traditional Blend and lessons by Susan Downs, 8-11 p.m., June 28. Epworth United Methodist Church, 1901 N. Douglas Ave., 525-2346. SAT OKC Land Run Antique Show, over 50,000 square feet of merchandise brought by many of America’s finest dealers, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., June 28-29. Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., 948-6700. SAT–SUN SHANNON CORNMAN

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LibertyFest It’s never too early to celebrate the Fourth of July. At least it isn’t at LibertyFest, an event spanning two weekends and featuring live patriotic music, a car show, A Taste of Edmond and more. The fest kicks off with the Concert in the Park 7:30 p.m. Thursday outside UCO’s Mitchell Hall Theatre, 100 N. University Drive, in Edmond. Admission is free. Call 340-2527 or visit libertyfest.org.

Thursday–Sunday, ongoing

16 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Second Annual Classen Ten-Penn Community Festival, local artists and vendors feature their talents and crafts, family friendly and children’s activities, refreshments available from local food trucks and vendors, 2-10 p.m., June 28. McKinley Park, 1300 N. McKinley Ave. SAT Western Waters Cruise, cruise to a night of country music, delicious snacks, great views and refreshing adult beverages, 8 p.m., June 28. Meridian Landing, 4345 SW 15th St. SAT Buddha Mind Meditation Class, instructed meditation practice and lecture on Buddhist principles, 7-9 p.m., July 1. Buddha Mind Monastery, 5916 S. Anderson Rd., 869-0501, ctbuddhamind.org. TUE

PERFORMING ARTS Annie: The Musical, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City, 7:30 p.m., June 25-26; 2, 7:30 p.m., June 27-28, 2 p.m., June 29. Sooner Theatre, 101 E. Main St., Norman, 321-9600, soonertheatre.com. WED–SUN

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME!

Les Miserables, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker’s daughter, 7:30 p.m., June 25-26; 8 p.m., June 27; 2, 8 p.m., June 28. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2264, okcciviccenter.com. WED–SAT

• • • • • •

The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy, Robbie the singer and Julia the waitress are both engaged to be married but to the wrong people, fortune intervenes to help them discover each other, 8 p.m., June 26-28. Mitch Park, 1501 W. Covell Rd., Edmond, 359-4630, edmondok.com/ parks. THU–SAT

Fun, Non-Traditional Dental Office Digital X-Rays No Referral Necessary Video Games for Kids Pediatric Dental Specialist Ages 6 Months - 21 Years

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The Gondoliers, packed full of tuneful songs and high-spirited dancing that is the perfect recipe for a smart, memorable evening filled with hilarity, 2, 7 p.m., June 27-28. Nancy O’Brian Center for the Performing Arts, 1809 N. Stubbeman Ave., Norman, 364-0397. FRI–SAT Johnny Perberton/Josh Fadem/Jenny Godwin/ Josh Lathe, live stand-up comedy, 8 p.m., June 27. Opolis, 113 N. Crawford Ave., Norman, 8200951, opolis.org. FRI

PROVIDED

SummerWind Youth Ballet Performance, program includes demonstrations of dance techniques learned during two week intensive program, 1 p.m., June 28. University of Oklahoma, 660 Parrington Oval, Norman, 325-0311, ou.edu. SAT

OKC Fest We have seen our fair share of festivals here in OKC, but as far as headliner-worthy names go, we haven’t seen anything like OKC Fest. Dierks Bentley? Lady Antebellum? Merle freaking Haggard? Yeah, OKC Fest has them. The music, food and familyfriendly fest starts Friday and runs through Saturday near Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Tickets to the main stage events are $35. Call 866-977-6849 or visit okcfest.com. See our cover story on page 43.

Friday–Sunday

E R T A E H T X O B L E W E J R O F T H G I F O T D E E NO N shows! ix s r o f 0 4 $ r o f s t ticke Season

Call 521-1786 for a free brochure; visit our website at jewelboxtheatre.org; or come by 3700 N. Walker 1-6 pm, Tue-Fri. THE SEASON: The Dixie Swim Club • Blithe Spirit • Everybody Loves Opal American Farce (world premiere) • Flowers for Algernon • Come Blow Your Horn OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 17

continued Doug Benson, live stand-up comedy, June 28. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 951-0000, cityartscenter.org. SAT

Dive In Movies, relax poolside and enjoy your favorite movies, 8 p.m., June 27. White Water Bay, 3908 W. Reno Ave., 943-9687, whitewaterbay.com. FRI

SPORTS

Story Time with Julie, hear the best and newest children’s books, 10:15-11 a.m., June 28. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT

OKC Redhawks vs Omaha Storm Chasers, minor league baseball, 7:05 p.m., June 26-28; 6:05 p.m., June 29. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 Mickey Mantle Drive, 218-1000, okcredhawks.com. THU–SUN Great Lawn Games, every Saturday in June, play badminton, croquet, corn toss, Bocce ball and more, 9 a.m.-noon, June 28. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, myriadgardens.org. SAT Oklahoma Victory Dolls vs. Memphis Hustlin’ Rollers/580 Rollergirls, sixth season competing at a national level and focusing on sportsmanship and giving back to the community, 5 p.m., June 28. Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., 948-6700, oklahomavictorydolls.com. SAT OKC Energy vs. Sacramento Republic FC, men’s professional soccer, 7 p.m., June 28. Pribil Stadium, 801 NW 50th St., energyfc.com. SAT YogaVerve, donation-only class, all proceeds go to a local nonprofit, 10:30 a.m., June 29. YogaVerve, 16501 N. Shawnee Ave., Edmond. SUN

YOUTH Summer Kids Camps, sports and recreation camps, college for kids and counselors in training program, June 25-27, June 30-July 2. Oklahoma City Community College, 7777 S. May, 682-1611, occc.edu. WED–FRI, MON–WED Harkins Summer Movie Fun, providing parents the opportunity to take their kids to the movies once a week for 10 weeks for only $5 total, 9 a.m., June 25-27, June 30-July 2. Harkins Theatre, 150 E. Reno Ave., 231-4747. WED–FRI, MON–WED Get Lost!, learn to use a compass, build a fire and search for shelter, 2-4 p.m., June 25-27. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 325-4712, snomnh.ou.edu. WED–FRI

Weekend Keeper Connections, from anemones to zebras, learn about your favorite Zoo animals from the people entrusted to care for them, 11 a.m., June 28-29. Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Place, 424-3344, okczoo.com. SAT–SUN Little Big Chefs Cooking Classes, chef-instructed kid’s cooking class, 2 p.m., June 29. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Rd., Edmond, 509-2700, uptowngroceryco.com. SUN

VISUAL ARTS A Fifty Year Journey in Art, James Gaar’s exhibit highlights the artist’s diverse talent in both photorealism and abstract expressionism. East Gallery, Oklahoma State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., 521-3356, arts.ok.gov. A. Nigh Herndon, artist’s paintings are a new form of portrait that are clean, cold and heavy with an artistic hand. IAO Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave., 232-6060, iaogallery.org. A Summer Place, paintings by Jan Hellwege and Kim Pagonis. Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com. Black, White and Color, featuring plain-air landscapes by Colorado artist Karl Brenner and photographs by Connie Imboden. JRB Art at the Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 5286336, jrbartgallery.com. Concept Me, a self-portrait exhibition. Mainsite Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St., Norman, 360-1162, mainsite-art.com. Conspicuous Caffeination, stunning mesas and ordered lines of cedars of New Mexico sparked Bruce’s creative urge. Gray Owl Coffee, 223 E. Gray St., Norman, 701-2929.

A Night With Bats, discover bat facts and caravan to a park to see them, 7:30-10 p.m., June 27. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 325-4712, snomnh.ou.edu. FRI

Fiberworks 2014, features weaving, needlework, basketry, softsculpture and beading, both traditional and innovative in nature. IAO Art Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave., 232-6060, iaogallery.org.

DOUG SCHWARZ

Little Brushes Kids Camp, child-friendly painting, arts and crafts, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., June 27. Pinot’s Palette, 115 E. California Ave., 602-3850, pinotspalette.com. FRI

Evelyne Boren, recognized for her impressionistic interpretations of life, people and scenes of the Southwest, Mexico and Europe in watercolor and oil paintings. Acosta Strong Fine Art, 6420 N. Western Ave., 464-9719, johnbstrong.com.

Comedy Night with Cameron Buchholtz Oklahoma City has quietly put together a damn fine collection of stand-up comics, and many of its finest purveyors of laughter will be at Comedy Night with Cameron Buchholtz, featuring none other than the North Star of the local comedy scene himself, (you guessed it) Cameron Buchholtz. Special guests include BradChad Porter, Nathan Joyner, Madison Allen, Justin Keithley and host Jeramy Westbrook. Sets begin at 9 p.m. Thursday at VZD’s Restaurant & Club, 4200 N. Western Ave. Admission is $5. Call 524-4203 or visit vzds.com.

Thursday

18 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

P R OVI DE D

Fridays at 11am host Mike McGrath

Mistakes Were Made Stuff happens. Some might use a different noun, but that’s basically the theme of the new production Mistakes Were Made, a satirical comedy about a highstrung theatrical producer set to receive its Oklahoma City premiere. Laughing commences 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday at Carpenter Square Theatre, 800 W. Main St. Tickets are $5-$20. Call 232-6500 or visit carpentersquare.com.

Friday–Saturday, ongoing Figments & Fragments, a mother-and-daughter exhibit benefiting the Heels for Hope Foundation. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005 A Paseo St., 525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com.

Ladylike, work evolves from themes of female body image, feminine stereotypes, eating and domesticity. IAO Art Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave., 232-6060, iaogallery.org.

“Fore”: Looking Back at Golf in Edmond, exhibit examining how individual golfers, and the game as a whole, have been so successful in Edmond. Edmond Historical Society and Museum, 431 S. Boulevard St., Edmond, 340-0078, EdmondHistory.org.

Prix de West, exhibit of over 300 Western paintings and sculptures by the finest contemporary artists in the nation. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum. org.

Glitch/Analog, exhibit investigates the intersection of traditional art with digital formats. Mainsite Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St., 360-1162, mainsiteart.com.

Rita Wilkinson, artist’s work is whimsical and abstract, looking nothing like the exact perception of the naked eye. Gallery 66, 6728 NW 39th Expressway, 314-2430, gallery66ok.com.

Jeanne Rorex Bridges, paintings convey a reflective mood embodying a woman’s spirit through historical and universal themes. Jann Jeffrey Gallery, 3018 Paseo St., 607-0406, jannjeffrey.com.

Smile, exhibit by Diana J. Smith focuses specifically on the smiles of dogs. Governor’s Gallery, Oklahoma State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., 521-3356, arts.ok.gov. Thomas Stotts, textured oil and acrylic European buildings and contemporary landscapes set in Texas Hill Country. Summer Wine Art Gallery, 2928 B Paseo St., 831-3279, summerwinegallery.com.

Kim Robbins: Blossoms for the Soul, Robbins masterfully captures nature and adds her own unique flair through digital processing. Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 297-3995, myriadgardens.com.

Vinyl Exposed, the petroleum-based medium that has allowed Jason Willaford to evolve within the series. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 951-000, cityartscenter.org.

SH ANNON CORNMAN

Joelene Barber, autumn landscapes, abstracts and symbolism art. Gallery 66, 6728 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, 314-2430.

Riversport Challenge Few things are as American as racing, whether by foot, by automobile or by horse. Boat racing is pretty darn American too, so go cheer on competitors at the Riversport Challenge, a dual 500-meter kayak race and 5k running race as part of the SandRidge Energy Stars & Stripes River Festival. The whistle blows at 8 a.m., and events run through 10 p.m. in the Boathouse District, 725 S. Lincoln Blvd. Admission is free, while challenge registration is $35 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. Call 552For OKG 4040 or visit boathousedistrict.org.

Saturday

music picks see page 49

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 19

20 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

MARK HAN COC K

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Catch of the day June 25 is National Catfish Day, but Oklahoma City’s restaurants are swimming with creative menu variations with the delectable fish. BY GREG ELWELL

Whatever you think of his policies or legacy, we can all agree that Ronald Reagan got it right when he proclaimed June 25 National Catfish Day. Catfish seems inextricably linked with Southern cuisine, and in Oklahoma, a restaurant that can make good catfish is often rewarded with a loyal following. Take Mr. Catfish (aka Beef & Buns) at 2941 NE 23rd St., which keeps a peculiar schedule. Open Thursday through Sunday, it’s home to some classic fried catfish. Served with bread and tartar sauce, the real treat is to dress those hot-from-the-fryer filets with hot sauce and crunch through a layer of cornmeal to steaming catfish. And if your dining companions don’t want fish, well, Mr. Catfish also makes tender ribs and an amazing banana pudding. For a less traditional take, Jiro Sushi, 1101 NW 23rd St., has taken eel off the menu and replaced it with catfish.

Owner Jack Surya was looking for a way to differentiate Jiro from the crowd while getting away from eel, about which he has health concerns. “Everybody else has eel, but too much is not good for you,” he said. “I tried tilapia and red snapper, but when we prepared catfish kabayaki-style, it really worked.” Kabayaki catfish is grilled and covered in a sweet sauce and then paired with crabstick, cream cheese, spicy mayo and green onion in Jiro’s version of the Oklahoma roll. Catfish is an international phenomenon, so it’s little wonder that Golden Phoenix, 2728 N. Classen Blvd., has its own use for the whiskered delicacy. The sweet and sour catfish soup is a feast for the senses, especially if you add in a little hot sauce, as well. Another spot for spicy catfish (and lots of other tongue-tingling dishes) is Cajun King, 5816 NW 63rd St., where trays of catfish amandine are brought

around to every table. Why not keep it on the buffet with everything else? Because it’s better fresh and it wouldn’t last long anyway. These slightly sweet strips are fried to pale golden perfection, with a little crunch and a whole lot of flavor. The gumbo is good, and the jambalaya is inviting, but the catfish is what keeps customers coming back. At Carican Flavors, 2701 N. Martin Luther King Ave., owner Sharon McMillan puts on a Caribbean feast every day, bringing the flavors of her native Trinidad to chicken wings and oxtail. And while others fry up catfish in big batches, her big, marinated fillets are made to order — and amazing. “We’re a little different because we use fresh herbs and we marinate the fillets,” she said. “It brings out the flavor of the fish.” Then it’s either grilled with tomatoes and peppers or lightly tossed with corn meal and fried.

Sweet and sour catfish soup is served in a big bowl on a portable stove at Golden Phoenix.

The gumbo is good, and the jambalaya is inviting, but the catfish is what keeps customers coming back. “There aren’t layers and layers of batter,” she said. “I want you to appreciate the flavor. This way, you get more fish than batter.” Today might be the day the nation recognizes catfish, but with options like these, every day is Catfish Day in Oklahoma City.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 21

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22 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Opus Prime Steakhouse 800 W. MEMORIAL ROAD OPUSPRIMESTEAKHOUSE.COM 607-6787 WHAT WORKS: STEAKS, CRAB CAKES AND A WINE LIST THAT COULD CHOKE A DONKEY. WHAT NEEDS WORK: A LITTLE LESS SINATRA ON THE STEREO, BUT NOT MUCH ELSE. TIP: WITH BARREL-AGED COCKTAILS AND AN APPETIZER, THE PATIO IS A GREAT SPOT TO RELAX.

The wine list. My god, the wine list. When I first opened the small encyclopedia volume masquerading as a wine list at Opus Prime Steakhouse, I could not contain the laugh that escaped my mouth. Looking up at one of their four wine vaults, I knew I needed a glass of something. Lucky for me, the knowledgeable staff was there to guide me to a

reasonably priced and unreasonably delicious glass of zinfandel. I’m no oenophile, but I like a nice glass of wine, and these guys know their stuff. They claim a list of more than 900 labels, which is to say they have a lot of good wine. And if you went to Opus just to drink, I wouldn’t blame you, but you’d be missing out on some very fine cuisine. To start, I had the crab cake ($15.99), which seemed, to me, to be made entirely of lump crab with a fine dice of green onion and red bell pepper sprinkled in for color. Paired with a lobster cream sauce, it was just decadent enough that I would have eaten three of them myself. Thankfully, I restrained myself, because I was even more smitten with the lobster bisque ($9.99). First comes a bowl with big chunks of

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fresh lobster. Then your waiter pours over a bisque so smooth and rich, I worried it would solidify midair. The texture was creamy. The flavor was butter, heavy cream and glorious, glorious lobster. A note on the booths: No one can see you but the waiters, and they won’t tell if you lick the bowl clean. The real challenge at Opus Prime is choosing an entree. The bone-in 18 oz. steak ($39.99) was beautifully seared and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The seasoning was minimal, as it should be, because a prime cut like this has flavor to spare. It’ll never be as tender as a fillet, but for a big, beefy punch, there’s nothing like it. For those who are hesitant to order duck, come here and let me slap you. One more time. OK. Duck is delicious. And when it’s in the hands of executive chef Will Nichols, it’s a damned delight. The duck breast ($26.99) was tender and extraordinary. I could eat one of these every day (along with a crab cake) until the fowl and crustacean populations were utterly destroyed, and I would only feel marginally bad about it. On the side, the macaroni and cheese ($7.99) features seven kinds of cheese and an equal number of goofy smiles on the faces of customers. The Opus frites ($7.99)

An extensive wine cellar greets visitors of Opus Prime Steakhouse. The selection alone makes the visit worthwhile.

A note on the booths: No one can see you but the waiters, and they won’t tell if you lick the bowl clean.

OPEN 7 DAYS are a fancy hybrid of a waffle fry and a potato chip and are served with spicy ketchup and mayonnaise. A note on overeating: You will probably do that at Opus Prime. Because then there’s dessert. And while the caramel apple pie with vanilla ice cream ($9) was a downhome treat, it was the crème brûlée ($10) with a kaleidoscope of flavors painted on the plate that stole my heart. A perfect burnt sugar crust and a rich vanilla bean custard underneath — woo. Woo, lawd. Woo. Other prime steakhouses might have more flash or better name recognition, but Opus Prime has the food, the service and the wine worthy of your next stop for a special occasion or just a well-deserved treat.

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 23

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Tantalizing tapioca You’ve had it in your calendar all year — well, maybe you haven’t — but now it’s here; Saturday is National Tapioca Day.

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BY ANGELA BOTZER

Your grandmother probably made tapioca pudding, an old-fashioned comfort food, for dessert and also had a few boxes tucked away in her pantry. Now slightly more difficult to find, tapioca pudding has fallen a bit out of popularity. However, other forms of tapioca are now becoming mainstream. Included isBYtheANGELA popular BOTZER bubble tea invented in Taichung, Taiwan during the 1980s and found throughout the metro area today. Saturday is National Tapioca Day, so try some modern versions of this classic, slightly sweet treat. Tapioca is a starch extracted from Manihot esculenta, the manioc root (also called cassava). It was originally native to Brazil, and its popularity spread quickly to South America. Subsequently, Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought the plant to the West Indies, Asia and Africa, where it was cultivated worldwide and quickly adopted into regional cuisines. The word tipi’óka in the Tupí language, a native language spoken by the indigenous Tupí people of Brazil, refers to the process by which the manioc starch is made edible. In Venezuela, arepas, a traditional flatbread, is made using tapioca flour fried on a griddle. In Brazil, sagu — a dessert made with tapioca pearls cooked in red wine, cinnamon and cloves — is common. The beloved spicy pepper pot soup of the West Indies includes beef, pork, hot peppers and diced manioc root. In Sri Lanka, tapioca cooked with coconut, onions, chili peppers, turmeric, mustard seeds and other spices is a common breakfast food. Sabudana khichdi (spicy tapioca) is a breakfast favorite in India, and with tapioca, peas, hot peppers and curry spices, it’s sure to be a morning eye-opener. Boba is another name for the tapioca pearls commonly found in bubble teas; pressing the starch through a sieve under pressure makes the pearls. Bubble tea and tapioca pudding are both made with pearled tapioca, which forms

into slightly chewy balls when cooked. Small pearls are better for pudding, and large ones preferred in bubble teas. So, where do you go to celebrate this long-anticipated National Tapioca Day holiday in style? Cafe Oasis, 1135 NW 25th St., offers a sumptuous array of bubble teas. Try the kiwi black tea or the lychee black milk tea. There’s also taro green milk tea and mango black milk tea. Accompany these with crunchy vegetable egg rolls. Saturdays and Sundays are made for dim sum at Grand House Asian Bistro, 2701 N. Classen Blvd. After polishing off a dazzling array of dim sum delectables, order the tapioca milk pudding dim sum. It’s a creamy pudding topped with honeydew melon chunks and melon juice. At the colorful Teapioca Lounge, 1101 NW 23rd St., order the jasmine green bubble tea and settle back in the comfy lounge with a book so you can sip and relax. Among the wide selection of bubble teas offered is a cooling tapioca cream tea and a more exotic herbal jelly cream tea.

A watermelon bubble tea at Cafe Oasis is made with tapioca and is a fresh way to celebrate National Tapioca Day. SHANNON CORNMAN

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Get acquainted with halal One doesn’t have to go far to find Islamic food in the Oklahoma City metro area. BY ANGELA BOTZER

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If you are interested in this opportunity, please visit our website to complete an online application. AA/Equal Opportunity Employer-M/F/Disability/Vets 26 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Oklahoma City’s vibrant Muslim population has recently produced some wonderful places to eat and shop halal, a welcome addition to the region. Halal, meaning “permitted or in accordance with Islamic law,” includes avoiding pork, animal blood, carrion (decaying flesh), predatory animals and alcohol. Not only restricted to what is lawful and permissible in food, the term also applies to matters of daily life as well, including cosmetics, prepared foods and pharmaceuticals. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, teaches Muslims that all animals should be treated with respect and should be well cared for. “Our concern is that we believe animals are often not treated humanely,” said Imam Tamer Selim at the Grand Mosque of Oklahoma City. Zabiha is the method of ritual animal slaughter by a Muslim while reciting the Takbeer — the animal is killed quickly with a sharpened knife, without suffering. Shopping for halal meat and other items is just a short drive away.

Halal Meat and Grocery, 3620 NW 39th St., offers a wide variety of halal grocery items including an array of herbs and spices. Halal Mart, 3718 NW 50th St., sells halal meat (including goat) and groceries, plus an assortment of teas. Restaurants catering to halal dietary laws are closer than one might think. On Saturdays, halal lamb mandi is a featured special at Ol’ Gyro, 3513 N. Classen Blvd. Mandi comes from the Arabic word for “dew,” nada, and the dewy, moist texture of the lamb comes through, along with the cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. This traditional Arabic dish is served on top of basmati rice and merits its Saturdayonly specialness. Try the Turkish “pizza” at Istanbul Turkish Cuisine, 3604 N. May Ave. Lahmacun is presented as three individual rounds of thin crust and looks like a pizza, but the similarity stops there. The toppings — spiced beef and lamb, with onions and tomatoes — are divine, and you can watch it bake

M A RK HA N COC K

Rodrigo Garcia Perez and Chef Sevki Dolapci, with lahmacun at Istanbul Turkish Cuisine.

Our concern is that we believe animals are often not treated humanely. — Imam Tamer Selim in a Turkish-style open oven. It’s traditional to put a few squeezes of lemon and cilantro sprigs right on top of your lahmacun before diving in. An order of Turkish coffee makes everything perfect. Sheesh Mahal, 4621 N. May Ave., offers a delightfully fragrant chicken korma. A spicy south-central Asian dish. The word korma is from the Urdu language and means “braised.” At Sheesh, the chicken is slowly braised with onions, garlic, curry spices and yogurt and is served over fluffy rice. Shawarma Vite, 1129 Elm Ave., in Norman has a Moroccan chicken sandwich worthy of the lunchtime crush. The thinly sliced marinated chicken is served in pita bread and topped with tomatoes, onions, pickles, shredded cabbage and parsley and drizzled with mint sauce. Moroccan sweet mint tea is a nice addition.

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Passion for fresh homemade Italian food is what makes dining at Gabriella’s an unforgettable experience. • Our ingredients are made fresh every day. • Our meatballs, ravioli and Italian sausage are prepared in house. • Sauces are made from scratch. • We dry age and hand cut our beef. We cure and smoke our own bacon! Also get your deli meats and cheeses here to take home!

Monday - Friday | 4p to 10p Saturday | 3p to 11p Always closed on Sunday

478-4955 | 1226 NE 63rd St. www.gabriellasokc.com OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 27

The OKG staff eats, too Culled from a list overflowing with some of the best and least-known names in the city, here are the places you’re likely to see a member of our staff. These are several top recommendations from Oklahoma Gazette staff. — by Devon Green photos by Mark Hancock, Shannon Cornman and Lauren Hamilton

Guernsey Park

Cafe Kacao

Taqueria Rafitas

2418 N. Guernsey Ave. guernseypark.com 605-5272

3325 N. Classen Blvd. cafekacao.com 602-2883

1222 N. Pennsylvania Ave. @taqueriarafitas 408-2858

More than a few Oklahoma City residents have caught on to this restaurant’s quiet appeal. It does help that it finally has a sign announcing its presence, but the fact that it was tucked away in a quiet corner off 23rd Street is a testament to the restaurant’s hidden charms. Here, you’ll find everything from sushi to ginger chicken and curry salmon. Chef Danny Vu combines unexpected elements into mouthwatering menu items that are appealing to the eye and palette.

According to the owners, the trick to Guatemalan cuisine is keeping it fresh and simple. Reporter Ben Felder said, “It’s been a pleasure watching it grow, especially when you want a table on Saturday mornings.” The restaurant has gone from a sleepy secret to a packed weekend breakfast spot, and with good reason: the fresh breakfast fare includes everything from huevos rancheros to mosh, a Guatemalanstyle oatmeal. Stop in for appetizers, lunch and salads and sandwiches, too.

Tacos. Who doesn’t love tacos? The challenge was not finding a taco joint among the staff picks; it was narrowing it down to one. Taqueria Rafitas is consistently fresh, delicious and affordable. It has a large menu that includes breakfast items. The chorizo and potato burritos are satisfying, and for lunch or dinner, try a plate of its steaming carnitas or asada tacos.

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28 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

6014 N. May • 947-7788 www.zorbasokc.com

Pho Thai Nguyen

Patty Wagon

Green & Grilled

Thai House II

3221 N. Classen Blvd. 525-7373

3600 N. May Ave. pattywagonokc.com 721-1327

8547 N. Rockwell Ave. greenandgrilled.com 563-2605

500 NW 23rd St. @ThaihouseOKC 524-0503

There’s little reason not to love this longtime Classen neighborhood favorite. The staff is friendly and efficient, the service is quick and helpful and the pho is second to none. It also offers a large selection of other items, including your Asian favorites. And do please try its Café Su Da, Vietnamese dark roast coffee brewed by the cup and served with sweetened, condensed milk and ice. One sip and you’ll be a regular.

For the uninitiated, this is not simply another burger joint. The ingredients are world-class and include local, grass-fed beef. Yes, you can taste the difference. The seasonings are perfect, with creative combinations of flavor. Not so sure you’re down with the bacon and bleu? Create your own burger, and with the way the meat is seasoned, simple is sometimes even better. The hand-cut fries are always fresh and a perfect complement.

As the summer temperatures soar, the last thing you want is a plate of heavy food. This restaurant is a welcome departure from over-seasoned and overdone and offers healthy and flavorful options that leave you satisfied. The simple menu is chock full of tasty grilled meats and vibrant sides, including spinach rice or avocado, that leave you wanting more of the healthy stuff. It’s well worth the trip up Northwest Expressway.

The two reasons this restaurant consistently makes it on “best of” lists is simple: the service and the food. Don’t let the shabby decor fool you — Thai House II is a gem. The service is always welcoming and warm. The food is traditional specialties from Thailand done right, with an incredible pad thai. It is a perfect reminder of why the dish was created to be the national dish of Thailand.

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Pollock-Warriner House

Mod squad A local group works to save mid-century modern architecture.

BY ANGELA BOTZER

As you drive around the Oklahoma City metro area, in the corner of your eye, you spot a building that looks like a spaceship. A few blocks away, another structure resembling a flying saucer looms. While you subconsciously hum the theme music to the classic cartoon TV show The Jetsons, you begin to wonder, “What’s going on here?” It’s the space-age Sputnik-era midcentury modern architectural style made popular throughout the country in the 1950s and 1960s. Oklahoma City is home to a stunning display of midcentury modern homes, businesses and churches. During the 1950s, architecture and design reflected societal concerns about the Cold War, the threat of nuclear war and atomic science. When the Soviet Union’s satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched in 1957, it precipitated the space race. Space-age design was born from an optimism in science and technology that was unprecedented. Enter the Okie Mod Squad (okcmod. com), an Oklahoma City group with the mission to identify and preserve midcentury modern architecture. “A group of us came together out of love for mid-century modern,” said

30 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Mod Squad member Lynne Rostochil. “One wouldn’t expect Oklahoma to have all these incredible structures, and many don’t realize how unique these buildings are.” Working on a volunteer basis, squad First Christian Church of Oklahoma City

members regularly receive phone calls requesting information on how to save buildings. The group will often feature a mid-century modern house up for sale on its website, list endangered architectural sites and host

P HOTOS BY S HA N N ON CORN M A N

LIFE CULTURE

A tour of the mid-century modern highlights must always include the iconic Gold Dome, 1112 NW 23rd St. — Lynne Rostochil architectural tours. One of the classic buildings is the “egg” church, or the “Church of Tomorrow,” officially the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City, at NW 36th Street and N. Walker Avenue. “My grandfather, R. Duane Conner, was the architect for the church,” said Rostochil. “I never got to know him, but when I explore some of the buildings he designed, including this church, I learn more about what he was like.” Conner’s designs might have been directly influenced by the Cold War era. “It’s possible because he worked as a mechanical equipment designer for the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during World War II and, therefore, had a lot of intimate knowledge about what atomic war could mean,” Rostochil said. A tour of the mid-century modern highlights must always include the iconic Gold Dome, 1112 NW 23rd St. This Buckminster Fuller-inspired dome was completed in 1958 and was originally a bank. It was the fifth geodesic dome to be constructed in the world. It’s easy to transport yourself to The Jetsons’ fictitious Orbit City, year 2062, when you enter Arvest Bank, 3900 N. Lincoln Blvd, built in 1964. Yesiree, there are 17 “flying saucer” structures in the building that make it look and feel like a spaceship. “People come from all over to take photos of the building,” said a bank employee. Insiders’ secret: The circular, open elevator with roundabout seating is open to the public and is the most fun elevator ride you will have in Oklahoma City. Other classics include St Luke’s United Methodist Church, 222 N. 15th St. This church was built in 1956 of Norwegian blue granite and has a 185-foot space-age bell CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 31

LIFE CULTURE

Arvest Bank

tower that resembles a transmitter. Founders National Bank, 5613 N. May Ave., is currently a Bank of America. Designed by Bill Bowlby in 1964, it has two 50-foot arches over what appears to be a gravity-resisting roof.

One wouldn’t expect Oklahoma to have all these incredible structures, and many don’t realize how unique these buildings are. — Lynne Rostochil Close by is Founders Tower, 5900 Mosteller Drive. Also completed in 1964, this 10-sided 275-foot building looks like a rocket launch pad. Now converted to condos and apartments, it has a 360-degree restaurant space at the top. It reopened last week as The George, a Prime Steakhouse. Craving a sandwich and mid-

century modern? Neptune Submarine Sandwiches, 3301 N. Classen Blvd, has a mouth-watering Cotto salami sandwich for $7.99. While you wait, look at the futuristic Googie-style wing structure on the roof, which was designed by Jack L. Scott in 1961. It appears the restaurant could take off at any second. The Pollock-Warriner house, 2400 NW 59th St., is a private residence and a Bruce Goff gem. Goff was chair of the school of architecture at the University of Oklahoma and created this masterpiece in 1957. It showcases a turquoise-colored terrace and two reflecting pools. What’s in the Mod Squad’s future? “We are all working on a book about the architectural sites, along with friends in Enid, Tulsa and Ponca City. It’s a real community project,” said Rostochil.

For more information on local architecture tours, locations and more: Oklahoma City Foundation for Architecture: okcarchitecture.com American Institute of Architects — Central Oklahoma: aiacoc.org

Founders Tower

32 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Do you take insulin for your diabetes? Type 2 Diabetes A 15 month clinical research study is evaluating a new investigational insulin dosed once daily on effective blood sugar control compared to a marketed basal insulin dosed once daily in people with type 2 diabetes. Qualiﬁed participants will receive all study-related care and study medication at no cost and may be compensated for travel.

You may qualify if you: ✓ Are 18 years or older ✓ Have had a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes for at least 6 months ✓ Are receiving treatment with a once daily insulin with or without oral antidiabetic drugs ✓ Are at high risk for developing hypoglycaemia (i.e. recent hypoglycaemic episode, severe hypoglycaemic episode, hypoglycaemic unawareness, moderate chronic renal failure or insulin usage for more than 5 years) ✓ Have an HbA1c level of not more than 9.5% ✓ Have a body mass index (BMI) of not more than 45 kg/m2

Please contact: COR Clinical Research 1211 N Shartel, Ste. 802 Oklahoma City, OK 73103 405-272-8481 • email: mgreen@corclinical.com www.cordinical.com OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 33

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Con you dig it? The 23rd installment of SoonerCon features a dazzling array of niche, genre-oriented fare. BY ERIC WEBB

SoonerCon 23 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday Reed Conference Center 5800 Will Rogers Rd., Midwest City soonercon.com 310-9255 $20-$40

TICKETS START AT $35 405.524.9312 // LyricTheatreOKC.com JULY 8 – 12 All Civic Center box office locations 405.297.2264 and 1.800.364.7111 ASL Interpreters provided during the Saturday Matinee performance.

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JULY 22 – 26 34 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

PRESENTING SPONSOR

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SoonerCon storms Reed Conference Center in Midwest City for a three-day celebration of creativity and fandom across film, television, comics, games and literature. Now in its 23rd year, the convention will feature panels, screenings, contests, an art show and huge gaming and exhibition halls. “SoonerCon is brought about each year by a dedicated crew of volunteers who give thousands of hours to make it happen,” SoonerCon co-chair Leonard Bishop said. “It’s a gift to Oklahoma that helps diversify and enrich our cultural landscape.” Aided by efforts of the University of Oklahoma’s Animation Society, this year’s convention includes a big expansion of anime programming at SoonerCon with guests like Matt Greenfield, a writer-director and co-founder of ADV Studios, and OU alum Jamie Marchi, best known for her work on Witchblade. Voice actors Tiffany Grant (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Vic Mignogna (Fullmetal Alchemist) will also be on hand. “Vic is a rock star in the anime community, having worked on over 150 titles,” Bishop said. Mignogna will also be on hand for the premiere screening of “Fairest of Them All,” the newest episode of Star Trek Continues, the web-based series that picks up where the original 1960s series left off. Mignogna serves as a writer, producer and director on the series while also delivering an uncanny Shatneresque performance as Captain Kirk.

Technically a fan-made series, Star Trek Continues involves many respected industry professionals in front of and behind the camera and has earned the respect of fans and Trek alumni since launching last year. “Vic loves to interact with his fans,” Bishop said, “so we’ve got him very busy all weekend.”

It’s a gift to Oklahoma that helps diversify and enrich our cultural landscape. — Leonard Bishop

Mignogna will be doing panels about his video game work and the cultural impact of Star Trek and participating in autograph sessions. Oklahoma native and Trek expert Larry Nemecek, who has co-written episodes of Star Trek Continues and played Dr. McCoy in some of the episodes, will join him for screenings of the new episode. If you’re feeling inspired after watching “Fairest of Them All,” try your hand at crewing a starship in Artemis or avail yourself of tabletop, collectible card games, role-playing games and more. SoonerCon boasts the largest genreart show in the region, highlighting sci-fi-, fantasy- and pop culture-themed work from nearly fifty artists. “[SoonerCon] gives folks with a broad spectrum of interests a central gathering point to meet,” Bishop said. “The Internet is a great starting point for finding your niche of interests. But face to face, in an immersive environment, it’s a whole different level of experience.”

LIFE PERFORMING ARTS

Red scare

M A RK HA N COC K

With its bold new production, Red Dirt Theatre Company seeks to bring something new to Oklahoma. BY DEVON GREEN

The Bolshevik Bride 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday Actors Warehouse Studio 30 NE 52nd St. facebook.com/reddirttheatrecompany 290-8899 $10-$15

A new theater company quietly made its way onto the Oklahoma City scene in the summer of 2013 with a production of David Mamet’s Race. “We looked at what other theaters were doing, and we wanted to do shows that we wanted to see,” said Shellie Sterling, one of the founding members of Red Dirt Theatre Company. The founders decided to form a company so they could perform what they felt were missing elements in

Oklahoma City theater: plays about tough issues, drama that pulls no punches. The theater opened its 2014 season in May with The Laramie Project, a documentary-style narrative about the death of Matthew Shepard, a young man who was killed because of his sexual orientation. The play, written by Moisés Kaufman, is complex; it isn’t just a simple examination of hatred and intolerance. It’s just the type of material that Red Dirt Theatre is excited to bring to the stage. Red Dirt’s newest production, The Bolshevik Bride, was written and directed by company co-founder Gabriel Pranter, who has a bachelor’s degree in theater performance from the University of Central Oklahoma. This is the second full-length play he has written, and he studied under another of the company’s

Members of the cast rehearse for The Bolshevik Bride. founders, Brent Noel, who works in the theater department at Oklahoma City Community College. “I had the ideas for some of the characters in high school,” Pranter said, “so that had been marinating for a while.” From the first read-through to the casting, Pranter said he basically rewrote the whole play. “I thought, ‘I think I can make these characters more believable, even though each one is larger than life in their own way,’” he said. Casting was tricky, but he was impressed at the local talent he had to choose from. He felt like he was asking a lot from his cast — the bride of the title has to speak Russian and have a Russian

accent, for instance. “Theater is hard. It’s incredibly hard,” Pranter said. “I know it sounds cliché, but there were so many people who were collaborating that maybe didn’t even know it.” Pranter does have surreal moments about seeing his play come to life. “It’s a dangerous play,” he said. “I was very bold in the choices I made, especially considering it’s being premiered in conservative Oklahoma.” A friend of his described it to him as “so messed up and dark and scary that, at points, all you can do is laugh.” The subject matter is bleak. “It’s gritty,” he said. “It’s going to push people’s buttons.”

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 35

LIFE PERFORMING ARTS

Night in the Park Now three decades in, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park takes on a new endeavor.

A P RI L-P ORTERFI EL D

BY LARRY LANEER

Twelfth Night 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, 8 p.m. Thursday Water Stage Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. oklahomashakespeare.org 403-1750 $10-$15

Ariel Richardson as Viola and Mandee Chapman Roach as Olivia. to agree with this assessment and makes Brown the star of the show, as well as of the curtain calls. He gets no argument from me and certainly not from the audience at the reviewed performance.

Doug Brown as Malvolio.

36 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Despite the importance the playwright affords him, Malvolio is a supporting role. The play’s principal character is the young Viola, survivor of a devastating shipwreck who assumes a

APRIL PORTERFIE LD

Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park (OSP) opens its 30th season by bringing together an old friend of city theatergoers with a delightful newcomer in Twelfth Night at Myriad Botanical Gardens’ Water Stage. It’s not the mirthful revel the Bard intended, but the show has its moments. Director Robert McGill keeps the play in Illyria but changes it to “the 1890s Russia of Czar Nicholas, Czarina Alexandra and Anton Chekov.” Thus, costume designer Robert Pittenridge has much rich material — in more than one sense — to work with, and he delivers the goods. OSP has tapped Pittenridge for costumes the past several seasons, and his work remains first-rate. Costumes are a budget item, so kudos to the company’s board of directors for making a commitment to quality. What goes on in those costumes, on the other hand, is uneven. But not with Doug Brown as Malvolio, steward of Countess Olivia’s estate. Now in his 23rd season with OSP, Brown, a fine comic actor who has been known for some mugging, seems unusually restrained early in the play when he’s in the presence of Olivia. In fact, I didn’t even recognize Brown until he spoke his first lines of dialog. This restraint is a nuanced setup for later scenes, such as when Malvolio finds a letter planted by rivals, which makes him think Olivia (the fine Mandee Chapman Roach) loves him, and he experiments with ways to affect a smile, a mien foreign to Malvolio. Brown returns to his old comic form in the scene in which he appears before Olivia in yellow stockings and “cross-gartered” fashion fads Olivia abhors. Scholars say Malvolio is Shakespeare’s favorite character in the play because of how those who have suffered his imperiousness later inflict excessively cruel treatment on him. McGill seems

transvestite disguise as Cesario to make her way in the world. Charming newcomer Ariel Richardson gives Viola the spunk to do whatever needs to be done, and her expressive face runs the gamut of emotions. You can practically see the moment Viola realizes she loves Count Orsino (Austin Morris, who’s too young for the role; the fake mustache and goatee don’t help). Richardson is a young actor we’d like to see again. She bears too little resemblance, however, to Aaron Gooden, who plays her identical twin brother, Sebastian, but Pittenridge’s identical costumes help considerably. Callum Roxborough gives a winning performance as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, but one wonders how this callow youth achieved knighthood. Any arts organization that lasts 30 years has a lot going for it. OSP now has a contract with Actors’ Equity, and the quality of its work has never been better.

Les musical

Perhaps the defining work of its kind, Les Misérables gets the Lyric Theatre treatment.

BY ERIC WEBB

7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. lyrictheatreokc.com 524-9312 $35-$74

Lyric Theatre opens its summer run at Civic Center Music Hall with an ambitious production of one of the most beloved musicals of all time. No big deal, right? Based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables tells the story of French peasant Jean Valjean and his struggle for redemption after serving 19 years in jail. Inspired to break his parole by an act of kindness, Valjean seeks to start a new life while pursued by a relentless police inspector named Javert. “Like the novel itself, everything about this production will be epic and heartfelt,” Lyric Artistic Director Michael Baron said in a press release. “Lyric’s production of Les Misérables will be unlike any that our audiences have seen or heard before.” The production will feature a four-story set designed by Michael Raiford, over 400 costumes designed by Jeffrey Meek and a company of over 100 voices backing up a cast of national and local talent headed up by Broadway star Chuck Wagner. Wagner was a fan before joining the national tour of Les Mis in 1991 as the ruthless policeman Javert. Later that same year, he began a two-year stint playing the character on Broadway. “I loved every minute as the dark inspector,” Wagner said. “This show is the best of everything musical theater can be, and it’s nice work if you

can get it.” For Lyric’s production of Les Mis, Wagner will go from hunter to hunted, taking on the role of tortured hero Jean Valjean. “After years playing Jekyll and Hyde, I’m fairly comfortable exploring dualities,” Wagner said. “I love the challenge of exploring both sides of a story. I certainly think fully understanding both sides of the lifelong conflict between these two classic characters enriches my performance of either role.” He said picking a favorite is difficult since both are dynamic roles with phenomenal music. “Jean Valjean has such an amazing emotional journey ending in an explosion of transcendent love, so he may win,” Wagner added. “Though going to the brink of insanity in Javert’s suicide is a great moment too.” In some cases, new insight into the characters comes from real life. “Now that I have arrived at the true age of Valjean in the novel and having recently experienced my own parent’s mortality,” Wagner said, “the final scenes of Les Misérables are more moving than ever.” Wagner added that he has been inspired by the caliber of talent and professionalism on this production. “The entire Lyric Theatre team is a welloiled, Broadway musical-making machine — and a pleasure to work with,” he said. “I hope this is the first of many visits for me.”

KO RINEARSON

Les Misérables

Chuck Wagner as Jean Valjean

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 37

THE NEW OPEN

LIFE BOOKS COUNTRY DANCING

WED, THURS & FRI at 5 & SAT at 2

LESSONS

WEDNESDAYS

M A RK HA N COC K

401 S. MERIDIAN

Hot Summers Jody Summers sizzles with his acclaimed Dark Canvas series. Part two, The Mask Maker, was released in March, and a third is on its way. BY GREG HORTON

When local author Jody Summers met former supermodel-actress Denice Lewis, she was using the ashes of her clients’ departed loved ones to create commemorative paintings. Lewis, whose most notable role was in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s End of Days, simply mixed the ashes with her paints and used the mixture in her composition. “That was really where I got the idea for Dark Canvas,” Summers said. “She is also the reason I contribute part of the proceeds to each sale to the Fibromyalgia Coalition [International].” Dark Canvas is the first book in a series of psychological, supernatural thrillers centered around Kira McGovern, an artist who uses the ashes of the dead in her work with eerie results. Lewis, who was the inspiration for the device but not the character, developed fibromyalgia after her modeling career but continues to paint in spite of the pain. Summers, a New Orleans native, has had numerous Oklahoma connections over the years, including Kettle Restaurant — his father was one of the founders of the chain — and tanning salons. He now works full-time as an oil and gas permit agent for seismic surveys. He is based in Oklahoma City now, but his job takes him all over the country. Dark Canvas was first released in 2007, and Summers admitted it was too soon: “The book wasn’t ready. It needed professional editing, and the Amazon reviews reflected that.” Self-publishing has become one of the most common ways to get books

38 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Oklahoma author Jody Summers with his two books: Dark Canvas and The Mask Maker. on the market, and since Amazon allows self-published authors to keep up to 70 percent of sales on a title, the site is a haven for would-be authors. The mistakes typically made, though, are poor editing and poor packaging. Summers fixed the editing issue by having the book edited twice professionally, and he never made the packaging mistake. “I wanted Dark Canvas to look professional, so I contacted my old gymnastics teammate Les Kerr,” Summers said. Kerr, owner of Les Kerr Creative, and Summers were scholarship gymnasts at the University of Kansas. The two stayed in touch over the years. Kerr’s company has done work for the Big 12 Conference and the University of Oklahoma. The newly edited version of Dark Canvas came out in 2010, and in March of this year, Summers released The Mask Maker, the second book in the series. The second installment amps up the gruesome components but does not lose sight of the relationship between the two protagonists, McGovern and Sean Easton. In addition to the third book in the series, Summers is working on two other book projects. His current titles are available online at Amazon.com and can be ordered or purchased from local booksellers. They are also available at jodysummersbooks.com.

LIFE SPORTS

Return to the diamond After receiving a cancer diagnosis in March and subsequent treatment in Texas, the RedHawks manager returned to the team in June.

BY ANTHONY LALLI

It’s wonderful to have him back, and we will continue to support him any way we can. — Michael Byrnes

On March 12, DeFrancesco, who was the 2003 Minor League Manager of the Year as well as a two-time PCL champion, was diagnosed with anal cancer, which immediately cast both his short- and long-term future with the team in doubt. The former catcher with nine years of experience, who played in 567 games in his career, knew he was about to go through the toughest challenge of his life. After addressing the team shortly after his diagnosis, he began treatment. At MD Anderson, the former third base coach for the Oakland

PH OTOS BY SHANNON CORN M A N

Oklahoma City RedHawks manager Tony DeFrancesco had no reason to believe he would not be with the team for its current season. But while at spring training earlier this year, he took a routine physical and discussed some health issues he was having with the doctor. DeFrancesco, who has been a minor league manager for 20 years, was referred to a specialist, and cancer was detected. It was in the early stage, but treatment needed to start immediately. After spending several weeks at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, he returned home and rejoined the team in early June. “The reaction was excellent,” DeFrancesco said. “It was like I had never left, and it allowed us to keep rolling.” He returned in time for the 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game, scheduled for July 16, and he hopes to parlay the team’s success in the first half of the season into his second consecutive playoff appearance. The RedHawks are running neck and neck with the Iowa Cubs atop the American Northern Division of the Pacific Coast League.

Tony DeFrancesco in the dugout during a recent RedHawks game in Oklahoma City.

Athletics underwent rounds of both chemotherapy and radiation. His doctors set up a rigorous treatment schedule over five weeks, part of which overlapped the RedHawks spring training. He received 25 bouts of radiation, an extremely draining part of the process. He then received intravenous doses of Cisplatin multiple times per week to conclude his treatment. While he was away, the RedHawks were in good hands here in OKC. Current Houston Astros roving infield instructor Tom Lawless took over the team before the season began and helped lead the team to a 28-22 record and to its current standing in the division upon DeFrancesco’s return. The Astros are the RedHawks Major League Baseball affiliate. Lawless worked with the RedHawks last season, so the players were very familiar with him and his style. He is 57 and has vast experience in the game of baseball. His claim to fame — other than his 12-year career as a utility player — is that he was once traded for Pete Rose. Though he is well-respected by the players, the team was definitely relieved to learn its manager would be rejoining them this season. Since DeFrancesco’s return, the team struggled in its first games with a 5-6 record but still has its sights on a playoff spot. When asked whether his absence has had an impact — either positive or negative — on the club, DeFrancesco chuckled and said, “Hopefully just positive.” DeFrancesco has been a manager with the team since 2011. In that time, the team’s record was 228-202, and last season, he led the team to an American Southern Division title and an 82-62 record in the Pacific Coast League. RedHawks President and General Manager Michael Byrnes said it is good to have DeFrancesco back in uniform. “We had faith he and his family would pull through this trying time,” Byrnes said in a statement. “It’s wonderful to have him back, and we will continue to support him any way we can.”

Tony DeFrancesco coaches on the field during a recent game at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 39

SUDOKU/CROSSWORD SUDOKU PUZZLE MEDIUM

WWW.S UDOKU-P UZZLES .N ET

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

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS Puzzle No. 0615, which appeared in the June 18 issue.

40 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

M A S K

O H M Y

A R A R A T

R E G U L A R

E M B O S S E D

B L O C K A D E

P A I L R A B T O R U A R M S P L C E H E O N L E D Y T I P M E E N R N

I D I O V A M P E Y F A B I L E E N O D E T N S E S M A B E A L A C A N T I R E V E R G Y L S H O D O U B A R M T O M Y R E M A R C L S A

T I C I R E C E S T M P A O O R I K G N E U T Y E S D R O O L L O S T

M O T H E A L E L S I C O I T

R J F E E N T P E A R Z I O E F O G A S P O U D E S E M I N U D

A S I A

A L L R I S S E E A N T A M R O R R E E D N O F I A L S E T T I S

M A B O S L T I O T O F W O U O E R A P S B E C A N E S T L I E N I D O T L E R I D E M M O D I I G H T N G E A A C R T T R E D U T S X

C I T A D E L S

S T A R E S A T

S N O C O N E

S O O N E R

M A K E

E Y E D

ACROSS 1 Sack lunch staple, for short 7 Bumbling sergeant on Hogan’s Heroes 14 Like a universal recipient 20 Night lights 21 Wyoming people 22 Chief Theban deity 23 Episode title for a cooking show featuring chicken recipes? 25 Alex of Blazing Saddles 26 Nixon’s veep 27 “Get ___!” 28 Lighten 30 Grub 31 Certain petty officer: Abbr. 32 Goal for a comic working the Strip? 38 Ballet and others 40 Court grp. 41 Awed 42 Gere’s wife in Dr. T & the Women 43 Bit of needlework? 45 What a 9-5 worker worked on? 46 Caper movie plot piece 47 Informal advice to an overeager picker? 52 “O.K.” from Tom Sawyer 53 Spot, maybe 57 Warning 58 Floor 59 German geographical name suffix 61 “___ Street Blues” 62 Jane ___, Helen Mirren’s Prime Suspect role 64 Roberto Benigni’s Oscarwinning role in Life Is Beautiful 65 Writing tip 66 Ill. neighbor 67 Request to represent a Minnesota senator’s side of a debate? 70 Word shouted immediately before “Feliz Año Nuevo” 71 Without exception 73 Journalist Pyle 74 Well maintained 76 Go for ___ 77 Additions and subtractions, of a sort 78 Lao-___

79 Health care company in the Fortune 100 80 Command 81 Like one saying “I told you so!” 82 Tarzan’s response when asked if the noodles are cooked? 84 “You dig?” reply 86 Murder 88 Philip of Kung Fu 89 Tries to hear better, say 92 Either Abby or Martha in Arsenic and Old Lace 93 Carrying one is part of a tour duty 95 Performer of tricks? 99 Naval officer who’s an expert in astrology? 103 “I’ll pass” 104 Lupino and Tarbell 105 Scottish hillside 106 Basketball goaltending locale 107 Nimble 109 “Oh, no? I’ll show you!” 111 Religious ceremony for two Hollywood brothers? 116 Rearward 117 Portmanteau landmass 118 It comes as a shock 119 Whitfield of The Real Housewives of Atlanta 120 Flower parts 121 Cause for burning at the stake DOWN 1 Fruit popular in Thai salads 2 Turkey ___ 3 Playground retort 4 “I don’t think so” 5 One might say “y’all” with one 6 Rattle 7 Cannabis ___ (marijuana) 8 Fiction genre 9 Vietnamese coin 10 Former Veronica Mars airer 11 “Well, ___-di-dah” 12 Option for “Which came first …?” 13 Like London Tube pricing 14 Points 15 Diva Sumac 16 Beauty ideal 17 Incense 18 Genesis mount

20 24

39 43

109

82 86

100 105 110

111

112

113

101

102

106

107

114

96 103

108

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

19 Like the lowest of low blows 24 Pequod captain 29 Most conservative 33 ___’acte 34 Indian bread 35 Supermarket chain 36 Head 37 Bugs, of a sort 39 Severe 44 A, but not B or C 45 Do some needlework 46 Pleasure seeking 47 Queen of Chicago 48 Title girl in a 1968 hit by the Turtles 49 Certain shoot 50 When repeated, a happy cry 51 Forked over 52 When tripled, blah, blah, blah

104

45 50

54 South Pacific archipelago 55 Truing: Var. 56 Kerr of An Affair to Remember 59 Muslim mystics 60 Need spelling, say 61 Not worthy of 63 Bando of baseball 64 Fellow 65 According to 68 Jolly Roger in Peter Pan, e.g. 69 One might be brought up in a brawl 72 Supervise 75 Showy bloom 77 Key of Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 78 M&M color replaced by blue 81 Shank 82 Luxuriousness

0622

NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE CROSSWORD PUZZLE ENRICH By Tony Orbach / Edited by Will Shortz

83 River whose source is Mount Saint Helena 85 N.Y.C. sports venue 86 [Forehead slap] 87 1300 hours, to a civilian 89 Classic German cameras 90 – 91 People of Ghana: Var. 92 Paid for dinner, say 93 Title sneaker brand in a Run-D.M.C. hit 94 Food critic Sheraton 96 Punctually 97 Bozos 98 Short-story award 100 Mugs 101 Politico Hatch 102 County near Limerick 108 Ancient artery 110 Iron ___ 112 Disco ___ 113 ’60s service site 114 Sugar suffix 115 Ultimate

Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute). The answers to the New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle that appeared in the June 18 issue of Oklahoma Gazette are shown at left.

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OKL AHOMA GAZ ETTE | J U NE 25, 2014 | 41

42 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Oklahoma stampede OKC Fest brings some of the most popular acts in the world together for a premier music showcase, and we ain’t seen nothin’ like it ’round these parts.

PROVID ED

BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR

OKC Fest Festival Stage

Saturday

Friday

5 p.m. Friday and Saturday Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. okcfest.com 866-977-6849 $35-$42

Lady Antebellum Scotty McCreery Randy Rogers Band Kix Brooks Lucas Hoge

Camille Harp John Moreland Byron Berline Band

Tickets get you into the full festival, including evening headlining acts at the Downtown Festival Stage and preferred access to all free shows.

FreeFest

Friday Dierks Bentley Merle Haggard Casey Donahew Band Josh Abbott Band Jaida Dreyer

It’s happening — and a full year sooner than anticipated. Saying OKC Fest is ambitious would draw a knowing chuckle from longtime Oklahoma resident Fred Hall, who helped plan this year’s inaugural gala. For starters, he projected a launch date of 2015.

left Casey Donahew Band, above Merle Haggard

Mike Hosty High Ground Bluegrass Band The Hideouts Aaron Pierce Green Corn Revival Graham Colton Wanda Jackson

Saturday 4:30 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday Myriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno Ave. okcfest.com 866-977-6849 Free

“Things took on a momentum that surprised everyone,” Hall said. Mayor Mick Cornett, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Downtown OKC Inc. and others came together to kick it off a year sooner. Hall formed his own company, Rokfest, LLC, to help make it happen.

Air Line Road Jessey General Thompson Travis Wackerly & Honey Creek Pass The Broken Okies Josh Hawkins Bonham Family Revue Jennifay Joy & Diamond Grit Kaitlin Butts Mountain Smoke Chase Kerby Blocker Stephens Band Carter Beckworth

He said if it wasn’t for a massive tragedy, he wouldn’t have believed it was possible to create, in just a handful of months, a festival that expects at least 10,000 people a day. However, after he saw the community response to the 2013 tornado damage throughout

Sunday The Deep Deuce Celebration Choir Carl Moore and the Pocket Doctors Walter Taylor Band The Argots Sylvia y su grupo Escándalo Salsa Shakers El Reten de Nuevo Leon La Sonora Explosiva

Oklahoma, he knew it could be done. He just had to find the right partner to make things click — and do it quickly. “All these Oklahoma artists came home and came together after the CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 43

P R OVI DE D

LIFE COVER

Get Randy at OKC Fest Randy Rogers says he writes songs about real-life, blue-collar people. He spent years earning a buck by working at McDonald’s, refereeing intramural sports and cleaning pools. “But this is the craziest job I’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s still the biggest rush in the world.” His band is often labeled as Texas Country. (It was formed in Cleburne, Texas, after all.) But he fully embraces Oklahoma’s Red Dirt scene — a combination of Southern rock, country rock, blues, bluegrass, honkytonk and Western swing music that originated in Stillwater’s rich music scene in the late 20th century. “I came up under the wings of Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Stoney LaRue and Mike McClure and those guys, so I thank them a lot,” he said. “All musicians sound different, but it’s all Red Dirt and it’s all Texas music. The music is about a lifestyle, not a sound.” The lifestyle often includes familystyle jams with members from any other group at any time during any show, long road tours together and a unity with fans and audiences that is often unique. The lifestyle comes with a “flag-waving” pride of the music, state, region and community — and of each other. “There are no limits,” he said. “We’re all family, and we live, work and play hard together.” But Rogers credits the music — and the lifestyle — to true outlaw country. “None of this is our fault,” he said. “It goes back to people like Waylon (Jennings) and Willie (Nelson) and Merle (Haggard) and those guys who made their own rules ... and wrote their own music.”

44 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

storms,” he said. Sold-out events at Chesapeake were planned with mere weeks’ notice, but they also had major help. Meanwhile, Hall realized something else. “What struck me is that we should build a music community where our biggest talent doesn’t have to leave Oklahoma in order to become successful,” he said. So Hall joined with Victor Sansone, former chairman of the Country Music Association, to conceptualize an event that celebrated his city. “I’ve produced country fairs since the ’80s,” Hall said. “But I’ve never done anything like this before.” That’s where Sansone used his roster of contacts. Soon, headliners including Merle Haggard, Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum and Scotty McCreery were onboard, too. What was developed was a weekend-long festival that’s free during the day and paid at night

All musicians sound different, but it’s all Red Dirt and it’s all Texas music. The music is about a lifestyle, not a sound. — Randy Rogers

with a chart-topping roster of country music acts. Nighttime festival tickets start at $35 for the Friday and Saturday night headliners. “You couldn’t see one of these headliners for $35 anywhere,” Sansone said. “But thanks to the support from the city, ticket prices have been kept really low.” During the day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, free, family-

friendly events will fill downtown and the Myriad Botanical Gardens. There also will be food vendors, face painting, youth activities and several stages of music with dozens of local bands, including everything from gospel to jazz; Spanish-language acts; and even The First Lady of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson, at 7 p.m. Saturday. Nighttime concerts are ticketed and will take place at an outdoor stage on the corner of Harvey and Reno avenues. All proceeds from this event will benefit local youth music scholarships, school music programs, instruments and other music-related needs. “Everything that happens here, that’s spent here, stays here,” Hall said. “That’s not a small statement. This is all about the betterment of our city.”

Randy Rogers Band

DAVID MCCLISTER

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

GRA HA M GA RDN E R

River men Iowa folk-pop collective The River Monks embodies both the sound and temperament of its home state. BY JOSHUA BOYDSTON

The River Monks with Tallows and Foxburrows 9 p.m. Saturday Blue Note Lounge 2408 N. Robinson Ave thebluenotelounge.com 600-1166 $5

The River Monks are proud of their Iowa home, with its big, open plains and tight-knit communities. That terrain is stamped all over the six-piece’s broad, lush take on soaring folk music. Its harmonies are found in the wind sweeping through its bountiful cornfields, and the airy, star-dotted skies offer a vast canvas on which to paint with its whispered melodies and layered orchestration. And as the environment seeps into every note and plucked string, the history and heritage held so dearly is right there in the name, too. Des Moines — the crew’s stomping grounds — is named for its neighboring Des Moines River, or Riviére des Moines, translating to “River of the Monks.” The name was coined by French settlers who discovered fish-trapping monks residing close to its banks. “We wanted to not only make music for ourselves but really dive headfirst into what it meant to make Iowan music and to promote our home state,” lead singer Ryan Stier said. “We’re trying to evoke a kind of emotion and sense of life, culture and environment that very much has everything to do with being from here.” And they have become beloved in their home state for doing just that. The group formed in 2010 and released its debut album, Jovials, just a short year later. Tours across the country have followed, including spots opening for the likes of The Lumineers, S. Carey and Gin Blossoms, with listeners near and far falling in love with The River Monks’ take on Iowa folk music. “It’s easy to make the sounds we are making,” Stier said. “It comes

with the territory.” That home the Midwestern sextet is so proud of is changing for many of its members, though. Three still call Des Moines home, with one located in a rural town not far away. But one member resides in Omaha, Nebraska, while another has relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, and a touring member is set to ship off to California later this summer.

We’re trying to evoke a kind of emotion and sense of life, culture and environment. — Ryan Stier It was a thread that worked its way into the central fabric of The River Monks’ second full-length effort, Home Is the House, largely centered on the idea of what that means to each of them. “Home is kind of a big theme in our lives right now, mainly because it’s changing so much,” Stier said. It made the writing and recording of Home Is the House a long, somewhat arduous process. The writing took place over nearly four years, with the group’s scattered players requiring recording across several states. But the band — playing Saturday night at Blue Note Lounge — persevered through what could have easily become a vow of silence, fighting its way through and being rewarded with strong reviews and a music video premiere on USA Today. “We wrote [Jovials] all together as we recorded it. We weren’t able to do that quite as much because we weren’t always together this time,” Stier said. “The odds of that happening weren’t so high, so just to have it made feels like a big accomplishment.”

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 45

JOS HUA BOY DSTON

LIFE MUSIC

Music Made Me: Sardashhh Local producer Sardashhh details the five most influential records in his young — but thus far prolific — career.

BY JOSHUA BOYDSTON

Norman beatmaker and instrumental hip-hop artist Sardashhh — born Joseph Sardashti — likes to keep busy over the summer. Last year, he released his debut “beat tape” (think mixtape — but without the rapping), The Feast, and he promptly followed that up with Vol. 2 this June, sampling anything and everything from Key & Peele and Adventure Time to classic R&B and soul jams. Oklahoma Gazette asked Sardashti to spell out what fuels his eclectic sense and style of production.

Madvillain, Madvillainy (2004)

Let’s get right into it. This album is the product of my all-time favorite emcee, MF Doom, and the Beat Konducta himself, Madlib. I have listened to this at least monthly for several years, and I love it just as much as the time before each time I hear it. The beats are raw and diverse across the album, and Doom’s rhymes are incredible, as usual. This album helped solidify my love for hip-hop while forming this obsession inside me for finding more leftfield artists to listen to.

Radiohead, Amnesiac (2001)

I cycle through favorite Radiohead albums on a subyearly basis, but Amnesiac really continues to stand out for me. I loved the compositions and the crazy effects, and I would mostly listen to it alone. I think I heard it at just the right angsty time. It’s a really dark album, but I was always happy listening to it.

46 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

J Dilla, Donuts (2006)

This is the Holy Grail of instrumental hip-hop albums. It was my first exposure to a “beat tape” and without a doubt crucial in developing my musical direction. I am endlessly inspired by Dilla’s technique, musical variety and work ethic. I still get chills listening to these beats.

Deerhunter, Microcastle / Weird Era Cont. (2008)

This was my absolute go-to album in high school. I could play it in any situation, really. Listening to it reminds me of a bunch of great people from Arkansas, and I have very specific memories attached to many of these songs. The record always provides me with some sort of weird, nostalgic comfort.

DJ Shadow, Endtroducing… (1996)

My interest in sampling, beats, turntablism and hip-hop in general came from listening to this album. The music didn’t make much sense to me when I first heard it (I was pretty young); I had no idea where the sounds were coming from or how a single person could perform that many instruments. After learning about sampling and that the entire album was made from bits of other records, I had a completely new interest and appreciation for electronic music.

OKL AHOMA GA Z ET TE | J U N E 25 , 2014 | 47

48 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

LIFE MUSIC WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25

Christian Pearson/Gary Johnson, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO Corporate Ghost, VZD’s Restaurant & Club. ROCK Crossland, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER Dj Danny B, Landing Zone, Midwest City. DANCE

Amanda Cunningham, Vintage 89, Guthrie. ACOUSTIC

Horse Thief/Aaron Pierce, 51st Street Speakeasy. ROCK

Grant Wells, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Jabee/Chase Kerby/Helen Kelter Skelter/Team Nightstand, H&8th Night Market. VARIOUS

Jason Cooper/Dustin Cole, Bricktown Music Hall. ROCK

Jason Savory, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY

Steve Crossley, Redrock Canyon Grill. ROCK

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Acoustic Terrace Thursdays, Myriad Botanical Gardens. ACOUSTIC

Jason Young Band, Riverwind Casino, Norman. COUNTRY Jordan Law, Nonna’s Purple Bar. ACOUSTIC Justin Witte, Jazmo’z Bourbon Street Café. FOLK Larry g(EE), Lower Bricktown Plaza. R&B Laura Leighe, Louie’s Grill & Bar, Lake Hefner. POP

Carter Beckworth, The Blue Door. ROCK

Lower 40, Thunderbird Casino, Norman. ROCK

Champaign Jam, Hafer Park, Edmond. R&B

Matt Blagg, Redrock Canyon Grill. SINGER/SONGWRITER

David Morris, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Matt Stell, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Dog Fashion Disco/Psychostick/The Bunny The Bear/ Our Mothers Martyr, The Chameleon Room. ROCK Erick Dunkin/Randy Cassimus, Bricktown Brewery. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Bored Wax

Midtown Music on Packard’s Rooftop

Melissa Hembree and Whiskey Union/Patrick Winsett, Grandad’s Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER Miss Brown To You, The Paramount OKC. VARIOUS

Scott Hunt, Vintage 89, Guthrie. ACOUSTIC

John Randolph, Jazmo’z Bourbon Street Café. POP

Slowvein, Oklahoma City Limits. COVER

Kierston White/John Moreland, Opolis, Norman. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Tequila Songbirds/Kyle Reid and the Low Swingin’ Chariots, The Blue Door. COUNTRY

Southern Rift, O Asian Fusion, Norman. COUNTRY

The Clique, Friends Restaurant and Club. COVER

Squadlive, Redrock Canyon Grill. COVER

Trisha Yearwood, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. COUNTRY

Stars, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ROCK

Urban Addiction, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. COVER

Saturday

OKG

music

As far as local music goes, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better lineup than the one at this weekend’s miniature festival Midtown Music, which features Power Pyramid, Gentle Ghost, Brothels, Sonic Violence and Bored Wax. The fact that the dudes from The SpyFM’s “You’re Welcome” will broadcast live is just icing on the indie-rock cake. The broadcast begins at 5 p.m. and the music at 5:30 p.m. on the rooftop at Packard’s New American Kitchen, 201 NW 10th St. Admission is free. Call 605-3771 or visit packardsokc.com.

My So Called Band, The Deli, Norman. COVER

Jody Schmidt Band, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

pick

Horse Thief, 51st Street Speakeasy, Friday, June 27

Dylan Hammett/David Morris, Colcord Hotel. SINGER/ SONGWRITER Eric Taylor, Newcastle Casino, Newcastle. ACOUSTIC

Flat Land Band, Nonna’s Purple Bar. ACOUSTIC

Red Dirt Rangers, Lions Park, Norman. COUNTRY

Frank Berry Trio, Bricktown Brewery. VARIOUS

MONDAY, JUNE 30

PROVIDED

Heath Wright, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. ACOUSTIC

The Deltaz, Blue Note Lounge. VARIOUS Travis Linville, Grandad’s Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER Whiskey Myers/Brandon Clark/Chance Anderson Band, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. COUNTRY

Zack Merrill, Bricktown Brewery. SINGER/SONGWRITER

SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Crazy Love Hawk/Tetrarch/All Have Sinned/Via The Verge, The Conservatory. ROCK The River Monks/Tallows/Foxburroughs, Blue Note Lounge. FOLK

Mike McClure Band, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COUNTRY

Vangough/Void Opus/Speak-Memory/Save Us from the Archon, VZD’s Restaurant & Club. ROCK

Milk Drive, The Deli, Norman. BLUEGRASS

Alan and HD, The Deli, Norman. VARIOUS

Myron Oliver/Stephen Speaks, Redrock Canyon Grill. SINGER/SONGWRITER

TUESDAY JULY 1

Osage, Bedlam Bar-B-Q. ROCK Voodoo, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK

Jeff Mims Band, Myriad Botanical Gardens. R&B KC and the Sunshine Band, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville. POP

Hawkstock Music Festival with Red Dirt Rangers, The Broken Okies, Annie Oakley and more, First Christian Church Amphitheater. VARIOUS

The Dave Thomason Band, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COVER

Hosty, The Deli, Norman. BLUES

Exodus Movement, Urban Roots. HIP-HOP

Grant Stevens, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

The Clique, Friends Restaurant and Club. COVER

Power Pyramid/Gentle Ghost/Brothels/Sonic Violence/Bored Wax, Packard’s Rooftop. ROCK

Grant Stevens, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Quaker City Night Hawks, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

311, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK

Roy Zimmerman, West Wind UU Congregation. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2

SIMO, VZD’s Restaurant & Club. ROCK

Ambiance, Riverwind Casino, Norman. VARIOUS

Taylor Carmona Trio, Uptown Grocery Co., Edmond. JAZZ

Attica State, Aloft Oklahoma City Downtown. COVER

The Argots, The Paramount OKC. LATIN

Grant Wells, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Bad Influence, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK

The Mojo Men, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. R&B

Mark Vollertsen, Redrock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC

Billy Joe Winghead/Kinda Creepy, HiLo Club. ROCK

The Weathermen, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK

Borderline, Sliders. COUNTRY

Urban Addiction, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. ROCK

Annie Up, Grand Casino, Shawnee. POP

Buffalo Rogers, Grandad’s Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Arliss Nancy/Otis the Destroyer/Chelsey Cope Band/ Matt Jewett, The Conservatory. ROCK

Chad Slagle, Vintage 89, Guthrie. ACOUSTIC Chris Young, Frontier City. COUNTRY

SUNDAY, JUNE 29

Crossland, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER

Christian Pearson, Colcord Hotel. PIANO

Dj Danny B, Landing Zone, Midwest City. DANCE

Edgar Cruz, Red Piano Lounge, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. ACOUSTIC

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 Aaron Newman Band, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. ACOUSTIC

Armand & Angelina, Unity Spiritual Life Center. POP Avenue, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK Borderline, Sliders. COUNTRY

P ROVI DED

LIVE MUSIC

Don and Melodee Johnson, Twelve Oaks, Edmond. JAZZ

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 25, 2014 | 49

ROKCFEST PRESENTS R OK KCCFFEESS PE R SEESNETNS T S RO T TP R ROKCFEST PRESENTS

LIFE MUSIC REVIEWS

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“Gun to Your Head” counters its maximalist tendencies with an almost singsongy quality, while “TH001 (Black Mirror)” is stripped-down, piano-laden balladry replete with a rousingly colorful chorus. Both songs represent a creative evolution for a band that has, in the past, favored a grayish shimmer over a more diversified palette. Harris’ lyrics, meanwhile, are damning in an almost gothic sense, tackling issues like authenticity and religion with scathing paranoia. “You wanna be the hero now/ but you can’t think fast enough/ You wanna look inside my heart/ but you can’t see past the love,” Harris sings in his Ian Curtis-esque For what most would consider monotone on dance floor-worthy a “rock band” — albeit far from a opening cut “Arrythmia.” traditional one — vets GARDENS FREE CONCERTS ATOklahoma THE MYRIAD Despite the song’s shadowy Depth & Current put a great deal undertones, the thrill of its synthof forethought into the sounds driven hook and pulsating rhythmic they create. This should come as thump make for an engaging — no surprise, given that vocalist and dare I say fun — 4 minutes. These guitarist Chris Harris helms the are the moments that excite most board at Norman recording studio on Dysrhythmia, when the darker Hook Echo Sound. Less surprising implications are juxtaposed with a then is that Dysrhythmia, the band’s warmer embrace. second full-length album (third if you The album’s latter half is a count last year’s 8-song, 13-minute colder, more dissonant listen than Transient)PLUS is an unapologetically MANY MORE the first, and it struggles to sustain immersive listen, with soundscapes so much of the momentum as a result. dense and intricate you might need a But the sheer amount of volume compass to navigate them. But rather and attention to detail make even than using the copious amounts of its blander moments stick out. In an feedback and noise as a repellent, era when lo-fi, DIY tactics are used these tactics more often serve as the less out of necessity and more simply sonic foundation for what are, at TO YOU BY: out of preference, bands that opt for theirBROU core,G HT relatively straightforward a more polished methodology often pop songs. stand out for reasons they would Like the band’s previous material, rather not. But Depth & Current is Dysrhythmia is steeped in new both refining its sound and retooling wave, post-punk and shoegaze, yet its songwriting approach, and when it’s also the most melodic — and the two apex concurrently, the results thus accessible — entry point are often captivating. in the band’s catalog. Standout

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50 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Album: Dysrhythmia | Available now | depthandcurrent.com

P OHOTOS BY M A RK HA N COC K

LIFE FILM

Prime real estate

left Melodie Garneau and The Paramount film basement. right The Paramount screening room.

After purchasing the entire building, the owner of The Paramount OKC plans to expand its film-related offerings. BY DEVON GREEN

Oklahoma City’s Film Row district — once an area that housed vacant downtown businesses and no residential property — has undergone a serious transformation in the past few years. Until recently, there was little left of the area that used to be a bustling film exchange of the early 20th century. The 42-square-block area bound by SW Second Street and NW First Street between Colcord and Walker avenues was at one time officially known as the Oklahoma City Film Exchange District, where major movie houses would screen and lease their film releases. Owners of movie houses would come watch the films to choose which would be played in their theaters. The district was home to the offices of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Warner Brothers and Paramount Pictures Corporation, among others, but changes in the film and television industry in the ’50s led to a swift decline in film exchanges across the country. By the ’70s, the once-glittering district was a memory. The Paramount OKC, 7 N. Lee Ave., is one of the last screening houses in the country, and might

The best way to keep our business going and preserve this space was to purchase it. — Melodie Garneau

be the only one still devoted to its original purpose. There is still a screening room inside the red brick building, and the heavy vaults are still in the basement. It’s the cornerstone of a district now in the throes of revitalization, with diverse neighborhood businesses and few vacant storefronts. Melodie Garneau played a vital part in this transformation after she moved into the Paramount building as a tenant in 2012. With an eye on the building’s past as well as its potential, Garneau and her partners got right to work settling into the neighborhood. The screening room operates as the movie house, and

members pay what they can afford to attend screenings. They also run an adjacent cafe that offers sandwiches, coffee and pie from Pie Junkie. The Hub, a curator of locally made products and make-space, occupies the other half of the ground floor, and several film production companies work out of the offices. Two years later, business is thriving in both the cafe and the movie house. When the owner of the building expressed interest in remodeling, Garneau realized how committed she was to its history and preservation. The owner wanted to gut it completely, a move that would leave the space without a theater and Film Row without an important part of its history. “The best way to keep our business going and preserve this space was to purchase it,” Garneau said. She started making plans to purchase the building before the end of the year in 2013, and by early June, she was the property’s new owner. In addition to saving a piece of Oklahoma’s cultural heritage, the transaction gives Garneau the ability to exercise creative control over the entire structure. Her immediate

plans include seeking out more film productions companies and retailers as tenants, though her vision is much the same as it was when she moved in. Garneau was very clear about her motivations. “I have no background in film at all,” she said, “but I could contribute to that in this way.” She is entertaining the idea of utilizing the second floor’s connecting area, which used to be a separate building, as a shared collaborative space and venue for live music and events. “We’re interested in any movierelated business, which was once very big in this area,” Garneau said. “[We want to] give filmmakers a place where they can show their work. For instance, film students have to use screening rooms. I try to give them a place to do that.” She also has plans to expand Premiere on Film Row, a districtwide block party on the third Friday of the month. “We’re planning an after-party down at The Paramount,” Garneau said. “We’re also talking about a fall music festival.”

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 51

Artsy Fartsy

LIFE FILM

read

P OHOTO P ROVI DE D

Art | Film | music | theAter in this issue

BRICKTOWN’S NEIGHBORHOOD BAR $2 TUESDAY HAMM’S

COMEDY

Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case Thrusday, 7:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 5:30 & 8 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m.

TONIGHT! 6/25

TODD JUSTICE W/CJ STARR THURSDAY POOL & DARTS FRIDAY KARAOKE SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC

For movie descriptions and ticket sales visit okcmoa.com

Ali-

y r e h c Bau

MONDAYS BEER OLYMPICS

50¢ domestics | 10-Cl

TIPSY TUESDAY

Roll the dice for your price of domestic beer | 4p-7p Train Wreck Trivia | 9p

WILD CARD WEDNESDAY Always a party with SIN night | 10p-1a

THIRSTY THURSDAY $1 Draws | 4-8p

FREEDOM FRIDAY

Bartender’s choice Special of the day | 3p-8p

SINFUL SATURDAY

2 for 1 domestics | 12p-4p

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Frozen Fresh Fruit Smoothies & Bloody Mary Bar | 12p-2a

Also available for private meetings & events

52 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

1200 N. Penn 405.605.3795

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Valli-sized void Clint Eastwood tackles Broadway hit Jersey Boys, and despite its masterful casting, the film largely rings hollow. BY AIMEE WILLIAMS

It must be surreal to see your career reduced to a sluggish, 134-minute product dangling between musical and mob drama. Frankie Valli is one of pop music’s most recognizable names; he embodies the American dream. From his start in New Jersey’s projects to his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Valli has inspired musicians, Broadway producers and writers for decades. Most recently, Valli’s talent has possessed Clint Eastwood to direct Jersey Boys, titled after the successful Broadway production running since 2005. In light of this undertaking, it’s plausible to wonder what the singer thinks about Eastwood’s reimagining of his rise to fame. In the movie, Valli (Broadway actor John Lloyd Young) is introduced as unknown Francesco Castelluccio, a kind-natured teen from Belleville, Illinois. When he isn’t driving his deviant friends and future bandmates Tommy (Vincent Piazza, TV’s Boardwalk Empire) and Nick (newcomer Michael Lomenda) to various illegal endeavors, Frankie works at a barbershop, entertaining customers and local mobsters with his vocal abilities. While Tommy and Nick are stereotypical Jersey hustlers, developing Frankie’s talent is top priority, even if that means breaking into a church for cathedral acoustics. The trio’s thicker-than-thieves bond sets the stage for tension when businesssavvy songwriter Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen, How Sweet It Is), the band’s eventual fourth member, infringes on possessive Tommy’s marked territory.

To Eastwood’s credit, the casting is flawless. Compare photos of the cast to the band in the ’60s; the resemblance is uncanny. Four Seasons fans will be pleased with extraordinary renditions of “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” Young, who played the role in the original Broadway production, perfectly emulates Valli’s signature falsetto style. The actors sang live rather than pre-recording for filming, and the authenticity pays off as a testament to the cast’s collective talent. Unfortunately, the spot-on performances can’t save this sinking ship. The fragmented story progresses via direct-address, a shockingly amateur move from screenwriters Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice (who also wrote the Broadway production). Tragic aspects of Valli’s life, including the death of his daughter, are glossed over, perhaps to speed up the alreadytoo-long run-time. After an encounter with a mob boss looking to collect Tommy’s racked-up debts, it’s comical to see the band’s flamboyant performance of gushy love songs. Moreover, other mob encounters throughout the film register more like reprimands from a school principal than a visit from Don Corleone or one of the “Goodfellas.” Even Christopher Walken (Seven Psychopaths) is too warm and fatherly as Gyp DeCarlo. Sure, there are laughterinducing bits and moments of genuine emotion, but it is apparent throughout that Eastwood is a retired cowboy venturing into territory where he’s neither wanted nor required.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Homework: Compose an exciting prayer in which you ask for something you’re not “supposed” to. Tell me about it at uaregod@comcast.net.

ARIES March 21-April 19 According to an astrologer named Astrolocherry (astrolocherry.tumblr.com), Aries is the sign of the freedom fighter, the explorer, the daredevil, and the adventurer. That’s all true; I agree with her. But here’s an important caveat. As you get older, it’s your duty to harness all that hot energy on behalf of the softer, slower, more tender parts of your life. The coming weeks will offer you a great opportunity to work on that challenge. To get started, imagine how you can be a freedom fighter, explorer, daredevil, and adventurer in service to your home, family, and community. TAURUS April 20-May 20 After a thorough, detailed, painstaking analysis of the astrological omens, I’m inclined to advise you to be neither thorough nor detailed nor painstaking in the coming days. Instead, I suspect you will thrive by being spontaneous and improvisatory. Wing it, baby! Throw away the script. Trust your gut. Play it by ear. Make it up as you go along. If you find yourself frowning with indecision and beset by lazy procrastination, you will know you’re off course. If you are feeling blithe and agile as you get a lot done with creative efficiency, you will know you’re right in the groove. GEMINI May 21-June 20 I suspect that some night soon you will have a The Japanese word tsundoku describes what happens if you buy a lot of books but never read them, leaving them piled up in a neglected heap. I recommend that you avoid indulging in tsundoku any time soon, Gemini. In fact, I urge you not to acquire any resources that you then proceed to ignore. You are in a phase of your astrological cycle when it’s crucial to make conscientious use of your tools and riches. To let them go to waste would be to dishonor them, and make it less likely that you will continue to receive their blessings in the future. Take full advantage of what’s yours..

CANCER June 21-July 22 If you could harness the energy from a typical lightning bolt, you would be able to use it to toast 100,000 slices of bread. That’s an impossible scenario, of course. But I see it as an apt metaphor for the challenge you have ahead of you. I suspect you will soon get access to a massive influx of vital force that arrives in a relatively short time. Can you find a way to gather it in and store it up? Or will most of it, after the initial burst, leak away and be unavailable for long-term use? The secret to success will lie in whether you can figure out how to create the perfect “container.” LEO July 23-Aug. 22 “Forget the suffering / You caused others. / Forget the suffering / Others caused you.” Czeslaw Milosz wrote these words in his poem “Forget,” and now I’m passing them on to you. According to my reading of the astrological omens, now would be an excellent time for you to purge the old hurts you are still carrying, both those you dealt out and those you endured. Opportunities like this don’t come along often, Leo. I invite you to repay emotional debts, declare amnesty, and engage in an orgy of forgiveness. Any other things you can think of that will help wipe the slate clean? VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22 When a Navajo baby laughs for the first time, everyone in the community celebrates. It’s regarded as the moment when the child completes his or her transition from the spirit realm into the physical world. The person who has provoked the baby’s laughter is charged with planning the First Laugh Ceremony, a party to commemorate the magical event. I foresee a comparable development in your life, Virgo. You won’t be laughing for the first time, of course, but I suspect your sense of humor will reach a new ripeness. How? Maybe you will be able to find amusement in things you have always taken too seriously. Maybe you will suddenly have a deeper appreciation for life’s ongoing cosmic jokes. Or perhaps you will stumble upon reasons to laugh longer and harder and louder than you ever have before.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Would you like to be free from the experience of getting criticized? Do you think it might be nice if no one ever accused you of being wrong or off-track? If so, here’s how you should proceed, says American writer Elbert Hubbard: “Do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” But I’m afraid I can’t recommend that behavior for you, Libra. In the coming weeks, you have a sacred duty to your Future Self to risk being controversial. I urge you to take strong stands, speak raw truths, and show your real feelings. Yes, you may attract flack. You might disturb the peace. But that will be an acceptable price to pay for the rewards you receive. This is one time when being courageous is more important than seeking harmony SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21 “Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any,” said British writer Oscar Wilde. How do you respond to that impish nudge, Scorpio? Are there any geniuses and heroes out there whom you consider to be worthy of your respect? If not, I urge you to go out in search of some. At this phase of your evolution, you are in special need of people who inspire you with their greatness. It’s crucial for you to learn from teachers and role models who are further along than you are in their mastery of the game of life. I also believe it would be healing for you to feel waves of admiration and reverence. SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21 “Everyone has something to hide,” declared Russian author Anton Chekhov. Is that true? Do even you blunt Sagittarians have something to hide? I’m going to say that for 90 percent of you, the answer is yes. There are secrets you don’t want anyone to find out about: past events you are reluctant to disclose or shady deeds you are getting away with now or taboo thoughts you want to keep sealed away from public knowledge. I’m not here to scold you about them or to encourage you to spill them. On the contrary, I say it’s time to bring them fully into your conscious awareness, to honor their importance to your life story, and to acknowledge their power to captivate your imagination.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19 A German chemist named Felix Hoffman had a prominent role in synthesizing two very different drugs: aspirin and heroin. In analyzing your astrological omens for the coming months, I see you as having a similar potential. You could create good stuff that will have the power to help and heal; or you could generate borderline stuff that will lead to a lot of problems; or you could do both. How it all plays out really is up to your free will. For best results, set your intention to go in the direction of things like aspirin and away from things like heroin. AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18 This is a good time to risk a small leap of faith, but not a sprawling vault over a yawning abyss. Feel free and easy about exploring the outer borders of familiar territory, but be cautious about the prospect of wandering into the deep, dark unknown. Be willing to entertain stimulating new ideas but not cracked notions that have little evidence to back them up. Your task is to shake up the status quo just enough to invigorate everyone’s emotional intelligence, even as you take care not to unleash an upheaval that makes everyone crazy. PISCES Feb. 19-March 20 British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) had an unusual fetish. He enjoyed eating apples and pears and other fruits while they were still hanging on the tree. Why? Maybe because the taste was as pure and brisk and naked as it could possibly be -- an experience that I imagine would be important to a romantic poet like him. In accordance with your astrological omens, I suggest you use Coleridge’s quest for ultimate freshness as a driving metaphor in the coming week. Go to the source to get what you need. Dispense with intermediaries. Be as raw as the law allows. 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 25, 2014 | 53

P H O N E (4 0 5 ) 5 2 8 - 6 0 0 0 | E - M A I L : A D V E R T I S I N G @ T I E R R A M E D I A G R O U P. C O M

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Send resumes to OK Marketer email: proximitymarketing jobs@rbaoftx.com 54 | JUNE 25, 2014 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

P H O N E (4 0 5 ) 5 2 8 - 6 0 0 0 | E - M A I L : A D V E R T I S I N G @ T I E R R A M E D I A G R O U P. C O M

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 25, 2014 | 55

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