TulsaPeople August 2022

THE PERFORMING ARTS ISSUE August 2022

ON STAGE TH E ATRE TU L SA CELEB R ATES A CENTU RY

PLUS! 2022-2023 PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR

GREENWOOD RISING MARKS 1 YEAR

TULSA’S HIGHER EDUCATION CONSORTIUM

Painless Justin Campbell, DC Owner, The Campbell Clinic

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WARREN CLINIC URGENT CARE Whether you access our on-demand virtual care, 24/7/365 days a year, or you visit us in-person at one of our many locations, Warren Clinic providers are here for you.

If you’re looking for care for a sudden illness, a minor emergency or injury, visit saintfrancis.com/urgentcare to select a time and clinic location to visit, or choose a video visit online.

TULSA Springer Building 6160 South Yale Avenue 918-495-2600

Tulsa Hills 7858 South Olympia Avenue 918-986-9250 South Memorial 10506 South Memorial Drive 918-943-1050 SAND SPRINGS 102 South Main Street 918-246-5750

BROKEN ARROW Elm Place 2950 South Elm Place, Suite 120 (101st Street and Elm Place) 918-451-5191

Kenosha 1801 East Kenosha Street (71st Street and OK-51) 918-449-4150 VIRTUAL CARE Visit saintfrancis.com/urgentcare

*If you are experiencing severe illness, a major injury, symptoms of a heart attack, stroke or shortness of breath, please call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.

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Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

(Springer location only)

Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

VIRTUAL URGENT CARE: Visit saintfrancis.com/urgentcare to schedule a virtual urgent care visit 24/7/365.

FIRST OKLAHOMA BANK PRESENTS

Leaders with Heart

CRAFTSMAN. CONSIDERATE. CONSERVATIONIST. You could say Gary Freeby is the mastermind behind his successful commercial flooring business. He is also skilled at bringing people together, being a supportive friend, and sharing his ranch with others.

His Glenpool-based business – Mastercraft Floor Covering – has performed work in almost all 50 states and internationally and specializes in the installation of woven carpet in casinos and four- and five-star hotels, including many historic resorts.

Gary began installing carpet in high school and quickly developed a passion for the trade. On weekends and school breaks, he worked on carpeting jobs with a neighbor, who was a commercial installer. Completing massive carpeting jobs where the patterns match and everything flows together is quite an art, says Gary.

Following high school, Gary began working as a subcontractor, and in 1999 Mastercraft Floor Covering was incorporated. Today he is president and owner of the company.

“I love this trade, but even more I love bringing people on board and helping them to learn and grow and improve their craft,” says Gary. He is always happiest and most comfortable when he is in the field working with the installers.

When he’s not on the road working with the Mastercraft crews, Gary is at his ranch near Claremore. Gary has always been passionate about conservation. Having grown up on a hog farm in Michigan, he understands the importance of giving back to the land. He has enrolled acres into the federal wetlands program to ensure there is ample habitat for the fowl population in Oklahoma. “I have always been a supporter of the preservation program in Oklahoma and welcomed the chance to become personally involved.” He also enjoys bringing kids onto his land where they can experience hunting for the first time.

Gary also has supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the H.O.W. Foundation, to which Mastercraft continues to donate excess materials from jobs.

“Gary Freeby is a Renaissance man when it comes to entrepreneurship. While he is great at conceptualizing a bigger vision for his business, Gary also is willing to jump in and work alongside his crew to do whatever needs to be done,” says Tom Bennett III, President of First Oklahoma Bank. “He is generous with his time, knowledge, and kindness toward others. Gary is a true friend who readily welcomes people from all walks of life and helps friends in need. Wherever Gary is, people want to be.”

“Working with First Oklahoma Bank has afforded me opportunities to grow my business.

The people at the bank are first-class and truly care about their customers, and it is evident in everything that they do,” Gary says.

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AUGUST 2022 | VOLUME 36 ISSUE 10

7 CITY DESK Tulsa’s new maker hub.

Music education for local students.

A renovated space for budding female artists.

Rodeo is a family affair.

Greenwood Rising Interim Executive Director Phil Armstrong

Educator and civic leader reflects on his 67 years in the Tulsa area.

BY GAIL BANZET-ELLIS

36 STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS Local universities estimate more than half of Oklahoma’s top jobs will require college degrees by 2028.

They’re strategizing to make education more accessible.

BY ROBERT EVATT

50 GARDEN OF KNOWLEDGE

53 A CENTURY ON STAGE Theatre Tulsa’s focus on community leads the arts organization into its next decade.

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

67 LIFESTYLE The chatter on teeth.

Cleaning advice from the pros.

Inside the city’s only natural history store.

Connie Cronley comments on the new “Oklahoma!”

56 BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY A spotlight on the 2022-2023 performing arts season COMPILED BY HADLEY DEJARNETTE AND ALEXA MOSTROM

SPECIAL SECTIONS 71 topDentists® 76 Fall break travel

Looking back on Greenwood Rising’s first year.

BY JANE ZEMEL

87 TABLE TALK Indigenous cuisine for the 21st century.

ON THE COVER: Theatre Tulsa volunteers Thomas Williams (as Hedwig from “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”), Bailee Washington (as Grizabella from “Cats”) and Lisa Hunter (as Eliza Doolittle from “My Fair Lady”) on stage at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. PHOTO BY MICHELLE POLLARD

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

Three favorite avocado toasts.

Milkshakes and more at Da Yolk.

Bird’s the word at Ruth’s Chicken.

MICHELLE POLLARD; CITY DESK: GREG BOLLINGER

34 LEGENDS: CLARENCE G. OLIVER JR.

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FROM THE EDITOR

A

ccording to the dictionary, August

community’s victories and planting the seeds of

dignity or grandeur.” In Oklahoma,

A group of higher education administrators

is defined as “marked by majestic

have formally come together to create Tulsa’s

We all know it’s hot. It doesn’t take a genius to

goal is to make it easier for students to attain their

know that. It’s manic in that families are in a mad

dash to get school supplies, last-minute doctor’s appointments and fleeting summer vacations in before the fi rst bell of the school year.

My favorite part of the month comes at night

when the melodies of cicadas linger through

fi rst consortium for higher education. The group’s four-year degree through streamlined transfer programs and degree paths. It’s nitty gritty work

and I think Tulsa will be grateful to this unsung

group of educators in the years to come. Read the full story on p. 36.

Also in this issue are destinations for a fall

the neighborhood. There’s nothing quite like

break road trip (p. 76), a collection of local

while sitting on the patio listening to the sounds

as well as a complete 2022-2023 performing arts

enjoying a scoop of ice cream before bedtime of the summer season.

I hope summer has treated you well. We all

restaurants and dishes to try (starting on p. 87), guide (p. 56).

I want to say a special thank you to our

know it’s not over, but there’s something to the

summer interns who will be leaving this

“back to normal.”

(Oklahoma State University), Alexa Mostrom

rhythm of back-to-school time that gets all of us Th is month’s issue is a special one. I’m especially

proud of Theatre Tulsa and its 100th anniversary — a record that should make both the company

and the whole city proud. The nonprofit has had

its ups and downs over the years, but haven’t we

all? On p. 53, read about how the organization is working to build bridges in the community and

increase access to performances for audiences,

month to return to school. Hadley DeJarnette (Oral Roberts University) and Madison Walters

(University of Tulsa) shared their talents and

bright personalities with us this summer, doing a

ladies are any indication of the talent coming out of our local universities, our community’s future I also want to welcome TulsaPeople’s newest

Resident Costume, Hair and Makeup Designer

already impressed us, and I know she’ll have the

Director of Programming Terri McGillbra;

TulsaPeople Photographer Michelle Pollard

and Creative Director Madeline Crawford for

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNITY RELATIONS Susie Miller EDITOR DIGITAL EDITOR ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR CITY EDITOR

Anne Brockman Tim Landes Blayklee Freed Tiffany Howard

EDITORIAL CONSULTING Missy Kruse, The Write Company CREATIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER VIDEOGRAPHER

Madeline Crawford Georgia Brooks Ashley Guerrero Michelle Pollard Greg Bollinger

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Andrea Canada Josh Kampf Rita Kirk CONTROLLER Mary McKisick DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Amanda Hall INTERNS Hadley DeJarnette Alexa Mostrom Madison Walters

MEMBER

TulsaPeople’s distribution is audited annually by

is so, so bright.

City Editor, Tiffany Howard, to the team. The

Lisa Hunter; Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s

1603 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4407 P: 918-585-9924 F: 918-585-9926

lot of work for us throughout it all. If these three

actors and volunteers. A special thanks to Theatre Tulsa’s Executive Director Jarrod Kopp;

TulsaPeople Magazine is published monthly by

reconciliation. Read more on p. 50.

August can be defined as sweltering, manic and perhaps symphonic.

Volume XXXVI, Number 10 ©2022. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, including created advertising in a proofed or printed stage.

Tulsa native and former freelance writer has same effect on you, our readers.

Until next time, stay cool and soak in the last

days of summer. TP

Langdon Publishing Company sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue of Tulsa People was printed on recycled fibers containing 20 percent post-consumer waste with inks containing a soy base blend. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally, meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards. When you are finished with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. We can have a better world if we choose it together.

Disregard any TulsaPeople subscription solicitation that is not directly mailed from the Langdon Publishing office at 1603 S. Boulder Ave. Contact Langdon Publishing directly if you are interested in subscribing or renewing your TulsaPeople subscription.

pulling together such a fun cover shoot.

Another anniversary to celebrate this month:

It has been one year since Greenwood Rising opened in the historic district. The site has

garnered national attention and welcomed

thousands of visitors to learn about the 1921

Tulsa Race Massacre while celebrating the 6

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

Anne Brockman EDITOR

S AY N O T O H A T E

Sistema Tulsa students Luke Schmenk and Kaylee Knight perform in the 2022 summer camp closing concert at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church. Find application forms at sistematulsa.org.

STUDENT SUCCESS GREG BOLLINGER

F

ounded eight years ago, Sistema Tulsa is an arts education program that impacts students socially, emotionally and academically.

“Our approach is to build community around the students and offer a safe space for learning that is predictable and has high expectations,” founder and director Jose Luis Hernandez says. “Routines also help our younger students know what to expect of the program and of themselves. We offer culturally relevant repertoire that students identify with, and this helps them develop an intrinsic motivation which is amplified whenever students play together. Having numerous performances also helps students see themselves as artists and people of significance in the larger community which impacts their confidence and sense of pride.” TP SEE P. 22 FOR MORE ON SISTEMA TULSA. TulsaPeople.com

7

NOTEBOOK

BY TIF FA NY HOWA RD

Tucker Tennis Academy’s seniors signed to play college tennis

FOR THE HEALTH OF THE HIVE

Tulsa’s Tucker Tennis Academy held a ceremony in April honoring 17 graduating seniors who are signed to play college tennis at universities all over the country this fall. Currently located within Racquet and Health 91, 3030 E. 91st St., Tucker Tennis Academy was recognized as the Best Developmental Tennis Program in the U.S. by the United States Tennis Association in 2014.

Founder Trent Tucker opened TTA in 2001 with a vision to see Tulsa’s high-performance junior tennis players achieve success at all levels of competitive tennis. Since then, TTA has seen its players win hundreds of national titles and receive over $2 million in scholarships from universities nationwide. Now led by director Matias Marin, 2022 was a record-setting signing year for TTA.

2022 TATE AWARDS CEREMONY

Richard Ellis, left, receives the Mary Kay Place Legacy award from Jeremy Stevens, Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Director of Community Engagement 8

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

The Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence recognized Richard Ellis on July 9 as its Mary Kay Place Legacy Award recipient. This prestigious award is given to one uniquely inspirational individual who has helped set the standard for work ethic, leadership and creativity within the Tulsa theater community. Ellis, a founding member of American Theatre Co., has designed sets all across the U.S. The TATEs award up to $10,000 in prizes across 14 categories to nonprofit, non-equity, Tulsa-based theater companies, recognizing accomplishments of local theater groups and their contributions to the performing arts community. Visit facebook.com/ tulsaawardsfortheatreexcellence for a full list of winners.

Voices of Oklahoma “But I think that girls should not let other people define for them what it means to be a woman. I think they should not let magazines, or the culture of the larger society, or their boyfriends, influence who they are as a person. That they need to figure out how to define for themselves, what does it mean to be a woman, for me? And that sounds like a small task, but it’s a really big task.”

— Wilma Mankiller, first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation whose likeness appears on a recently released quarter as part of the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters Program “Voices of Oklahoma” is an oral history project founded by John Erling in 2009. Visit voicesofoklahoma.com.

QUARTER: COURTESY CHEROKEE NATION; RENDERING: COURTESY; TATE, TENNIS: COURTESY; TENNIS: COURTESY

Tucker Tennis Academy Signs 17 Seniors

Concerned by the negative impact students have faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an anonymous donor has teamed up with the Booker T. Washington Foundation for Excellence to construct a Wellness Center on the high school’s campus.

While the new Wellness Center will house workout equipment and provide classroom space for students to study Sports, Exercise and Health Science, its resources will not be limited to Hornet athletic programs. All students, faculty and staff can access equipment and curriculum that will educate and promote physical, nutritional and mental health.

The Foundation plans to raise $2.875 million in 2022 and complete construction by the end of 2023. Capital Campaign Committee Chairman Michael Christian states that, “The goal of the capital campaign is to improve the ‘Health of the Hive’ by building a world-class facility on the Booker T. Washington High School campus that will educate students in the lifelong habits of physical, nutritional and mental health.”

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TULSA TULSA

AUGUST COMPILED BY ANNE BROCKMAN

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

THROUGH AUG. 29 JEWS AND GOLF Uncover Tulsa’s Jewish golf history in this special exhibit featuring 15 Jewish golfers and artifacts from around the globe.

SHERWIN MILLER MUSEUM OF JEWISH ART, 2021 E. 71ST ST. JEWISHMUSEUMTULSA.ORG

AUG. 20 BUTTERFLY EXPLORATIONS Join others for an early morning walk to see butterflies in the preserve’s several habitats.

OXLEY NATURE CENTER, 6700 MOHAWK BLVD. OXLEYNATURECENTER.ORG

AUG. 6-7 70TH ANNUAL TULSA POWWOW Special contests, arts and foods vendors, and more at this indoor event presented by the Tulsa Indian Club.

COX BUSINESS CONVENTION CENTER, 100 CIVIC CENTER. FACEBOOK.COM/TULSA.POWWOW

AUG. 20 FC TULSA Tulsa’s hometown team begins a three-game homestand with a match against Indy Eleven. Aug. 24: Hartford Athletic; Aug. 27: Loudoun United.

ONEOK FIELD, 201 N. ELGIN AVE. FCTULSA.COM

AUG. 11-14 JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS Clothes, books, toys, shoes and more for sale at this biannual resale event.

FORMER SEARS AT WOODLAND HILLS MALL, 6929 S. MEMORIAL DRIVE TULSA.JBFSALE.COM

AUG. 27 MAKER FAIRE TULSA Celebrating its 10th anniversary, gather with engineers, crafters, scientists and enthusiasts at “the greatest show — and tell — on Earth.”

EXCHANGE CENTER AT EXPO SQUARE, 4145 E. 21ST ST. TULSA.MAKERFAIRE.COM

AUG. 13 LIVE AT THE LOUNGE Presented by Horton Records, BC and The Big Rig, featuring Brandon Clark, headline this monthly concert series with their mix of red dirt and rock ‘n’ roll.

TULSA VFW CENTENNIAL LOUNGE, 1109 E. SIXTH ST. FACEBOOK.COM/CENTENNILLOUNGETULSA

VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM/ABOUTTOWN FOR MORE LOCAL EVENTS AND A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF WEEKLY MUSIC LISTINGS EVERY MONDAY.

CLARK: PHIL CLARKIN; BLUE WHALE: LANDON SMOTHERS PHOTOGRAPHY; FC TULSA, SHERWIN MILLER MUSEUM: COURTESY

AUG. 25-27 BLUE WHALE COMEDY FESTIVAL Oklahoma’s largest comedy festival returns with headlining acts Dan Soder, Rory Scovel and Marina Franklin, along with local talent.

MULTIPLE DOWNTOWN VENUES. BLUEWHALECOMEDYFESTIVAL.COM

paradise never sounded So Good.

Photo Op pass

Tickets On Sale Now

VINCE GILL AUG 11 FEATURING WENDY MOTEN

Trevor Noah AUG 12 Gabriel Iglesias AUG 18 Roberto Tapia Larry Hernandez AUG 20 Midland AUG 25 All performances subject to change.

August 18, 2022

Live Music

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ANDREYA WILLIAMS TULSA SERVICE YEAR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STORY AND PHOTO BY TIM LANDES

A

ndreya Williams is taking advantage of the last hours of cool weather for the day by enjoying a coffee on the DoubleShot Coffee Co. patio. She’s in her second year as director of Tulsa Service Year, a program created in 2020 by Coretz Family Foundation and George Kaiser Family Foundation that connects diverse, high-potential recent college graduates to career opportunities in Tulsa in one of four sectors: entrepreneurial support, social impact, civic leadership, and arts and education. So far, 51 individuals have participated in three cohorts.

TSY IS MODELED AFTER BALTIMORE CORPS ... We kind of put our own spin on it knowing our players within this ecosystem. It is essentially a gap year for recent college graduates up to two years.

It gives them an opportunity to think about what’s next. There are pressures sometimes to go to graduate school immediately, so this is like that breathing room that gives them an opportunity to take a break, build tangible skills that are relevant and in mind with their career path or career entrance.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE HEADED TO GRADUATE SCHOOL, LAW SCHOOL OR MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE A TSY FELLOW ... There are other people who are like, “I don’t really know what’s next, so I wouldn’t mind taking a year. I get paid a salary. I have benefits.”

We curate an experience for them that’s super immersive in the community. For them it’s an opportunity to take that pause and really consider what is next for them while being paid $40,000 and receiving a $1,500 signing bonus for relocation and more benefits.

THE GOAL IS TO RECRUIT INNOVATIVE PEOPLE TO TULSA, BUT ALSO TO RETAIN LOCAL TALENT. ABOUT 60% OF THE FELLOWS ARE FROM OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITIES, THE REST ... We recruit from as far west as (University of California, Berkeley), and as far east as Harvard, Yale, kind of that coastal Duke area and on down through Florida. We have a student from Tampa, Florida, that’s in our program, and then from everywhere in between.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

We’ve got some folks from Northwestern in Chicago. We now have four historically Black colleges and universities represented amongst our cohorts. So truly from all over the country.

You might have left Tulsa even four years ago, but it is very different now as we’ve seen development and all these organizations taking off. So our idea of representing that is being very present in our local and regional universities and highlighting this is an opportunity for you to come and get involved on this new testing ground of social entrepreneurship, social change.

WILLIAMS IS A FORMER TEACHER, WHO MOVED TO TULSA FROM OHIO IN 2013 TO WORK IN RESIDENTIAL LIFE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA BEFORE BECOMING TSY’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN JANUARY 2021. SHE’S ALSO WORKING TOWARD A DOCTORATE IN HIGHER

EDUCATION AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY. SHE DOES NOT SEE HERSELF LEAVING TULSA ANYTIME SOON. ON WHY SHE REMAINS HERE ... I see so much connection and collaboration, and it really has made me double down on “We can do this together.” You’re half a person removed from the idea that you want to think about or start and the people that can help put some infrastructure behind it, and I think that’s really inspiring.

I think that “iron sharpens iron” kind of mentality really happens here. We are building the city that we didn’t ourselves move into, and I think seeing the change so quickly is also inspiring. I like the work that I do. I feel like I have the capacity to impact this kind of niche group of recent college graduates, thinking about what’s next in a city that welcomes their innovation and their excitement. So yeah, that’s totally for me. TP

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FRESH FACILITIES CROSSOVER COMMUNITY IMPACT BEGINS BUILDING COMMUNITY CENTER.

BY BRANDON SCHMITZ

T

he some 450 households seeking services at Crossover Community Impact will soon have a new facility within walking distance to their homes. Construction of the Crossover Community Center recently began next door to Crossover Health Services, located at 940 E. 36th St. N. The community center is expected to open in September 2023. For founders Philip Abode and Justin Pickard, this has been a passion project since before the organization began in 2012.

“It takes many of the services we provide and brings them together into one place,” Philip says.

“Kids in the after-school programs will have a much nicer facility — what they have now works, but it still gives this impression that they’re still in school.”

One of the center’s key objectives is to provide practical solutions for members of the north Tulsa community, according to Rondalyn Abode, Philip’s wife and director of development. “Many of these youth sports programs have been dormant for many years,” she says. “So, not only will we have basketball back, but also other sports like

14

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

volleyball. These will be provided for adults, too.”

Th roughout the weekdays, the building will mainly serve Crossover Preparatory Academy’s all-boys middle and high school students. Earlier this year, Crossover introduced an all-girls’ school, which meets at another location.

Although the gym and other workout facilities will be available at that time, most members are expected to arrive during the after-school hours.

Crossover Health Services, one of CCI’s other initiatives, also will have physical therapists on-site. Additionally, the center will be capable of hosting gatherings such as birthday parties, weddings and baby showers.

“There’s a reason why there was such an uproar in Tulsa when some of these community centers shut down,” Philip says. “We hope the CCC will serve as a safe gathering place for people. Also, north Tulsa is an under-resourced part of the community, and we want to help build leaders within it. Hopefully, as time goes on, you’ll start to see change because of this place.”

Visit crossoverimpact.org for more information. TP

WHY TULSA: Two key drivers brought us to Tulsa.

Montereau is a single site, board-driven community that is luxurious in every aspect, dovetailed with being in a city where our 9-year-old daughter can be safe, engaged with folks with quality values, and have an opportunity for quality education.

I cannot tell you how impressed we are with the people in Tulsa. Their values are amazing. Very similar to the Scots. We feel blessed to be part of this city and are already very protective of it.

ON MONTEREAU: Our spectacular community can be described as a cruise ship that simply doesn’t leave port. Our services, amenities and caring heart afford our residents and team members a vibrant life with an incredible array of diversity. The beauty of our business is that you can work in so many different genres; it’s such a rewarding profession and home environment. Montereau offers the full continuum of care right in our city and is an amazing place to live and work. With society aging and with more of our population being over 55 than under 55 by 2034, what we are doing now and in the coming years is going to be hugely important, not only for our city, but for our society at large.

WHY A SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY: I believe service has to benefit another. I am passionate about ensuring people, (especially seniors) know they are loved and important. I believe great leadership is great fellowship. I wish to serve and grow others through professional mentorship and development. — ALEXA MOSTROM

GREG BOLLINGER

Crossover Community Impact’s Justin Pickard, Philip Abode and Rondalyn Abode at the future Crossover Community Center site

KNOWN AS: President and CEO of Montereau, a luxury senior living community in Tulsa. The father of two daughters grew up in Scotland and graduated from New Mexico State University in 1997. Before moving to Tulsa in March, he was developing a senior living community in Atlanta, Georgia, and redeveloping an established community in Juno Beach, Florida.

CHANGEMAKERS

Instructor Allison Lackner provides direction to students Elizabeth Hall and Otto Duy during a Camp Architecture session.

ARCHITECTURE FOR ALL TULSA GROUP EXPANDS PROGRAMMING TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES.

BY HADLEY DEJARNETTE

T

ulsa Foundation for Architecture has long been known for its downtown walking tours and other adult-centric educational events, but the organization has a new executive director, Amber Litwack, and is expanding its reach to teach local children and students about Tulsa’s architecture and historic buildings.

Litwack joined TFA in August 2021 after working at ahha Tulsa as director of education and exhibitions. She hopes to use her strong public programming background to expand events for TFA among diverse audiences. “Th is job specifically appealed to me because I am passionate about architecture, and I saw a lot of opportunities to expand the organization and to make it more visible to reach audiences that TFA currently hasn’t been reaching, or hasn’t been reaching as well in the past,” Litwack says.

TFA’s recent focus on family-friendly programming will include new workshops, youth tours and summer camp. Camp Architecture is TFA’s fi rst summer camp that gives kids in grades 3-6 a chance to explore architectural topics and create their own designs. The fi rst two weeklong sessions of Camp Architecture took place in

16

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

June and July and will be offered again in 2023.

Litwack says camp offerings will be fi nalized and released in early March, prior to Spring Break.

“I think it really helps instill a sense of civic pride in kids to learn more about their community and doing that through architecture is really fascinating,” Litwack says. “We need to start getting kids interested in things like this when they’re young so they can cultivate a lifelong interest and sustain organizations like this when they’re older.”

For more information about upcoming events, check the calendar at tulsaarchitecture.org TP

In addition to the new family-friendly programming, TFA will host several walking tours this fall including Tulsa Underground: The Tunnel Tour, Old Town Tulsa: The Arts District and Moving Into Modern: With Architect No. 1. TFA also will be hosting its annual Halloween bash in October at the Dresser Mansion.

In July 2008 Duane Fernandez appeared on the cover of TulsaPeople’s “What Tulsa Make$” edition, candidly describing his job description and salary. At the time of publication, Fernandez had worked with Cubic for a little over a year as an account executive for the agency’s creative projects. He stayed at Cubic for a few years before deciding to follow his heart and become a filmmaker.

After he left the agency, he began a creative studio and signed on as the first official photographer for the BOK Center.

In 2009, he moved to Los Angeles with his wife, Rebecca Fernandez, where they began their own production studio, VOKSEE, which moved to Tulsa in 2015.

“In the past five years, we have worked on numerous films that have received nearly 40 Academy Award nominations,” he says. Recently, Fernandez started working on “Pawnshop,” VOKSEE’s first narrative short film, which is currently planned to film in Tulsa later this year. Fernandez also hosts and produces a podcast, “The Smith Society,” where he interviews storytellers about their experiences in the industry.

As far as compensating artists for their work, Fernandez believes things have come a long way, but there’s still work to be done. In fact, his production company strives to “feature and compensate artists, (because) the world would be so dull and lifeless without the color that art brings us every day,” he says. “We want to be an uplifting part of the creative universe, from telling stories to highlighting storytellers.” — MADISON WALTERS

GREG BOLLINGER

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17

PASSIONS

Libby Billings

In their

OWN WORDS

MIND YOUR MANNERS LOCAL COACH MAKES ETIQUETTE COMMON SENSE.

BY JANE ZEMEL

A

t a gathering, one should hold one’s glass in one’s left hand so one is free to shake hands with one’s right. Who knew?

Susan Ellis, that’s who. She is an accredited etiquette expert who arrived in Tulsa a year ago from Australia. Her new business, Good Manners, helps clients feel comfortable in social situations. Classes are customized for tweens, teens, adults and companies.

Down Under, etiquette is part of the school curriculum. “Th is is something I grew up with.

Common sense,” she says. Her goal is to help people become better versions of themselves.

“Many parents weren’t taught social graces, so how can they be expected to teach their children?”

Ellis asks. She teaches in three-week modules, putting a modern spin on established traditions.

Her curriculum includes life skills — how to apply for a bank loan, bank account or a rental agreement — as well as comportment, or how to carry yourself confidently. “It’s so ‘Bridgerton,’” she jokes.

Ellis instructs clients about online dating — something she knows about since meeting her 18

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

Tulsa-based husband online five years ago.

Her skills can benefit athletes with media training to help them represent universities or sponsors.

She also covers digital issues. “People forget how to communicate properly,” she says, warning that looking at phones can result in poor posture and spinal issues.

And table manners still count. Depending on the age of her pupil, Ellis will teach interview skills and take them on a fake lunch in which the student can try out the new dining etiquette they learned as Ellis pretends to be a prospective employer. “If they don’t eat properly, they’re not the right fit,” she says defi nitively.

Ellis makes etiquette accessible to everyone, calling it “an affordable investment.” Her students are well-prepared for internships, employment and any business or social setting.

“They learn to walk tall and look people in the eye,” she claims. “Etiquette takes you through school, college, interviewing, career and life. How do you put a price on setting kids up for life?”

Learn more at goodmannersconsulting.com. TP

MY DAD ALWAYS SAYS I THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND, AND THAT WAS THE TRUTH. I had so many people telling me this was a bad idea. I went to culinary school, I’d worked in a bunch of high-end restaurants in Tulsa. I’m also a little bit stubborn and want to do things my way, like a true entrepreneur.

I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO DO, AND NOBODY ELSE WAS DOING IT, SO I WAS GOING TO CREATE IT MYSELF. I wasn’t old enough to know how bad off our economy was then. There was a recession, the housing crisis, etc. I didn’t understand what I now know about things like walkability and how that impacts a city. At the time Boston Avenue was a one-way street. It literally turned into a two-way street the week I (opened). The BOK Center opened nine months later. I got a string of luck for sure of things that benefitted me, but I also put myself out there to get said fortune.

IT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD. There weren’t many other restaurants. McNellie’s was open, and Mexicali Border Cafe and Spaghetti Warehouse. I worked at Mexicali and Spaghetti Warehouse when I was a kid.

Mexicali and Spaghetti Warehouse were super busy restaurants, so I thought, “Well, if they can do it, I can do it.” So I did. — TIM LANDES

GREG BOLLINGER; LIBBY BILLINGS: MICHELLE POLLARD

Susan Ellis is an accredited etiquette expert whose business, Good Manners, helps Tulsans master social and professional skills.

In 2008, Libby Billings took a chance on opening her own downtown restaurant after securing a $30,000 bank loan. On the July 20 episode of Tulsa Talks: A TulsaPeople Podcast, Billings reflected on launching Elote Cafe and Catering, 514 S. Boston Ave., in a building she now owns, and how it spurred the revitalization of the Deco District that also now includes her two other restaurants (The Vault and Roppongi):

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19

ROOTS

Cole Glass, founder of Hero Bread

Sarah Parrack with Northeastern State University President Stephen Turner

FLOUR, REINVENTED AFTER TWO YEARS AND 73,000 MUFFINS, COLE GLASS FOUND THE PERFECT RECIPE.

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

L

il Baby, Tom Brady, Kevin Durant and The Weekend are some of the celebrity investors in Hero Bread, a San Francisco-based food technology company founded by 32-year-old former Tulsan and Holland Hall grad Cole Glass.

Hero produces low-calorie baked goods with 0 grams of sugar and 0-1 net carbs. Glass has severe allergies to raw fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts, which as a kid meant he got to indulge in a lot of junk food and white bread. But as he grew up, he knew that wasn’t sustainable.

“As I grew into an adult, I knew the metabolic effects of eating like a 5-year-old would mean every health complication in the book, particularly with overconsumption of carbs and sugar,” Glass says of his youthful diet.

Glass wanted to reinvent flour in a way that allowed him to indulge in his favorite baked goods, but without the ingredients that triggered his allergies. With no culinary background, but plenty of experience from his time in the tech

20

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

industry with companies like Google and SpaceX, Glass started baking 100 muffins a day in his tiny San Francisco apartment kitchen. Two years later, his patience and meticulous spreadsheets yielded an amazing result — healthy, delicious muffins.

After a few cold calls to his favorite venture capital firms, Glass became the CEO of a company whose products include tortillas, sliced bread and buns that are available directly through the company’s website and found at 1,600 Subway restaurants across the country. It’s been an exhilarating journey, and Glass is quick to give his own parents, Tulsa attorney Robert Glass and his wife Sue, who provided funding for his two-year, 73,000-muffins experiment, plenty of credit for his success.

“They were always inspiring us to pursue our dreams and do great things,” he says. “It was always about, ‘What is the biggest thing that you can dream of, and what steps can we take as parents to enable you to do that?’” Learn more at hero.co. TP

For students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, the opportunity to attend college and gain a higher education is often out of reach.

The Northeastern State University RiverHawks Scholar Program gives these students a chance to find their own path and pursue goals like everyone else.

Tulsan Sarah Parrack is among the first students to graduate this past May from the RiverHawks Scholar program at NSU. During her senior year, Parrack worked internships at two different elementary schools where she discovered her love for history and teaching. “My whole life is history, I want to be a teacher and teach history,” Parrack says.

The RiverHawks Scholar Program is Oklahoma’s first inclusive postsecondary college program that began as a partnership with the nonprofit organization, LeadLearnLive. It is a four-year certificate program that focuses on the four pillars of independent living, social skills, academics and career development.

“The benefits of postsecondary education programs like the NSU RiverHawks Scholar Program are really the same as any educational program for college students,” says Justin Chase, RiverHawks Scholar Program director. “The goal of the program is to provide our students with two things: to be gainfully employed after graduation and to be able to live independently with supports.”

This month Parrack begins a job with Oklahoma State University’s Opportunity Orange Scholar Program, a program similar to the RiverHawks Scholar Program, and Children’s Development Lab. She credits the program and Chase with her success as a student and employee. “NSU is part of my home,” Parrack says, “it is the best university.”

— HADLEY DEJARNETTE

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21

Fab Lab Tulsa’s new Hardesty Hub for Makers, 501 S. Lewis Ave., boasts a first floor with three different lab setups. Inset, Laboratory Director Dan Moran leads a session in the Center’s new classroom space.

NO DEGREE NECESSARY

FAB LAB TULSA OFFERS RESOURCES FOR CREATIVES OF ALL AGES.

BY MADISON WALTERS

M

akers of all kinds can learn, create, invent and reimagine projects using Fab Lab Tulsa’s fabrication machinery in its newly expanded Hardesty Hub for Makers. “It was really a need to keep growing,” Laboratory Director Dan Moran says. And grow it did.

The Hub, a $6 million project, fi nished construction in May and has two floors full of amenities, as well as expanded fabrication and instruction capacity. The fi rst floor contains three unique lab environments: the Studio, Wood Lab and Metal Lab. “Over its nearly 11 years of operation, Fab Lab Tulsa learned many lessons about the needs and interests of local makers and incorporated those lessons into Hardesty Hub for Makers,” says Moran, co-founder of Fab Lab Tulsa, which fi rst opened in 2011. “Laser cutting workstations more than doubled. (That, and additional) metalworking machinery are just two examples of improvements that came from maker input.” The second floor is a true learning environment with conference spaces, administrative offices and two large classrooms that allow multiple programs to occur simultaneously.

22

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

With Fab Lab’s help, visitors can come up with their own idea and watch as it becomes a digital design, and then, finally, a tangible object they can hold in their hands. “Everyone can do it.

You don’t have to be an engineer. You just have to be creative and motivated,” Executive Director Nathan Pritchett says.

Fab Lab also plans to open more creative avenues by expanding digital fabrication programming into new subjects to reach new audiences.

Moran says the Lab is looking forward to future opportunities to host programs catering to workforce retraining, veteran organizations and senior programs. Another addition will be the Lab’s partnership with the University of Tulsa’s new Center for Applied Design Th inking. Starting this semester, TU students can take the lab portion of select classes at Fab Lab’s facility.

Moran says those interested in joining can sign up at fablabtulsa.org. Fab Lab Tulsa’s three membership tiers include a modular membership, which is typically used for a single project, intermediate plans lasting a few months, and a 12-month membership for routine lab use.

As for the future, Moran says, “We expect to be operating in Tulsa for decades to come.” TP

Jose Luis Hernandez

‘Foundation for a better life’ Nurturing community and improving people’s lives through the practice of music is at the heart of Sistema Tulsa. The program is inspired by the “El Sistema” educational philosophy that embodies a collaborative spirit and reinforces the idea that all children and youth should have access to the arts regardless of demographics or socio-economic status.

Founder and director Jose Luis Hernandez started Sistema Tulsa eight years ago as a community-based program that uses music as a tool to develop focus, discipline and resilience in the lives of students.

“Playing in an orchestra or singing in a choir makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself,” Hernandez says of the program based at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church. “It gives you the ability and confidence you need to believe in yourself. A musical experience is a foundation for a better life; that’s why we do this.”

The initiative has demonstrated significant impact in the Tulsa community and in the social, academic and emotional aspects of students’ lives. Students in the program receive free musical instruction, instruments, method books, snacks and participate in creative electives.

“It gave me a lot of confidence with my instrument because before I didn’t have access to private lessons, but here they gave it to me for free,” says Melanie Becerra, a 10th-grader at Booker T. Washington High School and member of Sistema Tulsa. “One of the things that made me like Sistema is you get to play with the whole band and everybody’s just together. We’re like a big family.”

— HADLEY DEJARNETTE

GREG BOLLINGER

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23

COMMUNITY

ROOM TO GROW

ART SCHOOL STUDENTS START THE ACADEMIC YEAR IN RENOVATED SPACE. STORIES BY BLAYKLEE FREED

N

atural light shines through the windows at Tulsa Girls Art School, illuminating recent works by participating student artists. TGAS, which provides a space for the girls to learn, grow and communicate, is also an opportunity for community interaction during special events.

The Art School has resided in Kendall Whittier since its founding in 2007, but recently renovated the 3,200-square-foot gallery and classroom space at 2202 E. Admiral Blvd. Pandemic shutdowns halted in-person programming for more than a year, and students returned last summer to a studio with fewer walls and a lot more room to breathe. Director Adrienne Duffy points out a pair of windows along the south wall that were buried beneath boards and shelves of supplies. She explains a moment a few years ago when she realized the significance of the studio space to its 65 students, many of whom move residences multiple times in their 10 years at the Art School. “It really shifted the value of this actual building,” Duffy says. “It’s not even just the program or consistency of their peers, their teachers — it is all of that — but it’s also actually coming to this space for 10 years.”

The Art School’s spring show and fall gala are two opportunities for donors, board members and the Tulsa community to engage with students, who Duffy notes are at-promise youth. Student cohorts of up to 15 girls from grades 3-12 attend Art School as much as six times a week. Students

24

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

are chosen for the program based on their potential for future growth and success when provided with needed resources and support, Duffy says. “(Art School) is creating an opportunity for success where there’s already so much potential,” Duffy says.

The spring show in April was the first in the renovated space where students mingled with donors, board members and members of the Tulsa community. After, Duffy asked the first-timers, “What was one thing that you totally didn’t expect? And three of them were like, ‘There were so many fancy people here! I didn’t think there were going to be so many rich people.’”

It’s funny how blunt kids can be, Duffy says, but they noticed something important. The Art School is a place where people from vastly different economic brackets interact in a space where everyone is community. “It’s crazy the extreme demographic differences that we have that all come together, and everybody leaves feeling engaged with community.”

Duffy notes that while some might see the Art School as an opportunity to give to kids in need, she sees a duality to it, with TGAS providing an important touch point for their families and the community at large to really connect.

The fall gala is Nov. 4, and sponsorships will be available at tulsagirlsartschool.org. TP Read more of this story at TulsaPeople.com

Laura Bellis, Take Control Initiative executive director, discusses “Just in Case” kits.

FLIPPED SCRIPT The “morning-after pill” is marketed as an emergency contraception option, but local nonprofit Take Control Initiative is aiming to flip the script on how the Tulsa community sees the medication, encouraging people to proactively have the pill on hand.

That’s why the organization is distributing “Just in Case” Repro Kits, a new program TCI started after seeing a slight surge in requests for contraception and the prediction of a larger need. The kits include one emergency contraception pill, five eco-friendly pregnancy test strips, a biodegradable urine cup, three packets of lube and 15 condoms. Kits can be picked up at locations around town or mailed directly to patients (visit takecontrolinitiative.org for exact instructions).

Executive Director Laura Bellis says emergency contraceptive pills should be more of a medical medicine cabinet staple. “You never know when you’re going to get a headache, you never know when a lot of things are going to happen, so you have (medicine) on hand,” Bellis says. However, cost is often a barrier, with one pill costing $50 or more.

The term “emergency” can create misconceptions about the pills, says Maria Hernandez, TCI’s education and outreach coordinator. “What we’re doing here is creating access for people to not have to go (find medication) in a moment when, maybe, they’re anxious. Having something on hand is going to reduce a lot of that anxiety.” She notes emergency contraceptives like Plan B and ella work by delaying or preventing ovulation, so if condoms or other contraceptives fail, there isn’t any egg for sperm to fertilize. And in the event of an unexpected pregnancy, people can know sooner and establish prenatal care to encourage the healthiest outcomes for parent and child. TP

GREG BOLLINGER

The newly renovated Tulsa Girls Art School gallery and classroom space. Inset, TGAS director Adrienne Duffy

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12/18/19 3:22 PM

ON SCREEN

THIS MONTH AT Circle Cinema “HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG” Opens Aug. 5 Exclusively at Circle Cinema — see the definitive exploration of singersongwriter Leonard Cohen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, “Hallelujah.” This feature-length documentary follows the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit, and features moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom “Hallelujah” has become a personal touchstone.

SPOOKY SCENES

TULSA NATIVES HOPE THEIR WORK ON HORROR ANTHOLOGY WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR FUTURE OKLAHOMA FILM PROJECTS.

BY ETHAN VEENKER

D

epending on your internet savviness, the word “creepypasta” either denotes a spooky story or, maybe, some frightening fettuccine. For the purposes of this article, we’re going with the former interpretation: internet-based, grassroots examples of horror writing.

Creepypastas create and expand their own urban myths, usually inextricably linked with the internet itself (think haunted image fi les), and they often take on lives of their own — like “Slenderman,” which became a popular creepypasta born from an online Photoshop contest in 2009.

Now, four Tulsans are taking the creepypasta genre to Hollywood with “Creepypasta,” a horror anthology.

The project began in 2018 after executive producer David Bond reached out to Gregory S. Burkart to create a horror anthology in the internet age. The two solicited and curated short fi lms from around the world, ending up with an international collection that included North and South American directors. After commissioning a framing narrative to connect it all for a single feature release, Burkart reached out to executive producer Juan Pablo Reinoso and others in 2020, and they jumped into post-production.

26

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

The intricate, collaborative background workings of “Creepypasta” reflect the nature of the fi lm’s content.

Executive producers Reinoso and Burkart both attended Cascia Hall Preparatory School, but due to graduating different years they only met and connected professionally after both leaving Oklahoma to pursue fi lmmaking.

Reinoso and Burkart hope “Creepypasta” encourages more fi lmmakers to work in the Sooner State.

“Creepypasta” has helped the ambitious Tulsans generate a network for both distribution and funding. Reinoso started a production company, LookBook, with native Tulsan and “Creepypasta” executive producer Colin H. Tucker. At the time of writing, Burkart is negotiating distribution deals and fi lm festival circuitry for “Creepypasta,” which he hopes will bring it and future projects worldwide.

Meanwhile native Tulsan Tom Biolchini, a partner and executive producer, focuses on securing funding. “I think the magic formula … is having an executive producer like Tom who’s able to connect us with investors,” Burkart says.

The plan is to now get “Creepypasta” into horror fi lm festivals like London’s FrightFest in August and Austin’s Fantastic Fest in September, hopefully followed by worldwide distribution. TP

“EASTER SUNDAY” Opens Aug. 5 Stand-up comedy sensation Jo Koy (“Jo Koy: In His Elements,” “Jo Koy: Comin’ in Hot”) stars as a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family in this love letter to his Filipino-American community.

“BODIES BODIES BODIES” Opens Aug. 5 Pete Davidson, Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova feature in the latest horror film from hit studio A24. When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game goes awry in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends and one party gone very, very wrong.

“SECOND SATURDAY SILENT SERIES: ‘RIN TIN TIN IN THE NIGHT CRY’”(1926) 11 a.m., Aug. 13 Enjoy a classic silent film with a live score played by Bill Rowland on Circle’s restored 1928 theater pipe organ.

Hollywood’s original canine star Rin Tin Tin must protect the herd on his owner’s farm from attacks by a giant condor in this adventure drama.

Compiled by Circle Cinema’s Ryan Thomas.

Visit circlecinema.org for pricing and additional information.

GREG BOLLINGER

Juan Pablo Reinoso, Colin H. Tucker and Gregory S. Burkart collaborated to produce “Creepypasta,” a horror anthology that follows a man trapped in an abandoned house searching for clues as to how he got there through a series of haunting viral videos.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The Peachy Green salad, $10, from R Bar consists of arugula topped with peaches, candied walnuts, goat cheese, pickled red onions, blueberry reduction and crostinis.

ON TREND: ARUGULA

LOCAL CHEFS MAP OUT WHAT MAKES THE LEAFY GREEN A GREAT INGREDIENT.

BY KARA TILLY

MICHELLE POLLARD

F

ood scene aficionados in Tulsa declare arugula the new on-trend green and are replacing kale on the menus at local fine dining restaurants and spinach in the grocery stores. Arugula is a plant in the Brassicaceae family, aka mustard or cabbage family that includes broccoli, turnips and more.

Its binomial name is Eruca vesicaria, and it grows on every continent except Antarctica.

But what makes it so trendy in Tulsa?

Well, “lettuce” consider local menus.

Restaurants around town have added arugula to dishes that vary in flavor and texture. In Brookside, chef Tyler Thomas added the Peachy Green salad to the menu at R Bar and Grill, 3421 S. Peoria Ave., as a seasonal summer dish. The Peachy Green includes arugula, peaches, candied walnuts, pickled red onions, goat cheese and a blueberry reduction vinaigrette. Thomas says the salad includes mild and somewhat sweet flavors

to complement their leafy base. “The arugula kind of lifts that sweetness and gives it a peppery punch,” Thomas says.

One block over at Doc’s Wine and Food, 3509 S. Peoria Ave., arugula salad joined the menu in 2021. The wine-poached pear, cornbread croutons and bourbon vinaigrette add a Southern flair to the natural elegance of the dish.

On Cherry Street, Roosevelt’s, 1551 E. 15th St., recently added a smoked salmon salad with arugula to its dinner menu. A flaky flavorful fi let of salmon, locally-sourced goat cheese, red onion, croutons and white wine vinaigrette balance the bold flavor of the leafy green base.

Downtown, Dilly Diner, 402 E. Second St., added to its lunch menu an arugula salad featuring soft Neufchâtel cheese, which is a creamy delicate flavor when paired with the peppery arugula.

Arugula also is a frequent flyer one block over at Juniper, 324 E. Th ird St. And though it’s

trendy now, Justin Thompson, chef proprietor and owner of Justin Thompson Restaurant Group (which includes Juniper) has always appreciated arugula, which is evident by Juniper’s multiple brunch menu items with the leafy green.

“I’ve used arugula on the menus at my restaurants for years,” Thompson says. “(It) contains a spicy flavor that does well dressed with fruit.” One example is Juniper’s avocado salad which mingles together the savory flavors of arugula, pickled shallots, salmon lox and focaccia bread with a bright fruity punch of lemon poppy vinaigrette.

For those looking for fresh, locally grown arugula to incorporate into a new recipe at home, LocalFarmOK includes seasonal arugula in produce orders, according to Ashley Neal, co-owner and creative director. Neal is a fan of arugula, and she notes it comes monthly in the farm bag subscription. For more information, or to subscribe, visit localfarmok.com. TP TulsaPeople.com

27

MUSIC NOTES

Jeremy Stevens

AFTER THE LAST SONG TULSA SYMPHONY SERVES THE COMMUNITY BETWEEN CONCERTS. STORIES BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

W

hen the applause is over and the stage lights dim, the work isn’t over for the musicians of the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. As a nonprofit community service organization with a mission to “entertain, educate, heal and inspire through musical excellence, innovation and collaboration,” the impact of TSO and its performers extends well beyond the walls of a single performance space.

“Our community service is highly focused on education in our schools,” says Ken Busby, former TSO president and chairman of the Board Governance Committee.

According to Busby, TSO reaches over 28,000 students each year through programs like Carnegie Hall Link Up, a partnership with Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center that provides hands-on classroom music education to area elementary students, and Any Given Child, a partnership with Tulsa Public Schools that provides arts experiences for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Additional programs focus on veterans and seniors.

Many TSO musicians are full-time music instructors in schools, universities and with private students, ensuring the music they love is passed on to younger generations. TSO’s principal cellist and past board president Kari Caldwell has taught countless aspiring musicians over the years. Like a link in a long musical chain, a number of Caldwell’s former students are now a 28

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

part of TSO, like Ashley Allison, a TSO cellist who teaches orchestra in both Jenks middle and high schools and studied with Caldwell when she was in high school.

“I like sharing my love of the cello and music with other people,” Caldwell says. “I love seeing the long-term results of hard work on the part of kids and college students, and I love kids.”

TSO performs in smaller groups for numerous social service organizations and provides a live orchestra for Tulsa Ballet and Tulsa Opera. TSO musicians provide music for religious services, funerals, weddings and receptions, too.

“I think it’s really important to realize how many different ways we impact the community, whether it be as the teachers of people’s kids, or as the musicians somebody saw in church,” Caldwell says. “Our goal is to have that presence and involvement of our musicians throughout the community.”

Busby says the arts “contribute mightily to the local economy by creating jobs, generating sales tax and promoting cultural tourism that generates tens of millions of dollars to our local economy each year. Tourism is the third largest industry in Oklahoma, and Tulsa is a big part of that.”

Additionally, TSO’s educational programs are a resource for local schools from Pre-K through university, he says. “TSO really is an integral part of the greater Tulsa community.” For more information, visit tulsasymphony.org. TP

Young

TALENT Jeremy Stevens wants every kid to have the chance to sing. As the director of community engagement for the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, he’s created the new TPAC Youth Choir, a vehicle for students ages 11-18 to participate in choral singing and performances.

“We want this to be open for anyone that wants to do it, regardless of where they go to school, or what subjects they study. We want to make sure we’re offering an opportunity,” says Stevens, who also serves as the choir’s director. “If they love to sing but have never sung in a chorus, that’s fantastic, too. We’ll take that!”

To participate, there is an annual fee of $150, and financial aid is available. Video audition submissions opened in April and will continue until the first rehearsal on Sept. 12. No previous choral experience is required.

The choir will learn a variety of songs, including popular music and some Disney tunes. In addition to their own choral concert in the spring, the group will back up a touring artist in December. Stevens plans to collaborate with other performing arts venues in town, too, in order to create more public performance opportunities for the students.

In the end, it’s all about building community.

“What we’re really after is a group that wants to learn and perform together. It isn’t solely based upon individual effort, but rather your individual effort combined with everyone else’s individual effort. That makes up the group dynamic,” Stevens says. “I have this distinct need to constantly show other people that community is not just where you live.” Learn more at tulsapac.com. TP

GREG BOLLINGER; JEREMY STEVENS: COURTESY

Tulsa Symphony Orchestra cellists Kari Caldwell and Ashley Allison

MUSIC NOTES

Mass Movement co-owners meet outside the venue’s future location.

Singer-songwriter James McMurtry plays June 8 at Tulsa’s Mercury Lounge during a tour stop in promotion of his album “The Horses and the Hounds.”

TEXAS TROUBADOUR JAMES MCMURTRY PLAYED SOLD-OUT TULSA SHOW. STORIES BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

MCMURTRY: TIM LANDES; MASS MOVEMENT: GREG BOLLINGER

O

nly singer-songwriter James McMurtry could make such a wry, painfully accurate observation of certain aspects of Midwest culture circa 2002.

“Strap them kids in, give ‘em a lil’ bit of vodka/In a cherry Coke, we’re goin’ to Oklahoma/To the family reunion for the fi rst time in years,” begins the 60-year-old award-wining Texas musician’s popular ode, “Choctaw Bingo.” What follows is a Texas to Oklahoma road trip chronicle of familial and social dysfunction in post-financial crash America. It manages to be hilarious, disturbing and mildly offensive all at the same time.

The song is a perennially popular fan favorite, referencing everything from meth and incest to poverty, gambling and ignorance, all in one cleverly crafted, catchy tune. At a sold-out show at Tulsa’s Mercury Lounge earlier this summer, a crowd of Okies young and old sang along to every verse, both in on the joke while also the subject of the singer’s sharp wit.

With his gifted storytelling and social commentary, McMurtry is the voice of a generation. The son of late novelist and screenwriter Larry McMurtry (“Lonesome Dove,” “Terms of Endearment”), he has a reputation for being cranky, outspoken, brilliant and fiercely

independent. Th is September, he’s up for another Americana Music Association award for Song of the Year. Th is time for “Canola Fields” from his latest release, “The Horses and the Hounds.”

Musician Scott Aycock and poet Richard Higgs, co-hosts of Public Radio Tulsa’s “Folk Salad” radio show, are fans of McMurtry’s music.

“McMurtry has a keen eye and ear for what is occurring in real time across America, and his lyrics, like his father’s writing, have an economy of words that cut to the meat of the matter,” Aycock says. “There is hope, but it’s hard-fought and won and not without a trade-off. There is no Hallmark ending in McMurtry’s songwriting, but even his sense of humor gives me hope, because there is no better medicine than to be able to laugh at our own absurdity.”

Higgs agrees.

“McMurtry has a gift for the telling detail, like a good short story writer — except that he can also make it rhyme,” he says. “His songs capture the feel of a specific region. He tends to darkness in his songs, which for me, is a guilty pleasure.”

For more information on McMurtry and future tour dates, visit jamesmcmurtry.com. Then strap your kids in, and don’t forget the cherry Coke. TP

ARTIST OWNED AND OPERATED Mass Movement Community Arts, an all-ages venue and multipurpose event space, has found a new home at East 18th Street and South Boston Avenue. The 4-year-old club, formerly at East 15th Street and South Harvard Avenue, is known for hosting under-the-radar punk and hardcore shows.

Now, a larger location allows for greater flexibility and crowd capacity of about 150.

The relocated Mass Movement joins Mercury Lounge and the Shrine in a small but musically significant corner of Tulsa formerly home to numerous notable venues like the Nine of Cups, Boston Avenue Market and SRO. Co-owner Aaron Johnson hopes to continue that tradition, along with fellow co-owners Zach Updegrove, Luke Brennan, Tyler Rogers, Aaron Goodwin and Travis Hunter.

“We really wanted to create something where young Tulsa bands could have a place to play and get paid and where established artists who are on tour could play in a room that’s smaller capacity,” Johnson says.

In addition to performance space, there are plans for renovating the basement to provide studio rentals for local artists. “We’re going to try to host the artistic community as much as we can,” he says. “There are no limitations as far as what we want in there. We just want to work with the local artistic community to have events going on in there as often as possible.”

Johnson intends the venue to eventually be open seven days a week, with everything from pop-up shops and art exhibits to live music in a range of genres. Shows scheduled this month include touring bands Exide on Aug. 3 and Dummy on Aug. 22. For more information, visit facebook. com/massmovementcommunityarts. TP TulsaPeople.com

29

SPORTS

William Whayne Jr. with his horse, Donald

WHAYNE’S WORLD

TULSA ROPER WILLIAM WHAYNE JR. CONTINUES FAMILY’S RODEO TRADITION. STORY AND PHOTO BY TIM LANDES

W

illiam Whayne Jr. is usually up with the sun to beat the impending triple digit heat, but on this early summer morning a rain shower is knocking down the dust on the Whayne family’s roping arena on the north side of their 7-acre plot. The rain will only stay briefly, but the Whaynes have called this north Tulsa property home for decades.

As the rain moves south toward the Osage Casino Hotel tower that can be seen standing above the trees in the distance, Whayne feeds and waters his 33 calves, which he sends to regional rodeos to be roped. The calves are purchased with his winnings, including five new additions he received the day before that will today be roped for the fi rst time.

Th is is the daily life of the professional rodeo competitor until the weekend when he’s logging hundreds of miles on his diesel-powered Dodge Ram, traveling to compete from one rodeo to the next. The coming weekend he will rope in “Muskogee on Friday. I’m in Jay, Oklahoma, on Saturday, then on Sunday in Moline, Kansas.

Then on Monday I’ll drive to Granbury, Texas, where these cows will be,” he says as he fi lls their water trough. A friend will drive them down to Texas while he works the weekend rodeo circuit.

Overall, he will compete in 75 to 100 rodeos 30

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

this year, including the 2022 Cheyenne Frontier Days in July for the fi rst time. On Aug. 12, he will return to the 67th annual Roy LeBlanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo, where he won the buckle 10 years before. The Roy LeBlanc is the oldest continuously held Black rodeo in the United States.

The Whayne family arena where he practices his roping is older than he is. His grandmother, Lynne Hill, was a barrel racer who, along with her late rodeoing husband Bimp Carter, encouraged his father, William Whayne Sr., to start roping when he was a teenager. As for Junior, he’s been swinging a rope as long as he can remember.

“Since the day they put a rope in my hand it’s been like, that’s what I have to do,” says the 29-year-old affectionally known since birth as “Humpty.” Whayne says he knows he will be able to compete for as long as his body holds up, so he is working hard to drop 50 pounds. He’s currently down 30 to 265 pounds.

Whayne attended Booker T. Washington High School where he took advantage of his size as a defensive tackle and fullback for a Hornets team that won state championships in 2008 and 2010.

“That was like winning the Super Bowl for me,” says the 2011 graduate who accepted a rodeo scholarship at Connors State College. “I didn’t

want to go play college football. I just wanted to do this. My heart has always been into roping calves. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

In late 2021, Whayne applied and was selected to be on the rodeo reality show competition “Guts and Glory,” which he won earlier this year. That earned him a belt buckle, $25,000 and an entry into March’s The American Rodeo in Arlington, Texas. He fell short of the $2.1 million prize, but American owner Thomas Tull gifted him Donald, a powerful 6-year-old quarter horse that has even boosted the confidence of the rising star who dreams of one day soon competing in the Prairie Circuit Finals, and then ultimately the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

“When we talk about the full package, Donald’s got it. He’s big and strong, and he’s fast,” says Whayne as he saddles the horse and prepares to escort the calves to the roping arena to condition them for competition. “Everything this horse does makes calf roping easier than it’s ever been in my life. I don’t know how I got blessed enough to get this opportunity. I just thank God for it every day.” TP See photos from a morning on the ranch at TulsaPeople.com

SPORTS

Matt Mauldin, Greater Tulsa Pickleball Club vice president

PRAISE FOR

PICKLEBALL Kennedy and Tiffany Engel run along the Arkansas River in Tulsa.

RUNNING BUSINESS TULSA FAMILY LAUNCHES TECH START-UP TO TIME RACES.

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

GREG BOLLINGER

T

ech start-up Tulsa Timing is ready to race. The family-owned business brings cutting edge timing technology to one of the oldest sports in the world — running — and is improving the race experience for participants and organizers at all levels of the sport.

Chip timing systems have been used in large, organized runs for years. Runners wear radio frequency identification tags, or “chips,” that track their progress during the race, providing quick and accurate data reporting and results. However, use of this technology at local high school races and smaller organized runs isn’t very common.

Runners often must wait hours, or even days to find out how they placed, as organizers manually collate race results. Tulsa Timing aims to increase access to that technology locally so amateur racers can immediately receive their timed results.

“For most people, their ideal running experience is going to be that 5K they run at the river, or that smaller high school cross-country race. To bring this technology to those events is going to give runners of all levels a better experience and cause them to want to get more involved,” says Karl Engel, who created the company with his son, Kennedy, and wife, Tiffany.

Running has been a part of Engel’s life for close to 40 years. He ran competitively at Booker T. Washington High School and the University of Tulsa, and was the race director for Tulsa’s Full Moon Run for close to a decade. He currently assists with BTW’s track and cross-country programs.

Engel shares his passion for the sport with both his wife and son. He credits Kennedy, who also ran for BTW and continues to run with a club team while attending Brigham Young University, with the inspiration for the business.

“I took a digital marketing class in high school and did a class project on race services,” Kennedy says. “That was the start of the idea.”

After a college entrepreneur class and his experiences with the instant gratification of chip timing at his Utah races, Kennedy felt this service was needed back in his home state, and his parents agreed. Kennedy will continue to work remotely when he returns to school in the fall, while Karl and Tiffany will be sales and race support in town.

“Tulsa is a running town and has always been a running town,” he says. “It’s good to build on something that’s always been here.” TP

Local pickleball players will battle it out on the court this month in a tournament with a range of age groups and skill levels.

“I would say pickleball is a slower game (than tennis),” says Matt Mauldin, vice president of the Greater Tulsa Pickleball Club. “Folks of all ages and athletic abilities are able to play.” The concept, derived cleanly from tennis and other racket sports, is easy to pick up, and the game is just as easy to play.

Mauldin played tennis for years before falling out of the habit in college. Other “random hobbies,” as he calls them, filled the void — including a long and successful stint in disc golf — before he tried pickleball.

“I just fell in love with it, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” he says. That was three years ago. In the time since, beyond his election as vice president in the local pickleball club, Mauldin also has been named Tulsa’s USA Pickleball Ambassador since 2019 (think the NBA of pickleball).

Following his example and becoming involved with the sport is as easy as visiting tulsapickleball.org, the club’s website (from there, see also its Facebook group with 2,300-plus members). Not only does the site clue you in to any upcoming pickleball events, but there’s a helpful “For Beginners” page that introduces the sport and a calendar for all beginner sessions around town.

On Sept. 2-4, the club will help host the Tulsa Pickleball Classic at the Case Tennis Center in LaFortune Park, 5302 S. Hudson Ave., with a range of divisions and age levels. Registration is open through Aug. 26 and is $35 per player, though spectators get in free.

“I can say 100% that pickleball is the most welcoming community I’ve ever interacted with,” Mauldin says. With praise like that, it’s hard to resist picking up a paddle. — ETHAN VEENKER TulsaPeople.com

31

AUGUST CHARITABLE EVENTS COMPILED BY A M A NDA H A LL 5 Ringmaster’s Golf and Gala Benefits Tulsa State Fair Ringmasters.

TULSASTATEFAIR . COM / GOLF- GALA

6 Bingo Bash Benefits Tulsa SPCA. TULSASPCA . ORG / BINGO - BASH The Tess Trail Run Benefits the Tristesse Grief Center.

THEGRIEFCENTER . ORG

Overture: Make Music With Us Following a two-year hiatus, Signature Symphony at Tulsa Community College’s annual gala returned on May 7 with a chart-topping evening and record-setting fundraising.

The gala, hosted at River Spirit Casino Resort, celebrated the art of music and featured the Signature Quartet and Brass Quintet and other ensembles as guests tested their music knowledge with “Name that Tune.” Plus, there was a signature cocktail, dancing, and a live and silent auction.

Proceeds support and sustain Signature Symphony’s ongoing work to provide music education, community enrichment and premier concerts to the greater Tulsa area.

2

1. Overture Auction Chair Jaime Smith Tareq, Sponsorship Chair Geordie Robinson (back row), Honorary Chairs Jane and Henry Primeaux, Co-Chair Dawne Stafford, Co-Chair Cathy Campbell 2. Robert Young and Sam Briggs, Tulsa Sings! winner and Overture vocalist 3. TCC Dean of Visual and Performing Arts Kelly Clark, Signature Symphony musician Erica Parker, and Judy Rothrock 4. Erica Parker, Signature Quartet musician

3

11 Barbecue, Beer and Cigars Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home.

TULSABOYSHOME . ORG

14 Rescue Love Pet Photo Contest and Calendar Sales Benefits Tulsa SPCA. GOGOPHOTOCONTEST. COM / TULSASPCA

27 Maker Faire Tulsa Benefits Fab Lab Tulsa.

TULSA . MAKERFAIRE . COM Wild Brew Benefits G.M. Sutton Avian Research Center.

WILDBREW. ORG

1

4

Celebrate LIFE LIFE Senior Services celebrated the 25th anniversary of its annual fundraiser — Celebrate LIFE — on June 2 at the Cox Business Convention Center. Guests numbered 375 and were treated to live music by the Booker Gillespie Trio in the ballroom decorated as a garden party. Wine pairings and a gourmet dinner delighted guests as a silent and live auction also were held.

Leslie and Bob Pritchard served as honorary chairs for the event, which benefits all of LIFE Senior Services’ programs. The nonprofit specializes in home and community-based services that promote healthy aging for seniors, as well as family and caregiver support services.

2

1. Patrons Susan and Rod Nordstrom 2. Celebrate LIFE Honorary Chairs Leslie and Bob Pritchard with President and CEO Eileen Bradshaw 3. Emcee LeAnne Taylor and Andy Erwin 4. Steve and Eileen Bradshaw

3

29 Drive Out the Demand Golf Tournament Benefits The Demand Project.

THEDEMANDPROJECT. COM BENEFITS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

1 32

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

4

OVERTURE: RESOLUSEAN, SEAN CAPSHAW; CELEBRATE LIFE: BETH HAWKINS

12 Zoo Nights: On the Rocks Benefits Tulsa Zoo. TULSAZOO . ORG

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33

Broken Arrow’s Oliver Middle School is named after former superintendent Clarence G. Oliver Jr., a longtime educator, Army veteran and former journalist who is the author of several books.

Oliver Middle School houses a legacy room focused on Oliver’s past and includes a desk from his third-grade classroom in Ada.

LEGENDS

Clarence G. Oliver Jr. EDUCATOR AND CIVIC LEADER REFLECTS ON HIS 67 YEARS IN THE TULSA AREA.

BY GAIL BANZET-ELLIS

C

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH TULSA? My first trip to Tulsa was as a 14-year-old newspaper carrier for the Tulsa World in Ada. The paper decided to honor statewide carriers with a big banquet and a full day touring Tulsa. This was 1943 during the war. When we got through delivering that morning, our manager, who supervised the five of us, loaded up his car and we drove from 34

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

MICHELLE POLLARD; COURTESY OLIVER

larence G. Oliver Jr. was one year shy of a journalism degree with a wife, a child and no income when he returned home from serving in the Korean War in the early 1950s. He soon found a job as a reporter and news editor for the Watonga Republican and worked there until 1954 when he decided to finish college.

Divine intervention rerouted the Ada, Oklahoma, native’s life plan. He earned a degree in education and became a high school English teacher, a fate detailed in “Directed Steps ... A personal journey” — one of seven books he’s authored.

“It’s a story of five or six break points where I was halted from doing something or forced to do something else,” he says.

Oliver was destined to be an educator. “That calling was in the plan for my life, and it was the right decision,” he says.

It’s also the decision that led him and his family to move to the Tulsa area 67 years ago when he accepted a position at Broken Arrow High School.

“This is my adopted home. I didn’t even know where Broken Arrow was located on a map back then, but I needed a job,” the great-grandfather says.

Oliver and his wife, Vinita, met as teenagers in their hometown and were married nearly 60 years before she died in 2009. Through the decades, Oliver not only served the Broken Arrow school system but also his community. Among his many civic accolades, he has received the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce Legacy Award and the first Dr. Clarence G. Oliver Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ada to Tulsa. It was about a four-hour drive, just two-lane roads. We rode a tour bus around the city.

Will Rogers High School was new back then, way out in the country. They took us by the fairgrounds and the Jenkins home that Frank Lloyd Wright had designed. Then, we went to a big banquet at the Mayo Hotel. It was the first time I had ever been in anything like that. We had a four-course dinner, and they gave each of us a fountain pen. I have that fountain pen laying on a bookshelf about 2 feet from where I’m sitting now. I was greatly impressed with Tulsa.

WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY? WHY? I went to Ada High School and then Oklahoma A&M College, now Oklahoma State University, where I prepared for a chosen career in journalism.

My studies were interrupted by the start of the Korean War. I later attended East Central State College, now East Central University (for education). Later, I went to the University of Oklahoma for graduate school to enhance career opportunities in education (and) to OSU for graduate studies in vocational, technical and marketing education. I attended the University of Tulsa for graduate studies in secondary school administration and to earn a Doctor of Education degree.

HOW MANY YEARS TOTAL WERE YOU IN EDUCATION AND HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE IN THE BROKEN ARROW PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM? 50 years total. I spent 30 years at Broken Arrow — 12 as an assistant superintendent and 18 as superintendent. After I retired from Broken Arrow, I had been hounded by the leadership at Oral Roberts University to join them and was a frequent guest speaker out there. I grew up in the same neighborhood as the Oral Roberts family, and I had heard Oral Roberts’ father preach after he had established a little neighborhood church in our part of Ada. ORU wanted me to join the faculty. I said, “You know my background, I’m not charismatic, I’m not a good fit.” Oral wanted to get his education program accredited and had a dream of establishing a doctoral program.

After two years … I thought maybe this is what I’m supposed to do. It worked out perfectly. We were able to get the accreditation done in a marvelous way, much quicker than I could have ever dreamed it would occur. After I left the dean’s position, I stayed as an adjunct professor, I stayed working part time for a few more years. I served as a volunteer up until about three years ago on doctoral committees. I represented ORU at meetings of the Tulsa Area School Administrators group.

ORU gave me emeritus status several years ago, and I still speak to some in graduate education classes. I’ve got 50 or 55 years in education one way or another.

WHAT AGE DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW AND WHY? Even though I am 93 years old at present, I feel as if I am 60 years old. I rarely think about my age or health issues. I am physically and mentally active, a member of civic, church, my local Chamber of Commerce and community organizations, and serve on several boards of nonprofit organizations.

Clarence G. Oliver Jr. rides in a car with three of his grandchildren as he serves as parade marshal during a past Broken Arrow event.

I am a voracious reader of books, magazines, newspapers, journals, both print copies and electronic versions. I even read books while I ride an exercise bike that now has thousands of miles on it from my rides over the past four decades. I have a reading rack on my bike and go through a jillion books. I have probably ridden around the world on that thing.

I frequently speak to school, civic and community groups of all ages on a variety of topics. I am an author with several published books and have written articles for many professional journals and other publications. Two new books are in working draft stages on my computer. I just need to force myself to write a little bit each day.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? During my student days at Oklahoma A&M College in 1949, when I had a full head of wavy, dark brown hair, I was chosen, along with four other students, to be a model for photographs that were to be used in a series of CocaCola magazine advertisements of students who were attending various colleges and universities around the nation. The photos featured students drinking bottles of Coca-Cola in a favorite soda fountain drug store on or near college campuses.

We five Oklahoma A&M students posed for several photographs in the Varsity Drug Store on campus corner in Stillwater, across the street from the famous University Fire Station. Each of us was paid the enormous modeling fee of $5.

That was a time when most of us were earning 50 cents per hour for part-time student jobs.

I never saw the Coca-Cola advertisement published in a magazine. I don’t know that my kids even know this. I was a one-day model.

Those were great ads that ran in all the major magazines. I even remember what I was wearing in the photos.

IF YOU COULD WITNESS ANY EVENT OF THE PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? To be in Johannes Gutenberg’s print shop in 1450 when the first copy of the Gutenberg Bible was completed. This was the earliest major book printed using mass-produced movable metal type. It marked the start of the Gutenberg Revolution, the age of printed books in the West.

WHAT IS A FAVORITE TULSA MEMORY? The former Brady Theater (now Tulsa Theater) was the place for major performing arts productions, plays, musicals and prominent speakers during the 1950s, 1960s and later. In the late 1950s, the great pianist Roger Williams scheduled a concert in Tulsa at the Brady. My wife, who studied classical piano during her high school and college years, and I were fortunate to be able to purchase two seats at a great location in the theater. The highlight number played by Roger Williams was the classical piece, “Autumn Leaves,” one of the most beautiful of piano numbers. Johnny Mercer penned English lyrics for the tune in 1949, and Jo Stafford recorded the English version, but the song did not gain popularity until about 1955 when Williams recorded a version of the song. He kept improving his version and when he played the song at the Tulsa concert, the audience was enthralled. That performance of “Autumn Leaves” lingers in my brain these 60 years later. TP

Visit TulsaPeople.com for an extended interview with Clarence G. Oliver Jr. TulsaPeople.com

35

STR ATEGY FOR SUCCESS LOCAL UNIVERSITIES ESTIMATE MORE THAN HALF OF OKLAHOMA’S TOP JOBS WILL REQUIRE COLLEGE DEGREES BY 2028.

THEY’RE COLLABORATING TO MAKE EDUCATION MORE ACCESSIBLE.

BY ROBERT EVATT

F

or local job seekers and employers alike, college degrees are becoming increasingly important. Officials estimate by 2028, 66 of the top 100 occupations in Oklahoma will need a college degree based on information provided by Oklahoma Works. Right now, the U.S. Census Bureau reports just 26% of Oklahomans hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to the national average of 37.9%.

Prospective students don’t have to leave Tulsa to get quality higher education options, but navigating the details of degree requirements can be a challenge — especially for students who transfer from two- to four-year institutions.

Pamela K. Fly, associate vice president for academic affairs at Northeastern State University in Broken Arrow, says student feedback during the university’s self-survey process revealed some of their difficulties. “One of the students had said what surprised them the most is that the colleges don’t talk to each other. They couldn’t easily get information about one insti-

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

tution from another; they had to run back and forth.” For years, local educators have discussed ways to improve communication. The result: The Tulsa Higher Education Consortium, which was made official during the 2021-2022 school year.

COLLEGE COLLABORATION

Seven Tulsa institutions make up the Tulsa Higher Education Consortium. Th is collaboration between Tulsa Community College, NSU, the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, Langston University, Rogers State University and the University of Tulsa works to improve communication between the institutions, better meet the needs of both students and their future employers, and improve the graduation rate.

Fly notes while the various institutions have worked to help students move from TCC to other institutions for many years, the individual institutions had to provide assistance wholly in-house

and in their spare time. That’s changed with the Consortium.

Laura Latta, executive director of the Consortium, says a key goal of the organization is to make sure students of all backgrounds have the best possible opportunity to complete their fouryear degrees. These include students from underrepresented groups, students who are the fi rst in their families to attend college and students who must continue full-time work while taking classes.

“We looked at different types of students and what barriers might be in place to prevent them from accessing opportunities,” Latta says. “We want to remove these barriers to provide more access and opportunity.”

One of the biggest barriers faced by students across the nation comes from transferring schools.

Often students struggle to get universities to accept credits earned at another institution. Other times, students have little guidance on how to continue their degree path at a new school and be certain

they obtain the credits required to graduate. These problems can make an already challenging pursuit of a degree even more difficult, expensive and can encourage many to quit.

Emily Tichenor, director of university transfer at TCC, says guidance for the entire process, not just their time at individual institutions, can help students navigate the complex options and possibilities.

“It can be hard for our students to see the end goal,” Tichenor says. “They’re starting at TCC for a business degree, but that could connect to accounting or finance or energy. The Consortium can help students start with the end in mind.”

NAVIGATING THE NUANCES

A degree pathway is one tool TCC uses to clearly define strategies that ensure students can take all needed classes at TCC with clear knowledge of which classes will be needed at their next institution, all with the security that their hard-earned credits will instantly transfer.

“We don’t want students to lose money or lose their valuable time,” Latta says.

The Tulsa Higher Education Consortium grew out of previous efforts to improve communications between the institutions, including 2018’s Tulsa Transfer Project, an earlier initiative to help students planning to continue their studies after attending TCC, Fly says. At that time there were 23 different degree pathways; now there are 139, Latta adds.

“The presidents got together and asked how we can continue that work,” Fly says.

The answer was for each institution to undergo a two-year self-assessment process with the goal of determining how to adjust their policies and courses to better serve students and, ultimately, the Tulsa business community that would soon employ them, Tichenor says.

“We took a lot of time and examined our policies and procedures for transfer students, from the moment they get here to the moment they leave,” she says.

Armed with an improved knowledge of their strengths and shortcomings, presidents and experts from individual institutions began sharing their best practices as well as their ongoing research initiatives to not just demystify the process of getting a four-year degree, but to improve the overall value of those degrees through collaboration, Latta says.

“There’s an enormous amount of expertise in the Tulsa area with our higher educational professionals,” she says. “We’ve had a reputation of working in silos — we hope to break down those silos and help their research benefit the whole area.”

MICHELLE POLLARD

NEW INITIATIVES

The Consortium has inspired additional partnerships and programs as individual institutions have discovered more specialized ways to help students in particular fields. For example, the College Park program at OSU-Tulsa allows TCC students to take all their classes on the OSU campus and then seamlessly transfer to

earn a bachelor’s degree in business or psychology, Tichenor says.

“We’re actively working with all our partners on new initiatives to support students,” she adds.

Over the next year, the Consortium plans to broaden its reach to area businesses to make sure they’re aware of all the higher education programs available that could produce skilled new employees, Latta says.

“We’ll be able to center our message to make sure we show just how many programs we have,” she says.

Now, with open communications, a dedicated staff and a Consortium website that can help students search for degree options, transfer pathways and scholarships, the potential for student services may be greater than it’s ever been, Latta says. TP

Above, Emily Tichenor, Tulsa Community College’s director of university transfer, Pamela K. Fly, associate vice president for academic affairs at Northeastern State University in Broken Arrow, and Laura Latta, Tulsa Higher Education Consortium executive director, work to help local students achieve bachelor’s degrees. Along with seven local colleges and universities, including NSU-BA (pictured), the Tulsa Higher Education Consortium works with affiliate groups such as the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Broken Arrow Chamber, City of Tulsa, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, ImpactTulsa, Tulsa Community Foundation and Schusterman Family Philanthropies.

TulsaPeople.com

37

800 S. TUCKER DRIVE, TULSA • 918.631.2000 • UTULSA.EDU

The University of Tulsa

F

ounded in 1894, The University of Tulsa is Oklahoma’s highest ranked private university. It comprises five colleges: Arts and Sciences; Engineering and Natural Sciences; Business; Health Sciences; and Law. Popular majors include mechanical engineering, computer science, nursing, exercise/sports science, psychology and finance. Although TU has fewer than 4,000 students, the university produces more nationally competitive scholars than all other Oklahoma colleges combined.

A leader in blending liberal arts, professional studies and career support, TU strives to produce the region’s most wellrounded, life- and career-ready alumni. Widely recognized for its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, TU also is home to internationally acclaimed poets, theologians and entrepreneurs. Across all 112 academic programs, faculty and staff ensure that students receive the support and guidance they need to thrive in their studies and beyond.

Beginning in fall 2022, all incoming undergraduates are eligible to participate in the CaneCareers Job Placement Guarantee. Students who complete all program requirements are guaranteed to be offered an entry-level job in their field of study or to be accepted into a graduate or professional program within six months of graduation. If not, they will receive a free semester of graduate school tuition benefit at TU. Last year, TU students who earned a bachelor’s degree reported an average starting salary of $68,117.

Clubs, intramurals, Greek life, study abroad and community engagement opportunities are plentiful. TU is a diverse and inclusive campus, welcoming students from 45 states and dozens of countries, the university is profoundly invested in its hometown. TU continually seeks ways to partner with individuals and organizations across the City of Tulsa in order to represent and unite the vibrant and diverse community while playing a pivotal role in propelling it forward socially, culturally and economically.

YEAR FOUNDED: 1894 ENROLLMENT: 3,705 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 11-to-1 NUMBER OF ADVANCED DEGREE PROGRAMS: 23 NUMBER OF BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAMS: 48

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION The University of Tulsa is ranked third in the nation for its petroleum engineering program. TU’s cybersecurity academics are tied with Harvard. The four-year university is among the top 25 in the nation for STEM education.

Success

starts here

• TU is a Top 100 private research university and the “Best Value” among all Oklahoma universities.

• TU fosters a diverse campus life and close connections with top-notch professors.

• Freshmen are assigned a dedicated student success coach and a peer mentor to navigate college life.

• TU offers degrees in the fine and performing arts; humanities; social and natural sciences; engineering and technology; business; health care; and law.

• Daily tours and visit programs available for high school and transfer students. utulsa.edu/visit • Students enjoy an 11-to-1 student-faculty ratio, and average class size is 16.

Students who fully engage in the program are guaranteed to find either an entry level job or be accepted into a postgraduate program within six months of graduation or their first six hours of graduate school at TU are free!

APPLY NOW utulsa.edu TU is an EEO/AA institution, including Disability/Veteran.

the university of tulsa TU is an EEO/AA institution, including disability/veteran.

5666 EAST 81ST STREET, TULSA • 918.481.1111 • HOLL ANDHALL.ORG

Holland Hall

H

olland Hall celebrated its anniversary in 2022, and its mission is the same as it was when it began — to provide a school “where each student may receive individual attention, within reach of any citizen of Tulsa.”

Holland Hall’s intentionally small-scale approach assures teachers truly know who their students are and where their strengths and passions lie.

“Students find it all at Holland Hall, and every student can find a place to excel,” says Director of Enrollment Management Justin Butler ’04. Holland Hall students see an average score of 1360 on the SAT and 27 on the ACT. Historically, 100% of graduates who apply are accepted to a four-year college and 90% of graduates receive some form of college scholarship.

YEAR FOUNDED: 1922 ENROLLMENT: 1,034 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 10-to-1 GRADES: Early Pre-K–12th grade

Holland Hall students have opportunities beyond the classroom, too. The Upper School offers 62 different art courses, 18 individual and team sports and more than 30 clubs.

A Holland Hall education may be more affordable than expected. Pre-K tuition is up to $3,000 less per year than comparable local programs, and 31% of all students receive some form of tuition assistance.

“We believe the best way to learn what makes Holland Hall different is to visit our 162-acre campus and see for yourself,” Butler says. In addition to private tours, the school offers open houses on “Welcome Wednesdays.” To learn more, visit hollandhall.org/admission or email justin.butler@hollandhall.org.

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION Holland Hall is the only Cum Laude School in Tulsa.

Colleges see having a Cum Laude Society chapter as a critical mark of academic excellence.

EXPLORE our Six age-appropriate playgrounds 162 acres

Daily art and PE classes

Come tour our PreK and Primary School spaces. Now enrolling students as young as 3.

For more information call 918-879-4755 or visit hollandhall.org.

CREATING OPPORTUNITY

& FULFILLING DREAMS FOR

15 YEARS Lily Tulsa Achieves Recipient 2022 TCC Graduate

The Tulsa Achieves Scholarship at Tulsa Community College started in 2007 and pays full tuition and fees for qualifying high school graduates. Over the past 15 years, more than 25,200 Tulsa County residents have earned almost 600,000 college credit hours with the scholarship that has served as a nationwide model for public higher education.

Saving thousands on their college education, Tulsa Achieves allows students to earn an associate degree without going into debt. It’s the smart way to start college.

Thank you, Tulsa, for your long-term support of initiatives like Tulsa Achieves!

tulsacc.edu/tulsaachieves

2206 SOUTH LEWIS AVENUE, TULSA • 918.742.336 4 • MONTECASSINO.ORG

Monte Cassino School A

s an independent, Benedictine Catholic school, Monte Cassino’s teachers, parents and students work together to educate each student as a child of God in innovative ways that challenge the mind, grow the heart and nurture the spirit.

This is evident in the strong curriculum, low student-to-teacher ratio, small class sizes, foreign language programs, extensive enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities, and after-school programming. From the social/emotional experiential learning in the preschool to the wide selection of class offerings in the middle school, your student will thrive here and beyond.

Supported by the legacy of their Benedictine Sisters, Monte Cassino School has provided students and families with a welcoming, well-rounded and exceptional Catholic education for over 95 years.

YEAR FOUNDED: 1926 ENROLLMENT: 780 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 10-to-1 GRADES: Pre-K3-8th grade AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION Monte Cassino School is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and Cognia.

Fall Middle School Tours

Committed to instilling a love of learning, for all types of students.

Thursday, Sept 22 10am Thursday, Sept 29 10am Tuesday, October 4 10am Tuesday, October 11 10am And by appt. for Early Childhood and Elementary

Middle School Shadow Week Oct 17 – 21 Come be a Saint for a day!

Call to reserve your spot.

Additional shadow dates are available.

TO SCHEDULE A TOUR OR FOR MORE INFO CALL 918-746-4238 2206 South Lewis, Tulsa www.montecassino.org

NOW ENROLLING PreK - 8th Grade Enrollment is limited.

Waitlists are forming.

TulsaPeople.com

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1801 EAST 4TH STREET, OKMULGEE • 918.293.4678 • OSUIT.EDU

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology O

SU Institute of Technology, founded in 1946, is Oklahoma’s only university of applied technology, where graduation means you’re hired. It is known for world-class teaching facilities, partnerships with industry and successful students ready to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. OSUIT students have a 90% job placement rate in technical degree programs.

Instruction is delivered through hands-on training and innovative technology that businesses and industries seek today for globally competitive environments.

Students choose from several dozen programs spanning four schools, earning either an Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science or Bachelor of Technology.

Popular programs include Allied Health Sciences, Culinary Arts, Natural Gas Compression, Instrumentation

Engineering, Pipeline Integrity, Information Technologies, Cybersecurity and Truck Technician.

Many prospective students enter OSUIT’s degree programs with significant prior knowledge and experience directly related to their chosen field of study. At OSUIT, you can apply your relevant learning, work and life experiences toward college credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).

Even as it evolves and grows, OSUIT’s founding mission of serving and prioritizing veterans remains essential to its foundation today; OSUIT is consistently named a military-friendly school.

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION YEAR FOUNDED: 1946 ENROLLMENT: 3,009 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 16-1 NUMBER OF ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS: 34 NUMBER OF BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS: 5

OSUIT’s Bachelor of Technology in Applied Technical Leadership is a 100% online, accelerated baccalaureate degree program that was created in response to industry demand for individuals who possess the technical, leadership, management and entrepreneurial skills to successfully fulfill supervisory and other administrative positions.

That being said, building on associate-level technical degrees with advanced training, this program is designed for professionals to expand existing knowledge and step into leadership roles.

At OSUIT, you’ll find the career that’s right for you with instructors who will help you succeed. Our two-year programs combine classwork and real-world experiences with exciting internships to prepare you for what’s next.

With a 90% career placement rate after graduation— you can answer the call and be true to you at OSUIT.

APPLY. ENROLL. TRAIN. WORK.

ANSWER THE CALL + BE TRUE TO YOU AT OSUIT FREE, SIMPLIFIED, ONLINE APPLICATION.

OSUIT.EDU | 918.293.4678

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

24 33 WEST 61ST STREET, TULSA • 918.4 46.3553 • RIVERFIELD.ORG

Riverfield Country Day School I

t’s an exciting time to be a Riverfield Raven! Construction has begun on the 15,000-square-foot Center for Creativity that will house a black box theater, rehearsal rooms, recording studios, visual art studios, maker spaces and a severe weather shelter.

The Clark Gymnasium expansion also is underway.

Riverfield is a nonsectarian school providing quality innovative education for children 8 weeks old through 12th grade. Riverfield is dedicated to academic excellence and college preparation while remaining true to its family-oriented atmosphere and whole student approach to education and learning.

Small class sizes and the collaborative nature of classrooms provide opportunities for students to cultivate critical thinking,

creativity, leadership, interpersonal skills and the confidence needed for success.

Riverfield is home to the state’s first and most comprehensive school rock band program. The school has achieved success in athletics, academics, extracurriculars and arts, including State Championships three of the last four years in Academic Bowl and five years running in Speech and Debate.

Riverfield is accredited through the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Oklahoma Private Schools Accreditation Commission.

To learn more, contact Director of Admissions Kacey Davenport at 918-446-3553 or kdavenport@riverfield.org.

YEAR FOUNDED: 1984

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

ENROLLMENT: 615

Located on a 120-acre campus, Riverfield’s students experience the barnyard, hiking trails, gardens and athletic fields as an extension of the academic excellence found in the classroom.

STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 4-to-1 to 16-1 (based on age/grade level) GRADES: Infants-12th grade

Innovative Education for Infants through 12th Grade

Center for Creativity

Clark Gymnasium Expansion

With two building projects underway, a dedicated faculty and staff, and over 600 returning students, Riverfield is...

inspired to

GROW

918.446.3553 • 2433 W. 61st St., Tulsa, OK 74132 • riverfield.org

TulsaPeople.com

45

6363 SOUTH TRENTON AVENUE, TULSA • 918.745.9868 • VISITMETRO.COM

Metro Christian Academy L

ocated on a 60-acre campus in the heart of Tulsa at East 63rd Street and South Trenton Avenue, Metro Christian Academy is an independent Christian school serving students age 3 through 12th grade. They’re all under one roof but with distinct areas for preschool, elementary, middle and high school.

Metro’s elementary program offers two options for students. One features traditional curriculum that students may join at any time. The other is a Spanish immersion section that students may enter in pre-K or kindergarten and continue through fifth grade.

Spanish immersion students become bilingual by learning core subject content in Spanish including history, language arts, science and math.

Metro’s secondary school offers a range of academic programs including advanced placement courses and courses for concurrent college credit. Metro offers an array of activities including 11 varsity sports, leadership and missions classes, and fine arts offerings including studio art, drama and band.

At the heart of Metro is a sense of community. Students, parents, faculty and staff work together to help students reach their full potential. “We work to develop this culture in which everyone knows who you are,” says Athletic Director Adam Taylor. “You are somebody here. You are someone important.”

Learn more about admissions at Metro Christian Academy by calling 918-745-9868 or go to metroca.com.

YEAR FOUNDED: 1983 ENROLLMENT: 1,025 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 12-to-1 GRADES: P3-12th grade

GO TO VISITMETRO.COM TO SCHEDULE A TOUR OR CALL THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE AT 918.745.9868 EXT. 155

METRO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY | 6363 S. TRENTON AVE. | TULSA, OK 74136 | METROCA.COM

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

1519 S. QUINCY AVE., TULSA • 918.58 4 - 4631 • MARQUET TESCHOOL.ORG

Marquette Catholic School M

arquette Catholic School has been educating the next generation for more than 100 years. Offering PreK3-8th grade, Marquette is a place and community that first and foremost belongs to Jesus Christ. Students are formed with care, intentionality and excellence, and then sent out into the world to transform it. In the Early Childhood Development Center, 3- and 4-year-olds are immersed in a rich curriculum that prioritizes their physical and emotional needs in classrooms custom-made for their size.

In kindergarten through eighth grade, Marquette teachers focus on developing wellrounded, happy and faith-filled students through a whole-child approach. The rigorous academic curriculum upholds the Catholic tradition as faith animates every aspect of the school. The Sacraments, prayer and liturgy are not afterthoughts, but the source and summit of the school’s existence. With an enrollment of approximately 500 (K-8), students possess great character and virtue, and are academically prepared for high school. The best way to experience the Marquette community is to see it for yourself.

Schedule a private tour today!

YEAR FOUNDED: 1918 ENROLLMENT: Approximately 500 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 22-to-1

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

Marquette Catholic School is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and Oklahoma Private School Accrediting Commission.

GRADES: Preschool (age 3) - Grade 8

Over 100 Years of Academic Excellence SCHEDULE A TOUR! marquetteschool.org

Diocesan Catholic school PreK - Grade 8 Whole-child educational approach TulsaPeople.com

47

Celebrating 20 Ye ars as Tulsa’s Com munity Music Scho ol!

Classes begin September 1, 2022 Register at thebart.org.

D O N AT E & R E C E I V E H U G E TA X C R E D I T S H E L P FA M I L I E S B R I D G E T H E F I N A N C I A L G A P F O R P R E K - 1 2 P R I VAT E E D U C AT I O N

W W W. O S F K I D S . O R G

Coming in September:

THE DOWNTOWN ISSUE

Featuring: Downtown Business Profiles, Tulsa’s 16th Annual Restaurant Week and much more!

YO U R D O N AT I O N = L I F E - C H A N G I N G SCHOLARSHIPS 48

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

For advertising information, please contact adservices@langdonpublishing.com.

September 13, 2022 Cox Business Convention Center

Warmth, Belonging, Family, Home.

­

Greenwood Rising Interim Executive Director Phil Armstrong and board member Brenda Nails Alford inside the museum’s welcome area. Looking ahead, Greenwood Rising is focused on four programs: (1) A robust school field trip schedule; (2) Greenwood Worldwide, a state-of-the-art virtual tour for teachers anywhere; (3) Summer Teacher Institute, where Oklahoma educators learn how to properly teach Oklahoma Black history, the history of Greenwood and the events surrounding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre; and (4) Annual commemorative events during the final weekend of May, centered on education, entrepreneurship and health equity.

Garden of knowledge

BY JANE ZEMEL

V

One man questioned the aerial photos, claiming Tulsa had only two planes in 1921. She responds by assuring him that everything featured in the museum has been certified as factual.

Webb says descendants of survivors get emotional. On one tour, a woman looking at photos of a couple of their wedding day cried out, “That’s my grandmother!”

BLOOD RELATIVE

It’s not an uncommon story that relatives of survivors were shielded from the depth of the horrors their family members faced.

Brenda Nails Alford knew almost nothing about the race massacre until 2003, when she was notified, as a descendant, of a lawsuit about reparations. “I read that letter five times. That was the start of my journey,” she says.

On that night in 1921, her grandparents ran for their lives; their home and businesses were looted and burned.

They lost everything but two pieces of furniture.

Free admission to Greenwood Rising continues through the end of summer 2022, thanks to the history center’s philanthropic partners.

After that, prices will be $15 for adults, $8 for students, and no charge for children 6 and under. Individual and company memberships will be available for as low as $25 annually. Visit greenwoodrising.org for more information.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

MICHELLE POLLARD

LOOKING BACK ON GREENWOOD RISING’S FIRST YEAR.

isitors to Greenwood Rising are introduced to the museum with a short film. Familiar faces appear — such as Sen. Kevin Matthews, Silhouette owner Venita Cooper, artist and community leader Steph Simon, and Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge owners Guy and Yvette Troupe — as Maya Angelou recites “Still I Rise.” The docent on duty primes visitors for the timeline of history in the room beyond, highlighting key information helpful in contextualizing the 1921 Race Massacre.

Today that’s Gerri Webb. Her nametag says “Docent,” but Webb is a storyteller. “With this place, I have a chance to give back and learn more. It’s such an important piece of history,” she says.

She calls the race massacre “a well-kept secret for so many years.” Visitors’ reactions cover the gamut. Some say they knew but didn’t understand it. Others ask why no one ever taught them. A number can’t believe it. Others refuse to believe it. Deniers.

“I do everything to honor them,” she says, explaining her activism. “They gave their best so we could be our best.” Her family loved their community, despite the enormous pain and loss they suffered.

As a little girl, she heard bits and pieces about what happened in Greenwood that night in 1921, but no one talked about it. Any time they drove by Oaklawn Cemetery, someone would say, “You know they’re still over there.”

Her great-grandmother is buried there. Somewhere.

Recently Alford served as chairwoman of the Public Oversight Committee for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Graves Investigation and is a new board member at Greenwood Rising. For her, the museum puts everything that had been swept under the rug out in the open.

“They’d be in awe,” she says of how her relatives would react to the museum. She sees Greenwood Rising as a memorial to the strength, courage and tenacity of a family and community that put so much into being successful, moving forward.

Inside Greenwood Rising are exhibits that showcase the district’s thriving businesses, business owners and community leaders post-Massacre.

RISING

Moving forward is a primary focus for Phil Armstrong, interim executive director on the museum’s first anniversary. “The Greenwood Spirit is not about reflecting upon Greenwood as a graveyard. It’s a garden — alive and well, planting seeds,” Armstrong says. “Instead of focusing on the devastation, Greenwood Rising is about where we go from here.”

The museum features the icons of Black Wall Street and memorializes the victims of the violence. Exhibits highlight Black people living free, full lives in Tulsa from 1865 to the 1940s and 1950s, like TC’s Barbershop, an homage to TC Morris’ Barbershop that was a thriving Greenwood business in the 1940s. The barbershop transports visitors to the era with period-style barber chairs and holographic projections of barbers in the mirrors speaking to the “clients” in their chairs while having enlightening discussions about the history and spirit of Greenwood.

Armstrong notes Greenwood Rising is part of a cultural hub growing in Greenwood. John Hope Franklin Park, Greenwood Cultural Center and the Historic Vernon AME Church are all within walking distance.

Officials would have been happy to greet 2,500 visitors each month. Five thousand toured the museum the first month the doors opened. Attendance has held relatively steady all year, averaging 4,500 monthly guests.

People from all over the world made Greenwood Rising a destination. Travelers from England and South America, families from all over the U.S. and many local visitors.

Multiple descendants have toured the space, as well as Bishop T.D. Jakes, and celebrities Robert DeNiro, Leonardo DiCaprio, the Hansons and Miss America contestants also have toured.

Greenwood Rising pledges to be a safe space for healing. Healing individuals, healing families, healing the community. Visitors often leave with tears in their eyes.

The best part for Webb is when groups merge, interact and have conversations. People shed tears for different reasons. Some feel bad learning about what happened to those who came before them; others, because what their ancestors did to the Black community.

“There’s anger on both sides. It’s an experience that impacts them one way or another,” she says. “Our job is to give the information, then hope to inspire a better world.”

This information can no longer be hidden. “There’s no excuse to not learn this history,” Armstrong says. “It’s all about the future. Not the past.” TP

Greenwood Rising sits on the southeast corner of North Greenwood Avenue and East Archer Street, in the heart of the Greenwood District.

THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS Since Montgomery’s Legacy Museum opened in 2018, nearby hotels, restaurants and shops have quadrupled their business. Greenwood Rising’s economic impact is more difficult to measure — along with the foot traffic and visitors associated with the new museum, there are many new and thriving attractions also bringing visitors to the area and the entire inner dispersal loop. “Tulsa has already become a hub of arts and culture and cultural tourism,” Armstrong says.

Ty Walker is owner of Wanda J’s Next Generation Restaurant, one of only four Black-owned businesses whose doors have stayed open since the 1970s. His family has been cooking up comfort/soul food in its current Greenwood location since 2016.

He says Wanda J’s has a loyal, local clientele, with “spurts, not an everyday boom” since the museum’s opening. School bus tours or festivals like Mayfest and Juneteenth bring in hungry out-of-town customers.

Guy and Yvette Troupe picked January 2020 to open Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge. Two months later, COVID-19 forced them to close. That June they reopened, only to encounter construction in the area and other obstacles.

“We’ve never done retail. We’re learning as we go,” Guy says, adding that they are “breathing” now as numbers increase on weekends and as tour buses arrive.

Guy is a sports consultant; Yvette, a clinical consultant for biotech companies. Both see their purpose as not just selling coffee, but providing a community meeting space. “And we’re training young people to serve the community,” he says of their budding baristas.

TulsaPeople.com

51

TPAC PRESENTS ITS

SEASON

SEPTEMBER 16

NOVEMBER 10–11

FEBRUARY 24

MARCH 25

Funny Women of a Certain Age featuring Caroline Rhea

Imagination Series: Pirate School

Pride and Prejudice

The Second City Swipes Right

NOVEMBER 18–19

Sam Harris

Brown Bag It: Jazz This! Duo

APRIL 15

SEPTEMBER 26–30

DECEMBER 7

MARCH 4

APRIL 29

Brown Bag It: Festival Bell Ringers

Faith Prince and Jason Graae

Patti Lupone

DECEMBER 16

MARCH 10

David Phelps

Imagination Series: CENICIENTA: A Bilingual Cinderella Story

Brown Bag It: TPAC Celebrates Rodgers and Hammerstein

Any Given Child, Aesop’s Afoot OCTOBER 5

Brown Bag It: Monica Taylor and Travis Fite OCTOBER 21–30

Daddy Long Legs

FEBRUARY 17–18

Imagination Series: The Secret Agency

MARCH 1

See our full schedule including all presenter events at tulsapac.com << SCAN TO VISIT

Orbit Arts Festival

MAY 3

MAY 25

The Discovery Awards

Follow us on social media

@tulsapac

A CENTURY ON STAGE Theatre Tulsa, a nonprofit community theater company and the state’s oldest theatrical arts organization, turns 100 this year. Founded in 1922, the organization has weathered the Great Depression, a world war, countless waves of cultural and political change, financial setbacks and a global pandemic to survive in the 21st century at a time when limitless entertainment options are a mere click away.

Theatre Tulsa Stage Manager Diana Williams backstage at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center

STORY BY JULIE WENGER WATSON PHOTOS BY MICHELLE POLLARD TulsaPeople.com

53

W

hat keeps a century-old arts organization relevant, and how do you take that into the next 100 years?

Theatre Tulsa Executive Director Jarrod Kopp finds those answers in the word, “community.”

“When you’re watching people from your community step up and work on something, put their heart and soul into it, and create a piece of art for you — that has more relevance to your life than some TV show or the latest blockbuster movie,” Kopp says.

In a world that seems so divided, Kopp believes theater can bring people together both backstage and in the audience.

“Theater is really important for community building, and theaters are the only place where so many people with nothing in common — I’m talking different political beliefs, religious beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, any number of belief systems — will come together, cooperate and work together to build something great that they can all be proud of,” Kopp says.

“Th is is where you’re bringing so many different people together and really showing the power of community to build across divisions. You build these connections between people, and I think that makes a much stronger community.”

John Orsulak, a 32-year Theatre Tulsa veteran, agrees. “It’s a place where people have the opportunity to share their talents, to be appreciated for those talents, and to stretch themselves and try things maybe they never would have tried before,” Orsulak says.

Theatre Tulsa actor Pat Hobbs, Orsulak’s husband, says many local artists he knows are more liberal, and the theater community makes space for those folks.

“It’s community,” Hobbs says. “I can get on the political bandstand and say that most artists are on the left side of the political spectrum. It puts a good blend into the (Tulsa) community.”

Cast members of this summer’s “Shrek Jr.” rehearse at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

CHALLENGES

Actor Malachi Ball is fitted for his costume

by Lisa Hunter, Theatre Tulsa’s resident costume, hair and makeup designer.

Cameron Reed and Malachi Ball rehearse on stage at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for Theatre Tulsa’s “Shrek Jr.”

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A decade ago, Theatre Tulsa was on the verge of a final curtain call, closing its doors due to lack of funding.

“We had $50 in the bank, maybe 35 subscribers left, no sponsorships, and about $20,000 in debt,” Kopp recalls. “It was at the end of the 89th season, just on the cusp of the 90th season. The organization was kind of, let’s say, circling the drain. They were in a very bad place — financially, creatively, artistically, leadership-wise, everything.”

Kopp and local theater advocate Sara Phoenix were added to a Theatre Tulsa board meeting agenda to make a recovery pitch by longtime stage manager and volunteer Sally Barnes. The partnership between Kopp and Phoenix planned a recovery and recruited a team that would resolve many longstanding issues. Kopp says Phoenix was the primary driver of this recovery during the first three-plus years and remained deeply involved for six more years as artistic director.

Kopp eventually transitioned from his role as a volunteer into a full-time position as executive director, the job he’s held for the past seven years. In that time, the organization has grown to

BERYL FORD COLLECTION, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY AND TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

Tulsa Little Theatre, which became Theatre Tulsa, performs “East Lynne” in 1932 near East 15th Street and South Delaware Avenue.

Many individuals make up the teams that create and execute Theatre Tulsa’s many productions over a season. At a recent rehearsal of “Shrek Jr.” are, from left, Music Director Holly Harper; Director Madalene Steichen; Costume, Hair and Makeup Designer Lisa Hunter; Stage Manager Diana Williams-Pohl; Lightboard Operator Jody Eli; and Lighting Designer Tommy Cummings.

include four full-time paid positions and a number of contract workers, as well as hundreds of volunteers, many of whom are performers.

Approaching the century mark, Theatre Tulsa is now the seventh oldest theater company in the nation and the longest continuously running community theater west of the Mississippi River. No one wants to see that end.

“We’re a Tulsa institution. We’re older than the ballet, and we’re older than the (Symphony), and we’re older than the Opera,” Hobbs says. “We’re probably the longest-running arts institution in the city right now. That’s just a whole lot of history.”

INCREASING ACCESS

It’s a history that cast, crew and staff alike are keen to pass on to the next generation, hence the company’s focus on youth programming.

“We’ve developed three programming tracks since then between our ‘Broadway Series’ of musicals, our ‘Play Series’ of dramatic and comedic plays, and our youth education, which just really didn’t exist,” he says. “Sara started out with about eight to 12 kids, and now we serve hundreds of kids a year, per season.”

Theatre Tulsa’s educational program serves students ages 5-18. The company’s Broadway Academy uses age-based curriculum, allowing students to learn from professional instructors and participate in fully-produced performances at the Tulsa PAC. The theater company aims to eliminate additional barriers that may keep individuals from participating in community theater.

“In terms of economic diversity, one of the

main things people say is that they don’t do plays because they don’t have a ride. They don’t have transportation,” Kopp says. “There’s also food insecurity, people who aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from. We’ve taken steps to help.

For rehearsals, we work on a carpooling program to let people know that they can get rides with other cast members who live nearby. We provide snacks at all of our rehearsals and performances.”

Theatre Tulsa also is trying to secure a child care program to eliminate the third-most common obstacle.

The organization also increased and reworked its educational scholarship program for its Broadway Academy, providing close to $14,000 in financial support this summer. A portion of the funding went specifically to underrepresented youth communities of color, in order to encourage their participation in theater arts.

EXPANDING DIVERSITY

“One of the big goals was to make this theater company one that would survive and thrive in the 21st century,” Kopp says.

According to Kopp, this means expanding Theatre Tulsa’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. This affects not only decisions about which specific pieces to perform — the upcoming season features a production of “1776” with women in the roles of the country’s founding fathers and “Little Shop of Horrors” with a cast that is predominantly people of color — but also how to present them.

The company recently launched a new project creating adaptive performances sensitive to the needs of individuals with disabilities.

“In the spring, we did a low stimulus performance for kids who are neurodivergent — families with kids who are on the autism spectrum, or who are developmentally disabled, or deaf and hard of hearing. We provide services for all three of those groups to come see the show. We made it very clear that if you needed to get up and move around or make noise or self-soothe, you were free to do that, and no one will tell you to be quiet,” Kopp says. Some kids ran around while others danced or hummed along. “It was beautiful,” he says.

Kopp also envisions incorporating more technology into productions.

“I think multimedia is going to be a bigger player. It has been in professional theater for a long time, but we now have the technology and it’s affordable enough that our little community theater can start doing some cool stuff with projections and content that we have not been able to do before,” he says. “Stuff that has been very hard, time intensive and expensive to create is now a lot more readily available these days.”

Orsulak and Hobbs have enjoyed their time with Theatre Tulsa and plan to remain involved well after the centennial.

“Attention to quality and being sensitive to your audience has always been important,” Orsulak says. “I know there’s a real effort now to improve diversity. We’ve always felt very comfortable in theater ourselves as a couple, but just seeing more diversity of race, gender, all of those things. I think we’re on the right track to keep going another 100.” TP TulsaPeople.com

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A spotlight on the 2022-2023 performing arts season.

COMPILED BY HADLEY DEJARNETTE AND ALEXA MOSTROM

Every Saturday night THE DRUNKARD The longest running play in America since 1953 includes lots of laughs and audience participation.

Tulsa Spotlight Theatre tulsaspotlighttheater.com Aug. 12-28 SOMETHING ROTTEN Two brothers are determined to write the first musical despite struggling to outshine the rock-star playwright of the time, William Shakespeare.

Tulsa Performing Arts Center Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org Aug. 23-28 PRETTY WOMAN From the silver screen to stage, it’s the romantic comedy we all know and love.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.com Sept. 9 SARA EVANS Singer-songwriter Evans is known for her broad range of styles including country, pop and rock.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS: A DECADE IN CONCERT Listen to iconic orchestral moments from Walt Disney Animation Studio films released since 2008, followed by fireworks.

ONEOK Field Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org Sept. 15-25 DRIVING MISS DAISY Friendship blossoms in this lovely Southern story.

Tulsa PAC World Stage Theatre Co, okworldstage.org

AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS

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Sept. 16 THE ADVENTURES OF TORTOISE AND HARE: THE NEXT GEN A magical world is created with electroluminescent wire and puppetry — perfect for all ages.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE Featuring Caroline Rhea, a show that tells it like it is.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa PAC Trust, tulsapac.com

SCHUBERT Hear works from the renowned Austrian composer; part of its chamber music series.

First Presbyterian Church Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org Sept. 16-25 CREATIONS BY STUDIO K This season’s commissioned new works from choreographers Craig Davidson and Nicolo Fonte and featuring Ma Cong’s “Melodia.”

Studio K Tulsa Ballet, tulsaballet.org Sept. 17-18 VIANO QUARTET The successful foursome performs work

by Mendelssohn, Bartok and Dvorák.

Tulsa PAC Chamber Music Tulsa, chambermusictulsa.org Sept. 23 THERESA PAYTON Learn to identify and guard against online fraud and cybercriminals.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Town Hall, tulsatownhall.com Sept. 23-25 NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC The celebrated orchestral group returns with several events performing the works of Beethoven, Debussy and Mozart.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org Sept. 24 SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO. 5 Guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger leads the company with Natasha Paremski on piano.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org Sept. 27-Oct. 2 HADESTOWN The winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards — including Best Musical — takes audiences to the underworld and back.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.com Sept. 30-Oct. 9 CHARACTERS Follow Jessica, a 17-year-old girl who feels out of place in her life until one day she realizes she is a character in a play.

Tulsa Spotlight Theater tulsaspotlighttheater.com

EMILIO MADRID

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

VISIT THE ARTS ORGANIZATION’S WEBSITE FOR TICKETING INFORMATION.

Let us entertain you NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC

Pep Rally Concert Series

September 23-25, 2022

Ode to Joy

Featuring Beethoven’s jubilant masterpiece, Symphony No. 9

SARA EVANS September 9, 2022

BUDDY GUY October 7, 2022

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL November 10-11, 2022

Kickoff a new Cowboy football tradition with a concert and tailgate party at The McKnight Center!

Oct. 2 HAYDN’S SYMPHONY NO. 83 Guest conductor Matthew Halls leads cellist Brinton Smith in concert; part of its chamber orchestra series.

Lorton Performance Center Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org Oct. 5 BROWN BAG IT A lunchtime concert in downtown Tulsa.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com Oct. 7 BUDDY GUY Legendary American blues guitarist and singer has inspired generations and will perform in Stillwater for one night only.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org Oct.7-15 THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL Follow the lives and troubles of the tenants at the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park.

Tulsa PAC American Theatre Co., americantheatrecompany.org

CARMEN

Oct. 8 BERNSTEIN’S SYMPHONIC DANCES Béla Fleck plays the banjo as the company tackles impressive pieces including symphonic dances from “West Side Story.”

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org Oct. 9 THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER: 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR Celebrate the group’s golden anniversary with harmonies to a combination of pop, jazz, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, swing, symphonic and a cappella music.

Broken Arrow PAC brokenarrowpac.com

Oct. 20-29 FROZEN Featuring songs from the Disney film audiences know and love, as well as original numbers, the Broadway blockbuster won 16 Tony Awards.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.org Oct. 21-30 DADDY LONG LEGS A rags-to-riches tale of love in the spirit of the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com

Oct. 14 JERRY SEINFELD The comic brings his newest stand-up routine to Tulsa.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Timid floral assistant Seymour Krelborn questions whether he should fulfill the bloodthirsty requests of a singing, man-eating plant.

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org

Oct. 15-16 KALICHSTEIN-LAREDO-ROBINSON TRIO Celebrated works by Mozart, Dvorák and more performed by this ensemble.

Chamber Music Tulsa, chambermusictulsa.org

Oct. 22 BRAHMS AND WHITACRE The season opener for this nonprofit community choir.

Lorton Performance Center Tulsa Chorale, tulsachorale.org Oct. 25 BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY Holly changed the course of pop music forever during his rapid rise to fame until his tragic death on “The Day the Music Died.”

Broken Arrow PAC brokenarrowpac.com Oct. 28, 30 THE ITALIAN GIRL A beautiful Italian girl is shipwrecked off the coast of Algeria in this comedy of errors.

VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education Tulsa Opera, tulsaopera.com Nov. 3, 4, 6 CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL Beginning with a soiree musical evening, multiple performances are led by Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott and numerous featured guests.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org Nov. 4-6 CARMEN The ballet adaptation of Bizet’s treasured opera is a story of betrayal and seduction — a world premiere!

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Ballet, tulsaballet.org

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MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT SCHOOL EDITION The story of King Arthur and the knights of the round table is brought to life.

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org Nov. 5 VIENNA BOYS CHOIR Renowned as one of the finest vocal ensembles in the world, the Vienna Boys Choir performs for one night only.

Broken Arrow PAC brokenarrowpac.com Nov. 10-11 LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL It’s the ultimate tribute to girl power with heroine Elle Woods and her dog, Bruiser.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org PIRATE SCHOOL Children learn the finer points of light-hearted mischief from pirate professor Billy Bones.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa PAC Trust, tulsapac.com Nov. 10-20 STRAIGHT A provocative new play dealing with fidelity, sexuality and identity in “post-equality” America.

World Stage Theatre Co. okworldstage.org Nov. 11 DVORÁK Works from the established Czech composer; part of the chamber music series.

First Presbyterian Church Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org Nov. 11-13 MAXWELL QUARTET The quartet plays works by Hayden, Joey Roukens and traditional Scottish folk music. ahha Tulsa and Tulsa PAC Chamber Music Tulsa, chambermusictulsa.org Nov. 11-20 OUR TOWN Everyday life in Grover’s Corners paints a picture of small-town values.

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org Nov. 12 A CAPELLA LIVE: HEAR THE PEOPLE SING The four-time regional champion show chorus Talk of Tulsa performs.

Union Performing Arts Center Talk of Tulsa, talkoftulsa.org

JJEREMY CHARLES

Oct. 1 RACHMANINOFF AND THE DANCE FLOOR Featured pianist Charlie Albright kicks off this season opener.

VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education Signature Symphony, signaturesymphony.org

ON YOUR FEET!: THE GLORIA AND EMILIO ESTEFAN MUSICAL

Dec. 17 KRISTIN CHENOWETH CHRISTMAS The Broken Arrow native hosts her seasonal show featuring songs from her holiday albums.

Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center brokenarrowpac.com

Nov. 18-19 SAM HARRIS The Oklahoma native, Tony Awardwinning artist performs.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com

Jan. 13 JEAN CHATZKY Journalist, author and financial ambassador Chatzky gives advice for how to improve your economic future.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Town Hall, tulsatownhall.com

Nov. 19 DVORÁK’S SYMPHONY NO. 7 Stefan Asbury guest conducts with featured violinist Robert Chen and orchestra.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org

Jan. 13-29 1776 America’s origin story comes to life with a new twist through this cast of allfemale founding ‘fathers.’

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org

Nov. 20 BACH AND BRITTEN The nonprofit chorus performs.

St. John’s Episcopal Church Tulsa Chorale, tulsachorale.org

Jan. 14 PROKOFIEV’S SYMPHONY NO. 5 The Tulsa Symphony is led by guest conductor Gerard Schwarz for this new year’s performance.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org

Nov. 22-27 SIX THE MUSICAL This modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII has the Tudor queens remixing heartbreak into 21st century girl power.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.com Dec. 1 ELF IN CONCERT The holiday favorite is transformed with a performance by Tulsa Symphony.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org Dec. 2 ELF IN CONCERT The holiday family movie is screened as the live symphony plays along.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org THE ENCHANTED BOOKSHOP Fairytale characters come to life every night after their bookstore closes; one night they must band together to catch smugglers in the shop or reveal their life to the owner.

Tulsa Spotlight Theater, tulsaspotlighttheater.com

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Dec. 3 THE SWINGLES These seven singers push the boundaries of a cappella and perform holiday hits and carols.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org

THE NUTCRACKER The classic story is retold, following Clara and her journey through a magical world of sugar plum fairies and mouse kings.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Ballet, tulsaballet.org

Jan. 24-29 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR This iconic musical — now celebrating its 50th anniversary — is set against the backdrop of the final weeks of Jesus’ life.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.org

Dec. 4 FALL CONCERT This symphony stars some of the brightest young musicians in Tulsa as they tackle famous pieces in their annual fall concert.

Union PAC Tulsa Youth Symphony, tulsayouthsymphony.org

Dec. 10 VOCTAVE: SOUNDS OF THE SEASON The popular 11-member a capella group brings its holiday album to life.

Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center brokenarrowpac.com

Jan. 27 MOZART Hear works from the legendary master during this chamber music series.

First Presbyterian Church Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org

Dec. 16 DAVID PHELPS The American vocalist performs for one night only in Tulsa.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com

Jan. 28 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA One of the world’s leading orchestras performs works by Beethoven, Lyadov and Mussorgsky.

McKnight Center, mcknightcenter.org

Dec. 16, 17 CHRISTMAS IN TULSA Get in the spirit of the season with performances including the Signature Chorale.

VanTrease PACE Signature Symphony, signaturesymphony.org

Feb. 1 and 2-3 ON YOUR FEET!: THE GLORIA AND EMILIO ESTEFAN MUSICAL The true story of a Grammy Awardwinning couple who believed in each other to become international sensations.

Feb. 1: Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, brokenarrowpac.com Feb. 2-3: McKnight Center, mcknightcenter.org

Dec. 7 BROWN BAG IT Take a break with a lunchtime holiday performance.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com Dec. 9-23 A CHRISTMAS CAROL Now in its 45th year, revisit this storied holiday tale.

Tulsa PAC American Theatre Co., americantheatrecompany.org

DJ COREY

Nov. 18 JON MEACHAM Editor, reviewer, journalist and author Meacham is known for his biographical work on John Lewis, Andrew Jackson and George H. W. Bush.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Town Hall, tulsatownhall.com

OKLAHOMA’S

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RORY SCOVEL

marina franklin

dina hashem

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DANIEL SIMONSEN

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Feb. 4 BRAHMS SYMPHONY NO. 1 Led by guest conductor Yaniv Dinur, the German maestro’s work will be performed along with work by Carlos Chávez and Edvard Grieg.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org

March 10 CENICIENTA: A BILINGUAL CINDERELLA STORY A familiar children’s story that tackles cultural heritage, family and the power of language.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa PAC Trust, tulsapac.com

Feb. 8-12 TERMINUS Truth comes to the surface for one Georgia family.

Tulsa PAC World Stage Theatre Co., okworldstage.org

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS AND RANDALL THOMPSON A springtime performance by the nonprofit chorus.

Boston Avenue United Methodist Church Tulsa Chorale, tulsachorale.org

Feb. 9-12 CINDERELLA The classic fairytale about an ordinary girl, a glass slipper and a magical night with a prince.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Ballet, tulsaballet.org

March 10-12 AKROPOLIS REED QUINTET The award-winning quintet performs works from American composers.

LowDown, Tulsa PAC Chamber Music Tulsa, chambermusictulsa.org

Feb. 17-18 THE SECRET AGENCY Lively song and dance party perfect for kids of all ages.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa PAC Trust, tulsapac.com

March 11 ACOUSTIC ROOSTER’S BARNYARD BOOGIE: STARRING INDIGO BLUME A story about being scared, being brave and being yourself.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org

Feb. 18-26 PARADISE BLUE A gifted trumpeter wrestles with his past in 1949 Detroit.

Tulsa PAC Theatre North, facebook.com/ theatrenorthtulsa Feb. 24 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE The Bennett sisters navigate love and marriage; presented by Aquila Theatre.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com Feb. 25 AIDA Verdi’s tragic piece following an Ethiopian princess held captive by Egyptians.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Opera, tulsaopera.com

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LEGENDS AND SWANS The symphony welcomes violinist Andrew Sords.

VanTrease PACE Signature Symphony, signaturesymphony.org Feb. 26 WINTER CONCERT Up and coming musicians from the Tulsa area perform.

Union PAC Tulsa Youth Symphony, tulsayouthsymphony.org March 1 BROWN BAG IT Another installment of the lunchtime series.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com March 3 THE LEGENDARY COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA Basie was and still is an American institution that personifies the grandeur and excellence of jazz.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org RICHARD DREYFUSS The noted actor shifts his focus to educating American students about democracy and the skills they need to be effective leaders.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Town Hall, tulsatownhall.com

March 3-11 SKELETON CREW A game of power dynamics and the will to survive for a makeshift family of workers.

Tulsa PAC American Theatre Co., americantheatrecompany.org March 4 AN EVENING OF OPERA Featuring vocalists Sarah Coburn and Stephen Powell, hear pieces from classic operas such as “Don Giovanni,” “Barber of Seville” and others.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org FAITH PRINCE AND JASON GRAAE This dynamic duo performs a Broadway review sure to delight.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com March 5 LATE NIGHT WITH LEONARD BERNSTEIN A multimedia portrait of the icon’s personal side hosted by his daughter.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org March 7-19 HAMILTON The story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as told by a modern-day America.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.com

March 12 PROKOFIEV’S SYMPHONY NO. 1 Guest conductor Brett Mitchell leads the group for a night of music ending with work by the great 20th-century master.

Lorton Performance Center Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org March 17 BEETHOVEN Work by the one and only Beethoven is highlighted in this chamber music series installment.

First Presbyterian Church Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org March 23-26 TCHAIKOVSKY: THE MAN BEHIND THE MUSIC Exploring the complicated life of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the creator of the iconic music in some of the most beloved ballets in history.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Ballet, tulsaballet.org March 24 CURTIS ON TOUR Igor Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du Soldat” comes to life with celebrated actor and narrator John de Lancie.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org

JASON WALKER

Feb. 17-19 ROLSTON QUARTET This Canadian string quartet performs three times this weekend. ahha Tulsa, Tulsa PAC Chamber Music Tulsa, chambermusictulsa.org

AKROPOLIS REED QUINTET

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Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center brokenarrowpac.com March 25 SECOND CITY: SWIPES RIGHT A cast of comics take on everything that turns us on and off about love, dating and relationships.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com March 31-April 9 AMERICAN SON An estranged biracial couple confront issues of race and bias after local police detain their son at a traffic stop.

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org April 2 PETER PAN Organist Peter Krasinksi performs with the silent, 1927 film.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org April 4-9 AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS This group’s unmistakable harmonies tell a story of stardom.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.com April 6 I AND YOU An ode to youth, live, love and human connectedness.

World Stage Theatre Co. okworldstage.org April 8 TULSA SINGS! AMERICAN JUKEBOX The competition returns as Tulsa Sings! finalists perform with Scott Coulter.

VanTrease PACE Signature Symphony, signaturesymphony.org April 15 ORBIT FESTIVAL Celebrating a year of community artistry.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com April 15 THE PRINCESS BRIDE IN CONCERT The timeless film with live music performed by the Tulsa Symphony.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org 64

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

April 22-23 NEAVE TRIO Two exciting performances with a repertoire featuring Alexandra du Bois, Ravel, Gabriela Lena Frank, Reena Esmail and Ethel Smyth.

Tulsa PAC Chamber Music Tulsa, chambermusictulsa.org April 22-30 “N” A challenging professional relationship hinged on one word.

Tulsa PAC Theatre North, facebook.com/ theatrenorthtulsa April 28 JONNA MENDEZ CIA’s former chief of disguise reveals the tricks of tradecraft she used to help undercover spies.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Town Hall, tulsatownhall.com SPRING SING CELEBRATION The Tulsa Chorale culminates its season with this annual tradition.

Holy Family Cathedral Tulsa Chorale, tulsachorale.org April 28-29 AN EVENING WITH RENEE ELISE GOLDSBERRY Best known for her performance as Angelica Schuyler in “Hamilton,” Goldsberry will perform Broadway hits and a tribute to Aretha Franklin.

McKnight Center mcknightcenter.org

May 5-13 AMERICAN BUFFALO This story follows three people plotting to steal a coin from a run-down junk shop.

Tulsa PAC American Theatre Co., americantheatrecompany.org May 7 SPRING SERENADE TYS performs lively songs conveying the spirit of spring.

Union PAC Tulsa Youth Symphony, tulsayouthsymphony.org May 11-14 SIGNATURE SERIES Three works by superstar choreographers Jennifer Weber, Katarzyna Kozielska and Alexander Ekman.

Lorton Performing Arts Center Tulsa Ballet, tulsaballet.org May 12-14 DISNEY’S 101 DALMATIONS KIDS EDITION When the monstrous Cruella De Vil plots to steal puppies for her new fur coat, the dalmatians rally all the dogs of London for a daring rescue.

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org May 12, 14 EMMELINE An American retelling of the classic Oedipus myth told from a mother’s point of view.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Opera, tulsaopera.com

April 28-May 7 KINKY BOOTS In an attempt to take over a struggling family shoe making business, an unlikely partnership is made with a drag performer named Lola.

Tulsa PAC Theatre Tulsa, theatretulsa.org

May 20 BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONY NO. 3 EROICA Trumpeter Tim McFadden takes the spotlight for this concert led by guest conductor Sarah Hicks.

Tulsa PAC Tulsa Symphony, tulsasymphony.org

April 29 PATTI LUPONE The Tony Award-winner commands the Tulsa stage.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com

June 1-17 DISNEY’S THE LION KING A young lion prince must fulfill his destiny to be king after facing unthinkable tragedy.

Tulsa PAC Celebrity Attractions, celebrityattractions.com

May 3 BROWN BAG IT Music for your lunchtime pleasure.

Tulsa PAC tulsapac.com

June 15-25 SOME GIRLS A single man’s odyssey to find the perfect woman.

Tulsa PAC World Stage Theatre Co., okworldstage.org TP

Venue locations AHHA TULSA 101 E. Archer St. | 918-584-3333 ahhatulsa.org BOSTON AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1301 S. Boston Ave. | 918-583-5181 bostonavenue.org BROKEN ARROW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 701 S. Main St., Broken Arrow 918-259-5778 | brokenarrowpac.com FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 709 S. Boston Ave. | 918-584-4701 firstchurchtulsa.org HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL 820 S. Boulder Ave. | 918-582-6247 tulsacathedral.com LOWDOWN 108 N. Detroit Ave., Level B 918-271-5727 | lowdowntulsa.com MCKNIGHT CENTER 705 W. University Ave., Stillwater 405-744-9999 | mcknightcenter.org ONEOK FIELD 201 N. Elgin Ave. | 918-744-5998 tulsadrillers.com ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 4200 S. Atlanta Place | 918-742-7381 sjtulsa.org STUDIO 308 308 S. Lansing Ave. | 918-329-0224 studio308tulsa.com STUDIO K, TULSA BALLET 1212 E. 45th Place | 918-749-6030 tulsaballet.org TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 110 E. Second St. | 918-596-7111 tulsapac.com TULSA SPOTLIGHT THEATER 1381 Riverside Drive | 918-587-5030 tulsaspotlighttheater.com UNION PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6636 S. Mingo Road | 918-357-7480 unionps.org/pac VANTREASE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FOR EDUCATION 10300 E. 81st St. | 918-595-7777 tulsacc.edu/campus-locations/ vantrease-pace WORLD STAGE THEATRE CO. 306 S. Phoenix Ave. | okworldstage.org

TICKETS ON SALE AUGUST 1ST Creations in Studio K

Jack & The Beanstalk

SEP 16-25, 2022 STUDIO K

OCT 14-15, 2022 STUDIO K

World Premiere Cinderella

FEB 9-12, 2023 TULSA PAC

World Premiere Carmen NOV 4-6, 2022 TULSA PAC

The Nutcracker DEC 9-23, 2022 TULSA PAC

Tchaikovsky

Jack & The Beanstalk

Signature Series

MAR 23-26, 2023 TULSA PAC

APRIL 21-22, 2023 ZARROW STUDIO

MAY 11-14, 2023 LORTON PAC

918.749.6006 | TULSA BALLET.ORG These shows and more!

100 SEASONS IN TULSA. 10 UNFORGETTABLE SHOWS. 1 UNBEATABLE PRICE.

To subscribe TheatreTulsa.org/tickets (918) 587 8402

Subscribe now to pay a single low price for Theatre Tulsa’s historic 100th season, with no extra fees at the box office.

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Kristin Chenoweth Christmas

Oct. 9, 2022

Dec. 17, 2022

“Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story”

“On Your Feet!”

Oct. 25, 2022

The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan

ON SALE NOW

The Manhattan Transfer 50TH Anniversary Tour

Vienna Boys Choir Nov. 5, 2022

Voctave: Sounds of the Season

Feb. 1, 2023

Jessica Vosk March 24, 2023

Dec. 10, 2022

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

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STOREFRONT

Preserving nature MIDTOWN SHOP FINDS NICHE IN NATURAL HISTORY EDUCATION.

BY KIM BROWN

M

Black Moth 1142 S. HARVARD AVE. | 918-779-7040 | SHOPBLACKMOTH.COM 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday

SHOP FAVORITES

Coyote skulls ($49.99) are big sellers at Black Moth. Other skulls range from $14 and go up to $300 or more, depending on size, quality, etc.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

near Jenks.

“My great-grandmother was full-blood Cherokee, and she and my grandmother would preserve things when they passed away — they would do salted calf skins, and preserve the feathers of their chickens,” Blanchard says.

“I was always taught that what you found was a gift and it would go into the collection.”

Th is early appreciation for the natural world inspired Blanchard to leave her job teaching art at Bixby Public Schools to open her store, Black Moth.

With items ranging from rocks and fossils to taxidermy, insects and mummified specimens, many of Black Moth’s preserved pieces are created in-house

by Blanchard and her team. Black Moth’s customers range from fellow nature enthusiasts to novices to those who are just plain curious.

“It’s not an oddities store — it’s a natural history store focused on education,” she says. “Everything here is labeled and shows where it originated from.”

Blanchard learned most of her craft from her grandmother or on her own — including taxidermy, mummification, articulation (the technique of assembling animal skeletons for preservation) and wet specimens (fluidpreserved or embalmed specimens).

“Taxidermy for so many years was a bunch of old guys in a garage with their trade secrets — there was no YouTube or TikTok. I learned for years by trial and error,” she says.

Blanchard eventually started selling items at trade shows and found a niche — customers consistently urged her to open a store. Black Moth also offers classes: mouse taxidermy, insect pinning and terrarium building.

“Everything here is ethically sourced and we adhere to local laws. We work with zoos, veterinarian offices and places where animals pass away naturally,” she says. “Nothing is killed for the store.”

Blanchard feels the more she can share about preservation, the better.

“Our goal is to provide things to you that you can’t find anywhere else in Tulsa,” she says. “The more people know what’s in their backyard, the more they know about their city. It’s not weird, it’s not creepy — it’s just nature.” TP

A mummified Horseshoe crab is a popular sea specimen. $28.99.

The store sells many rocks, minerals and locally sourced items, such as hematite, iron and oxide nodules. $12.99.

MICHELLE POLLARD

Maris Blanchard

aris Blanchard learned to love natural preservation through her grandmother and great-grandmother — she grew up collecting items for what they called the “bone garden” on their property

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HEALTH

Dr. Emily Carter and Dr. Phyllis Higgins, with office dogs Dottie and Kramer, suggest children see a dentist as soon as a first tooth appears and twice a year thereafter to fight against cavities.

The chatter on teeth

DENTAL AND ORTHODONTIC CHECKUPS SHOULD BE A PART OF EVERY CHILD’S ROUTINE.

A

s summer comes to an end and families prepare for the start of a new school year, many parents are busy taking care of last-minute errands and appointments to set their kids up for success. Haircuts, school supplies and physical exams might be on the agenda, but what about a back-to-school dental checkup?

Neither Oklahoma’s State Department of Health nor State Department of Education maintains dental requirements for kids in school, but an exam at summer’s close could save your child pain and a number of school absences. Cavities are the most common chronic disease found in school-age children in the U.S. and cause more than 51 million missed school hours annually, according to the American Dental Association.

Dr. Emily Carter and Dr. Phyllis Higgins of Carter and Higgins Orthodontics advise that kids begin to see a dentist after their fi rst tooth appears and twice a year after that to get them comfortable with the process and proactively fight cavities.

“The majority of cavities are preventable with good oral hygiene and just being more aware of what foods are cariogenic (causing tooth decay) 70

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

and limiting those,” Carter says. In a lot of patients, both Carter and Higgins have found that educating the parents and the kids on what good oral hygiene looks like is the best method of prevention. For instance, sugar is a known cavity culprit, but so are foods that pack into the grooves of our teeth. Clingy cheddar crackers pose a risk to teeth the same as eating gummy candy, as these cracker-type foods attract what Carter calls “cavity bugs” and can be just as damaging to teeth and gums.

In addition to limiting harmful foods, Dr. Kyle Shannon of Shannon Orthodontics says, “teaching a child to use a timer during supervised circular-motion brushing with a light touch — not scrubbing — can go a long way in maintaining good oral health.”

Oral health affects our overall health, too.

Evidence increasingly is linking oral health — particularly periodontal (gum) disease — to several chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

For children, a dental infection can quickly become systemic, but many kids can’t pinpoint

their pain or communicate their level of discomfort, so parents often miss the warning signs.

“When a child is already at a point where it’s hurting, it’s more severe,” Higgins says. “You typically can’t feel a cavity until it’s really bad, so it’s important to have those routine checkups to prevent it from getting to that point.”

There’s more than one benefit in getting your child comfortable at the dentist. Shannon says regular dental monitoring can catch growth, bite and crowding concerns, which should be addressed by an orthodontist. He recommends all children see an orthodontist by age 6 or 7.

An initial orthodontic exam assesses the development of all teeth, and which direction they are erupting, with a panoramic X-ray. That insight potentially can help determine if a patient needs braces. A side-view X-ray also is taken to predict potential jaw growth issues.

Oral health is an investment that, Carter says, requires patients, doctors and parents all doing their part. “It’s not a perfect system,” she says.

“But we try and make sure (the kids and the parents) understand their job; it’s a team effort. TP

MICHELLE POLLARD

BY LAURA DENNIS

TOP DENTISTS T

his list is excerpted from the 2022 topDentists™ list, a database that includes listings of more than 80 dentists and specialists in the Tulsa metro area. The list is based on hundreds of detailed evaluations of dental professionals by their peers. The complete database is available at usatopdentists.com. For more information call 706-364-0853; write P.O. Box 970, Augusta, GA 30903; email info@usatopdentists.com or visit usatopdentists.com.

SELECTION PROCESS (METHODOLOGY) “If you had a patient in need of a dentist, which dentist would you refer them to?”

This is the question we’ve asked thousands of dentists to help us determine who the topDentists should be. Dentists and specialists are asked to take into consideration years of experience, continuing education, manner with patients, use of new techniques and technologies and of course physical results.

The nomination pool of dentists consists of dentists listed online with the American Dental Association, as well as dentists listed online with other dental societies, thus allowing virtually every dentist the opportunity to participate. Dentists also are given the opportunity to nominate other dentists that they feel should be included in our list. Respondents are asked to put aside any personal bias or political motivations and to use only their knowledge of their peers’ work when evaluating the other nominees.

Voters are asked to individually evaluate the practitioners on their ballot whose work they are familiar with. Once the balloting is completed, the scores are compiled and then averaged. The numerical average required for inclusion varies depending on the average for all the nominees within the specialty and the geographic area. Borderline cases are given a careful consideration by the editors. Voting characteristics and comments are taken into consideration while making decisions. Past awards a dentist has received and status in various dental academies can play a factor in our decision.

Once the decisions have been finalized, the included dentists are checked against state dental boards for disciplinary actions to make sure they have an active license and are in good standing with the board. Then letters of congratulations are sent to all the listed dentists.

Of course there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of dentistry in Oklahoma. A dentist’s inclusion on our list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow dentists. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, we remain confident that our polling methodology largely corrects for any biases and that these lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate and useful list of dentists available anywhere.

DISCLAIMER This list is excerpted from 2022 the topDentists™ list, which includes listings for over 80 dentists and specialists in the Tulsa Metro Area. For more information call 706-364-0853; write P.O. Box 970, Augusta, GA 30903; email info@usatopdentists.com or visit usatopdentists.com. topDentists has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. Copyright 2012-2022 by topDentists LLC of Augusta, Georgia. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without permission of topDentists. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of the information in this list without permission.

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topDentists

ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY Daniel Cannon Cannon Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 3345 S. Harvard Ave., Suite 103, 918-743-1351 cannonoralsurgery.com Heath Evans Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 eooms.com Lloyd A. Hudson Oklahoma Wisdom Teeth Center 7316 E. 91st St. 918-392-9970 oklahomawisdomteeth.com D. Todd Johnson Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 eooms.com Christopher R. Mastin Ashton Creek Oral Surgery Suites 9118 S. Toledo Ave. 918-495-1800 suiteoralsurgery.com Thomas M. Rogers Greer and Rogers Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2105 E. 21st St. 918-747-4760 drjerrygreer.com Gregory D. Segraves Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 eooms.com

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HIGHLIGHTED LISTINGS DENOTE ADVERTISER.

Donal R. Woodward Woodward Oral Surgery 6143 E. 91st St. 918-492-6994 woodwardoralsurgery.com

ORTHODONTICS Llon Clendenen Tulsa Braces 3305 E. 45th St. 918-932-2707 tulsabraces.com Jonathan S. Cooper Cooper Chockley Misner Orthodontics 3916 E. 91st St. 918-876-7846 cooperchockleyortho.com Brent S. Dobson III Owasso Orthodontics 12813 E. 101st Place N., Owasso 918-272-4242 owassoorthodontics.com Kevin C. Duffy Duffy Orthodontics 1621 S. Eucalyptus Ave., Suite 201, Broken Arrow 918-249-1818 duffyorthodontics.com Clinton W. Emerson Emerson Orthodontics 800 W. Mission St., Broken Arrow 918-459-0092 emersonbraces.com Blake R. Henry II Henry Orthodontics 7705 E. 81st St. 918-294-7705 henryorthodontics.com Phyllis C. Higgins Carter and Higgins Orthodontics 3232 E. 31st St. 918-986-9986 carterandhigginsortho.com

Jeffrey A. Housley Owasso Orthodontics 12813 E. 101st Place N., Owasso 918-272-4242 owassoorthodontics.com Douglas A. Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick and Lai Orthodontics 5304 S. Harvard Ave. 918-747-1346 klortho.com Joseph Lai Kirkpatrick and Lai Orthodontics 5304 S. Harvard Ave. 918-747-1346 klortho.com Ryan V. Nowlin Nowlin Orthodontics 11910 S. Memorial Drive, Bixby 918-369-6100 nowlinortho.com Van L. Nowlin Nowlin Orthodontics 11910 S. Memorial Drive, Bixby 918-369-6100 nowlinortho.com Kyle R. Shannon Shannon Orthodontics 3516 E. 31st St., Suite C 918-743-2321 shannonorthodontics.com Wayne N. Wyatt Wyatt Orthodontics 9840 E. 81st St., Suite 100 918-496-1155 wyattsmiles.com

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY Jeffrey J. Ahlert Jeffrey Ahlert DDS Pediatric Dentistry 14600 E. 88th Place N., Owasso 918-272-1444 owassopediatricdentistry.com

Sarah M. Fox-Broermann Fox Broermann Pediatric Dentistry of Tulsa 6585 S. Yale Ave., Suite 510 918-492-1106 foxbroermann.com R. Grant Gerety Grant Gerety DDS 4606 E. 67th St., Suite 310 918-493-3031 pediatricdentisttulsa.com Kerry K. Kitterman Morrow, Lai and Kitterman Pediatric Dentistry 2930 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-742-9810 mlkdentistry.com April A. Lai Morrow, Lai and Kitterman Pediatric Dentistry 2930 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-742-9810 mlkdentistry.com Mark E. Morrow Morrow, Lai and Kitterman Pediatric Dentistry 2930 S. Pittsburg Ave. 918-742-9810 mlkdentistry.com James G. Steyer Jr. All Smiles Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry 10127 S. Yale Ave. 918-299-1600 allsmilespediatricdds.com

Editor’s note: This is not a complete list of topDentists. Other specialties, such as general dentistry, will be published at a later date.

Dr. Todd Johnson, Dr. Cody Mumma, Dr. Chris Ray, Dr. Greg Segraves, Dr. Heath Evans

Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Oral Surgery Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial

ships in numerous dental societies including the

which provides for a more comfortable and safe

comprehensive oral surgery care. They practice

Association, American Dental Association,

EOOMS is located in the 91st and Highway

Surgeons (EOOMS) is committed to providing

the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Common procedures include wisdom teeth and

dental extractions with intravenous anesthesia for patient comfort. They specialize in all aspects

Tulsa County Dental Society, Oklahoma Dental Southwest Society of Oral and Maxillofacial

169 area at 4716 W. Urbana St. and at our loca-

Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Street North at 12802 E. 101st Place N. in the

Surgeons and American Association of Oral and For patients’ convenience, most of the group’s

of dental implant surgery, bone grafting and jaw

services are provided in the EOOMS offices. The

practice coverage and take trauma calls for local

sia to ensure patient comfort. Quality of care

reconstruction. As a group they offer 24-hour hospitals.

EOOMS is comprised of five experienced

oral surgeons: Todd Johnson, D.D.S.; Gregory

tion in Owasso just off of Highway 169 and 96th Medical Park Plaza.

offices are board certified for office IV anesthe-

and patient safety are always the group’s primary concern.

The EOOMS staff is a committed group of

Segraves, D.D.S.; M.S. Heath Evans, D.D.S.;

employees who strives to achieve the highest stan-

D.D.S. All EOOMS surgeons hold member-

training in oral surgery and anesthesia assisting,

Christopher Ray, and D.D.S Cody Mumma,

oral surgery experience.

dard of care. Their surgical team has specialized

4716 W. Urbana St., Broken Arrow 918-449-5800 12802 E. 101st Pl. N., Owasso 918-274-0944 eooms.com

HOME

ACCESS THE 2022 A-LIST

Three to clean

I

f you’ve put off spring cleaning well into the summer — a very easy thing to do — there are three commonly neglected items in your house that deserve a bit of attention. Jen Massey, owner of A New View Homekeeping, offers some tips and solutions on how to get these items looking as good as new.

PILLOWS Since the average person sleeps one-third of their life, it’s important to give pillows the necessary care as dust and bacteria can form if they’re not properly taken care of. So how often should you clean your pillow? The answer: it varies from material to material. However, experts suggest washing them three to four times a year. When in doubt, check your pillow’s manufacturing tag, Massey says. The same goes for determining the specific care instructions for washing, though most pillows can be put in the washing machine. For example, most down pillows can be put in the washer if cool water and a non-abrasive detergent are used, but you should wash memory foam pillows by hand after vacuuming the dust off first. As for drying, down pillows must dry in low heat as high temperatures can damage the down, while memory foam should be air dried. With all this in mind, a pillow’s lifespan usually ranges from one to two years.

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE TulsaPeople’s new interactive A-List microsite presented by Renaissance Hardwood Floors is a great resource featuring Tulsa’s BEST businesses in five categories: DINE LOCAL • FUN • HEAD TO TOE SHOP LOCAL • SERVICES

TULSAPEOPLE.COM/A-LIST PRESENTED BY:

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

DRAPES A drape’s main function is to help regulate the admission of light into a room, but if a drape isn’t properly cleaned, then it can harbor harmful allergens and even dust mites. Drapes are tricky. For the most part, drapes should not be wet, so it is best to vacuum them with a horse hair brush attachment. But don’t stop with the drape itself.

“People overlook what’s behind a drape or even a blind. You’d be amazed at what happens behind them that is in the window area; there’s usually a lot of bug activity,” Massey says.

DRYER VENT Dryer vents are normally considered a maintenance problem, but with the right supplies you can tackle the job yourself. Most online retailers sell a cleaning kit that comes with everything you need, including a dryer brush — think a giant pipe cleaner with bristles. The kit comes with detailed instructions to make the job as easy as possible.

— MADISON WALTERS

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BEYOND CITY LIMITS

Autumn adventures Silver Dollar City’s Harvest Festival

MAKE PLANS FOR FALL BREAK WITH THESE FOUR DESTINATION IDEAS.

BY RHYS MARTIN

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

COURTESY SILVER DOLLAR CITY

A

lthough August still brings high temperatures to Oklahoma, it’s the beginning of the end for the summer season.

Once school returns, it’s only a matter of time before the leaves start changing colors and you can take a road trip with the windows down — no need for A/C. Fall break is a great time to hit the road and take in what our part of the country has to offer.

Fall Break weekend is also the time of the annual Fall Festival at ROBBERS CAVE STATE PARK on Oct. 14-16. A classic car cruise and car show brings out several hundred vintage automobiles.

Festivities include a carnival, booths featuring hand-crafted items and local food, and live music. Lots of lodging options are available, too, depending on how you want to spend the weekend. Robbers Cave isn’t far from the Talimena National Scenic Byway — a weaving two-lane road that covers nearly 50 miles from Oklahoma to Arkansas. When the fall foliage is in full display, this highway attracts thousands of visitors.

Over a dozen vistas offer spectacular views with interpretive signage. Near the eastern end, Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Arkansas is another great place to explore.

Have you been to SILVER DOLLAR CITY in Branson, Missouri, recently? Its Harvest Festival, scheduled for Sept. 21-Oct. 29, has expanded this year. In addition to the crafting exhibitions and musical interludes, the park is fi lled with tens of thousands of pumpkins (both real and crafted) that shine throughout the night. There’s all kinds of pumpkin dishes and other fall foods to sample.

Acquire a Tasting Passport to help ensure you don’t miss any of the fall flavors. Little buckaroos will get a kick out of the Cowboy Corral chuck wagon demonstrations and authentic stagecoach.

Located deep within the rocky, forested terrain of the Missouri Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge is a remote haven of natural beauty that brings conservation to life.

Connect with family by connecting to the great outdoors. b i g c e d a r. c o m

MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARKANSAS, is known throughout the country for its rich bluegrass heritage.

The Stringband Music and Arts Festival takes place on Oct. 14-15 at Ozark Folk Center State Park with two days of authentic Americana. The craft village, yarn spinning storytelling and heritage herb garden are a treat, but the best part about the experience is the music. The unique sounds come from traditional instruments such as the fiddle, mandolin, banjo and dulcimer. The McSpadden Dulcimer Shoppe in town provides an enlightening experience, showing how the Appalachian instruments are made. You can even play one yourself; they’ll teach you in minutes.

Downtown Mountain View is an ideal place to wander around the antique shops and stores of local goods. If you’re not in town for the festival, check out PJ’s Rainbow Cafe. Bring cash; the home cooking is worth it.

If you don’t mind a bit of a longer drive for your extended weekend, the trip up to OMAHA, NEBRASKA, will bring you in contact with both the past and the future. From Sept. 24-Jan. 8, the Durham Museum will host “Dressing the Abbey,” an exhibit featuring costumes from the much-loved television show “Downton Abbey.”

The clothing and effects represent the transitional time of the early 1900s and how fashion changed to match that increasingly turbulent era. The rest of the museum, housed within the historic Union Station, will transport you through Omaha’s history — from the time of frontier migration to model trains to numerous artifact collections.

There’s also an old-time soda fountain on-site for the whole family to enjoy. The museum is in the Old Market district, Omaha’s hub for arts and entertainment. There are dozens of other attractions, shopping destinations and restaurants to see in the historic buildings along the cobblestone streets.

That covers the past, but what about the future?

Th rough Jan. 8, the Omaha Children’s Museum has a “Moon to Mars” exhibit that includes a program about astronaut training developed in partnership with the Johnson Space Center. Visit the museum’s website for more details. The rest of the museum offers scientific, technical and mathematical exhibits and activities. Don’t miss the signature Super Gravitron ball machine.

For animal lovers, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is worth an entire day. It is nationally known for its work in animal conservation and has been recognized as one of the world’s best. The zoo features the world’s largest geodesic dome, which is home to the world’s largest nocturnal exhibit, the world’s largest desert exhibit and the world’s largest indoor swamp. The zoo also features one of the world’s largest indoor rainforests. TP 78

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

Omaha Children’s Museum Stringband Music and Arts Festival in Mountain View, Arkansas

ROBBERS CAVE: SHANE BEVEL/OKLAHOMA TOURISM; OMAHA CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: COURTESY; MOUNTAIN VIEW: ARKANSAS TOURISM

Robbers Cave State Park

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

The craft beverage industry is thriving in Springfield and the Ozarks When Springfield Brewing Co. opened its doors in downtown Springfield in 1997, it was the talk of the town. The craft brewery and restaurant quickly became the go-to venue in the Queen City where visitors could grab a cold one in the tradition of English, German and American style ales and lagers. Missouri’s third largest city finally had a brewpub, but it was the only one for about 50 miles. It was just the beginning.

Just in the past decade, the craft beverage scene in Springfield and the Ozarks area has grown tremendously, making southwest Missouri the go-to destination in the Ozarks. The surrounding area is now home to nearly two dozen microbreweries, distilleries, meaderies and wineries, with several opening up second locations.

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The Best

Watering Holes

We’ll Show You Around Springfield!

Whether it’s enjoying a refreshing beverage at one of the many local craft breweries or cruising down a scenic water trail on a kayak, we love our city and know the best places to eat, drink and play.

See you in Springfield, Missouri!

Point your smartphone camera at this QR code to find out more about things to do in Springfield.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Dive in and explore at the Wonders of Wildlife Break away this fall and explore the beauty of the Ozarks! Peep the vibrant autumn colors throughout the Ozark mountains on your drive up to Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri. While the leaves are changing outside, you can find those same bright fall colors on display at Wonders of Wildlife.

Splashes of burnt oranges, rusty reds and vibrant yellows can be found underwater throughout our 350,000 square feet facility. From our jelly fish to lobsters to reef fish, hues of seasonal colors shine brilliantly throughout our 1.5-million-gallon aquarium.

For the fourth time, Wonders of Wildlife has been voted “America’s Best Aquarium” through a national public poll conducted by USA TODAY. WOW is home to more than 35,000 animals, over 800 species, and 1.5 miles of immersive galleries celebrating hunting, fishing and stewardship of the land and waters. In addition to the aquarium, our state-of-the-art 4D dioramas will surround you with the sights, sounds and smells of the planet’s most extreme wildlife habitats in our Wildlife

Galleries. Explore the quaintness of Teddy Roosevelt’s cabin or view the grand majesty of our National Parks in different seasons. When it feels like fall outside, escape to the dry heat of Africa and dive with penguins into the frigid icy cold of the Arctic.

In recent additions, Wonders of Wildlife has opened two new exhibits.

See nature through a whole new lens with snap shots of foliage and wildlife from around the world in Nature’s Best Photography; or surround yourself with the warmth of the wooden beams and rods and reels from legends in The American Museum of Fly Fishing.

Make travel plans this fall to come and spend the day “fish-peeping” and explore the wonder at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium!

LEARN MORE AT WONDERSOFWILDLIFE.ORG.

MUSINGS

WE WENT AND LOST OUR BRIGHT, GOLDEN HAZE

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

cowboys on horseback and sweet romance. Ah, the history that never was.

Fish’s revisionary production has been making headlines since its New York premiere in 2019, advertised as “not your grandmother’s Oklahoma!”

His version is sexier, darker, grittier and more violent. This revival isn’t a love story, but a story of a rough people in a rough place, including gun violence.

Actually, I think that was my grandmother’s Oklahoma. I’ve studied some about Lynn Riggs (who grew up near Claremore), his play “Green Grow the Lilacs” (which was the origin of the musical), as well as territorial and early statehood history. It was a hard place and time to scratch out a living.

I’ve wanted to see the “Oklahoma!” revival since it premiered. It was to be the theatrical highlight of my year. But when the Tulsa production was postponed (no new performance date announced), I stomped and pouted like a child whose favorite toy has been taken away. The presenters said the postponement (tickets refunded and no new performance date predicted) was because of the show’s gun violence. (Sarcastic aside: I notice the big gun shows in Tulsa go on as scheduled.)

Some people don’t like the new “Oklahoma!”.

Complaints always arise when a classic is revised, yet new versions are customary, especially with Shakespeare. Often, they are welcomed. James Ijames’s new adaptation on “Hamlet,” titled “Fat Ham,” is set at a Southern barbecue and focuses

on Black masculinity and homosexuality. It won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

Oklahoma became a state in 1907 and was heralded as the most progressive state in the union.

Voters had a dream of a compassionate state that provided its citizens with public education, effective mental health care, progressive criminal justice, workers valued over corporations and children protected by law from child labor in mines and factories. We got over that compassion fast. In four years, Oklahomans realized how much kindness costs in effort and money.

Today we never connect the two words progressive and Oklahoma. Instead, we have a teacher shortage, poorly ranked public education, inadequate mental health care, high incarceration of women, soaring child poverty, struggling health care, a groaning criminal justice system, growing food insecurity, homeless numbers inching up, unlivable minimum wage and housing shortages.

I came across a quote recently that I like: “The truth, however unpleasant, is the ultimate kindness.” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” was a fairy tale. We have created a state with no storybook gloss. Maybe Daniel Fish has given us the “Oklahoma!” we deserve.

We went and lost our bright golden haze. TP Hear Connie Cronley read this column on the Aug. 31 About Town podcast.

Visit TulsaPeople.com/podcast.

ASHLEY GUERRERO

T

hat low-down, polecat Daniel Fish won’t be showin’ his lyin’ face in the state of Oklahoma.

Fish is the guy who ruined “Oklahoma!” with his dirty, ugly, feminist, mean-spirited version of the Broadway musical classic we love. He took a candy-colored operetta of romance and turned it into a roadhouse brawl. He took pretty little Laurey out of puffed sleeves and put her in jeans like the tough rancher she was. All Curly wanted to do was ride around on his horse joking and singing and Fish made him a killer. The farmers and cowboys don’t want to get along with nobody.

He even ruint (that’s how we say it in Oklahoma) the music. He gave some countrywestern pickin’ flavor to the little band on stage.

Ordinarily this is our favorite music, but we want the world to think we live in a lush orchestra with a big string section. In truth, it was a tussle to get the legislature to adopt “Oklahoma!” as the state song in 1953. How could we have a state song, one lawmaker argued, “written by two Jews in New York.”

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were somewhat shocking in writing about race and culture, especially in their musical “South Pacific” and Hammerstein’s “Show Boat.”

The sweetness of “Oklahoma!” was one reason for its Broadway success in 1943. Standing-room audiences were full of World War II military personnel being shipped out to fight overseas. Many thought this was what they were fighting for — a wholesome America full of pie suppers, handsome

thayes@mcgrawok.com

PROPERT Y GROUP

McGraw Realtors

LUXURY

TIM HAYES

918-231-5637

SHERRI SANDERS

918-724-5008

ssanders@mcgrawok.com

A T M C G R AW R E A L T O R S

Call any of the Luxury Property Group Realtors about one of these homes, or any property that you have an interest in.

We will provide you with superior personal service with the highest integrity.

GORDON SHELTON

DIANA PATTERSON

918-697-2742

918-629-3717

gshelton@mcgrawok.com

dpatterson@mcgrawok.com

MIDTOWN PROPERTY

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Located in the heart of Midtown.

This traditional-style home sits on a corner lot. Large granite kitchen with stainless appliances, walk-in pantry, french doors open to back patio. Hardwood floors throughout the majority of the home. Formals, huge laundry room with extra refrigerator, storage & a sink. The Master bedroom has french doors that open to a covered patio.

Listing Price: $950,000

TULSA PROPERTY 4243 E. 72nd Street. 1.09 Acres, 3,154 sq. ft. 3 Bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms. Large Master suite, great outdoor deck area, large rooms, several recent updates, new gutters, new deck. Enjoy your wooded setting in complete privacy! $399,000

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MIDTOWN LOT MIDTOWN PROPERTY

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TIMBERLAKE DRIVE Your forever home near Claremore Lake, in the beautiful, gated Timberlake neighborhood. Nestled in the woods w/large trees and privacy, the setting is quiet and inviting. Fully brick & stone home, is quality built, situated on a corner lot, with over one acre. Beautifully landscaped w/large fenced back yard, very private & lovely outdoor living spaces with covered & uncovered patios. Renovated shed for tools & lawn equipment. The interior offers high ceilings, open living spaces, & large windows.

Hardwood floors, tile & carpet throughout. New appliances.

New interior paint & new window coverings. Large game room w/ fireplace & new sound system. 3 bedrooms up w/2 baths. Large master bedroom is on the main floor w/huge walk-in closets. Jacuzzi tub.

Formal dining room & office. Low utility bills. Located 5 minutes from Claremore Lake and 10 minutes to Claremore. $679,000

One level Ranch in the Carnegie School District! 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bathrooms, Renovations since 2015 include: marble floors, carpet, paint, kitchen rehabbed, both bathrooms are newer, plumbing, roof, etc. A newer building erected in back yard that would make a great playhouse/office. $370,000

Secluded Midtown lot in Bolewood Glen just off 47th & Lewis. Lot is situated on a corner at the end of the cul-de-sac surrounded by beautiful mature trees. Easy access to Riverside Drive, River Parks, Brookside & I-44.

Approximately .27 acre per Court House. Come build your Midtown dream house! $275,000

TIMBERCREEK LOT Fabulous 1.67 acre lot in the Newer Timber Creek Subdivision of Broken Arrow. This homesite is one of the prime lots available on a Cul-de-sac.

Only 22 Estate size lots total in this gated private community. Peaceful and quiet surroundings yet easy access via the Creek Expressway to get anywhere you would like to go.

Bring your own builder and build your luxury dream home in this prestigious community! $230,000

E N J OY T H E LU X U RY L I F E ST Y L E YOU D E SI R E TulsaPeople.com

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McGraw Realtors

Stephanie Minguez 918.671.7193 sminguez@mcgrawok.com $320,000

$249,000

Call for Details

5138 S. Birmingham Pl.

3123 S. Hudson Avenue

7041 E. 77th Street

Unique updated midtown home in Carnegie district. Open concept updated kitchen with granite countertops and stainless appliances. Primary and another bedroom on the main floor. Second living area. Huge deck and above-ground pool perfect for entertaining. 5th bedroom could be a home office. The laundry room is also a storm shelter.

Classic stone ranch home on oversized corner lot. The primary bedroom could be a second living area. Oversized 780 sf garage perfect for workshop, studio, or storing your boat or ATVs. Large Carport. Bright and airy sunroom with a lot of windows. Nicely landscaped spacious yard. Co-listed with Rodger Erker.

Beautiful one-level 4 bedroom well maintained home, large sunroom full of natural light, oversized primary bedroom.

Huge utility room perfect for additional pantry storage space. Gorgeous landscaped backyard perfect for your private retreat.

Union School District. Call for more details!

4302 E 118TH ST | $550,000

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Fabulous home in a gated neighborhood with a pond view. Formal dining room, office, open kitchen to the living area.

So much storage space throughout the home. Gorgeous updates including new paint, interior & exterior. Newer roof, new back patio pergola. Located in the Jenks School district.

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4162 E 46TH PL | $354,000 One level ranch style home with 3 beds, 2 full baths, 2 car garage. Spacious living areas, freshly updated kitchen and more!

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

allison jacobs Mobile: 918.850.2207 4105 S. Rockford Ave. Tulsa, OK 74105

3805 S GARY PL | $665,000

Ranch-style home with gorgeous updates.

This home has 4 bedrooms, 2 full and 2 half bathrooms, large living space with a vaulted ceiling plus a fireplace. The backyard includes a large covered porch, perfect for entertaining or relaxing. Marble kitchen countertops, completely updated. . One of a kind home in Ranch Acres neighborhood.

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512 N QUANAH AVE | $380,000 Fabulous craftsman home in Owen Park. Completely remodeled kitchen with quartz countertops, new cabinets, brand new appliances and new porcelain tile. Timeless updates with so much charm. Park and pond views from upstairs bedrooms, living and dining. Inviting front porch faces TSAS, park and pond.

Tasty trio

See p. 95 for more on Da Yolk.

MICHELLE POLLARD

T

hese extravagant milkshakes from Da Yolk are the stuff of dreams for both children and adults.

12 milkshakes make up the dessert menu at this shop known for its breakfast and brunch fare.

The camper in all of us will appreciate the S’mores milkshake with its perfectly roasted marshmallow in a cloud of whipped cream, graham cracker crumbles and a Hershey’s chocolate syrup drizzle.

The Fruity Pebbles is perfect for cereal lovers with its beautiful presentation of frosting and sprinkle rim. The Reese’s Puff contains peanut butter cups, Reese’s Puffs and Reese’s Pieces, completed with a peanut butter and Reese’s Pieces rim. All three milkshakes are priced at $6.50. TP 1124 S. LEWIS AVE., INSIDE MOTHER ROAD MARKET | 918-984-9009 | MOTHERROADMARKET.MENU TulsaPeople.com

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Chimera

Green with envy 3 FAVORITE SPOTS FOR AVOCADO TOAST Chimera’s avocado toast ($8) looks almost too good to eat.

This variety has a smashed avocado topped with pico de gallo, micro greens and a spicy carrot crema. A tofu queso fresco is sprinkled on top. The combination of flavor and color in this dish is dreamy. Add an egg, if you like. If avocado isn’t your thing, Chimera has a whole menu of specialty toasts, including the Tulsa Time toast with pesto, greens, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese and a savory cashew dressing.

212 N. MAIN ST. | 918-779-4303 | CHIMERATULSA.COM

NEIGHBORHOOD JA.M.

CHERRY STREET KITCHEN 88

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

With all that’s on the menu at Neighborhood Ja.m., you might overlook the avocado toast. That would be a mistake.

This is luxurious avocado toast ($12). It starts simply with whole wheat toast, sliced avocado and two poached (or however you like them) eggs. Then comes a little sweetness from roasted Campari tomatoes and a little tanginess from an arugula salad with champagne vinaigrette. The whole thing is topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Hot tip: Save room for the not-to-miss pineapple bourbon pancakes.

4830 E. 61ST ST. | 918-508-7744 | THATSMYJAMOK.COM We love the avocado toast at Cherry Street Kitchen. A rustic, grilled bread is topped with sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes that are tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh Italian parsley. This is a filling avocado toast ($11) served with fruit or potatoes. Add eggs, sausage, bacon or smoked pork shoulder if you like. 111 W. FIFTH ST. | 918884-3408 | CHERRYSTKITCHEN.COM — NATALIE MIKLES

Inheritance Juicery

JUICE BAR

Refreshing and filling — these are the winners of TulsaPeople’s annual A-LIST Readers’ Choice Awards.

Inheritance Juicery 108 S. Detroit Ave., 539-424-5394 6333 E. 120th Court, 918-364-1201 inheritancejuicery.com Ediblend Superfood Cafe 2050 Utica Square, 918-991-1717 10115 S. Sheridan Road, 918-900-1717 ediblend.com Pure Food and Juice 3524 S. Peoria Ave. 918-392-8090 purefoodandjuice.com Tropical Smoothie Cafe Nine area locations tropicalsmoothiecafe.com Jamba 7122 S. Memorial Drive 918-872-9696 jamba.com

MICHELLE POLLARD; NEIGHBORHOOD JA.M.: COURTESY

A LA CARTE

2022 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS*

Save the Date!

All about Cha Albert G’s Barbecue Downtown Albert G’s Barbecue Harvard

THE BEST TASTING WEEK OF THE YEAR BEGINS SEPTEMBER 9!

Albert G’s Barbecue Tulsa Hills Batman’s Good Food Baxter’s Interurban Grill Bin 35 Bird & Bottle Bluestone Steakhouse & Seafood Bramble Breakfast & Bar Broken Arrow Bramble Breakfast & Bar Downtown Bramble Breakfast & Bar Jenks Dilly Diner Elgin Park Elote Fassler Hall Fresa All About Cha FREYA: Nordic Kitchen

SEPT. 9-18, 2022

Juniper La Tertulia James E. McNellie’s Pub McNellie’s South City Mr. Kim’s

Make plans now to “step-up to the plate” to fight hunger during Tulsa’s 16th Annual Restaurant Week!

Many of Tulsa’s BEST restaurants will be joining in to help fight hunger during this 10-day event benefitting the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s Food for Kids programs. Participating restaurants will offer special prix fixe menus with an automatic donation to the Food Bank or their standard menu with a 3% donation. Plus, all donations will be matched up to $25,000 by the George Kaiser Family Foundation!

Peacemaker Lobster & Crab PRYHME: Downtown Steakhouse

Red Light Chicken Roka Shaky Jake’s Burgers & Franks The Chalkboard The Melting Pot The Tavern The Vault

2022 Prix-Fixe Menu Options:

Brunch

2-3 courses

$

25

includes $3 donation

Lunch 1 course

$

15

includes $2 donation

Lunch

Dinner

2-3 courses

$

18

1 course

$

includes $2 donation

17

includes $2 donation

Dinner

TXMZ

Dinner

Dinner

2-3 courses

3 courses

3-4 courses

$

$

$

25

includes $3 donation

35

includes $5 donation

45

includes $7 donation

Specialty Cocktail

at participating restaurants

Yokozuna Blue Dome Yokozuna on Yale Wild Fork

includes $1 donation

Visit the NEW interactive RESTAURANT WEEK WEBSITE anytime/anywhere!

PRESENTED BY:

BENEFITTING:

SPONSORED BY:

TulsaPeople.com/RestaurantWeek

*As of 7/19/22.

DINING OUT

Sharing her roots CHEF CREATES A DESTINATION FOR INDIGENOUS FARE IN BROKEN ARROW.

BY NATALIE MIKLES

Trout with wild rice 90

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

MICHELLE POLLARD

N

o one in Tulsa is making food quite like Jacque Siegfried.

Where else but her restaurant, NATV, could you find corn cakes, succotash, bison, wild rice and grape dumplings?

“We have people message us, asking ‘Do you make pashofa? Or grape dumplings?’ One woman said she hadn’t had any since her greatgrandmother died,” says Siegfried (Shawnee Tribe).

Her restaurant is a beautiful tribute to Native American food, both to passed-down recipes American Indian families eat today and to ingredients Indigenous families have used for decades.

“NATV tries to include dishes inspired by the pre-contact foods, fi rst-contact foods and new native cuisines to showcase local ingredients and indigenous flavors,” she says.

Siegfried knows it would have been easier to put Indian tacos and fry bread on the menu. But she wants people to know there’s more to Native American cooking than Indian tacos, as good as they are.

Siegfried has the resume to show for her cooking caliber. She’s worked at the Duck Club, Cedar Ridge Country Club, the Boiler Room at the Mayo and served as executive chef at Tulsa Club’s Chamber Restaurant. And at each she has pushed herself to learn more, experience more and expand her possibilities. In one kitchen, when an unexpected order of octopus came in, everyone knew who to call. “Give it to Jacque.

She’ll know what to do.”

Siegfried and her husband, Ricky, saved for years to be able to open a restaurant of their own.

Jacque had several ideas, including three solid concepts. They had enough money for one. “(I asked) which one do you want to bet everything on?’” Ricky says.

And for Jacque, it came down to her biggest passion: Native American food.

Jacque, a Platt College Culinary Arts graduate, has always been proud to be Native

American and credits school Indian education programs at Bell Elementary School as a big part of the reason for that, as were stories her parents told to her. Her love of cooking came from her grandmother, from whom she learned that food is the way to show people you love them. And her appreciation for cultural understanding and the outdoors came from her dad, an avid hunter who taught her to fish.

Jacque is a little bit of all the people who influenced her, but ultimately, she’s her own person — a chef with vibrant lavender hair and a big heart.

She’s a chef who cares for her staff and loves educating diners about Native American foods as much as she loves cooking for them. NATV is a destination restaurant. It’s rare someone stumbles upon it. Rather, diners who are seeking out Native American food, or who have heard about a chef recreating Indigenous foods, make the drive to the unassuming shopping center in Broken Arrow that houses NATV. We tried a few things on the menu, and all were original and delicious. The trio of corn cakes ($13) is one of the most popular appetizers. The pan-fried corn cakes have real corn flavor and are each topped with something different. The night we visited, it was a tender piece of beef tenderloin, pork belly succotash and pickled vegetables.

NATV’s trout with wild rice is superb. The seared trout ($18), topped with a wild onion chimichurri sauce, sat on a bed of roasted corn and natively sourced wild rice.

Many menu items come from local growers and producers, like the bison from a Quapaw cattle farm in Miami. Fruits and vegetables often come from the Broken Arrow or Tulsa Farmers’ Market. It was important to Jacque to stay with the idea of local sourcing, just as Indigenous people would have done before importing was available. That means more corn and rice than potatoes and milk.

On the lunch menu, sunchoke gnocchi ($13) is a standout. The gnocchi, made with sunchokes and pecan flour (from local Knight Creek Pecan Farm), is served with wild mushrooms, a romesca sauce and sunflower seeds. Th is dish is a good example of unique pairings and foods you won’t find on any other menu in Tulsa.

Another favorite on the lunch and dinner menus is Th ree Sisters Stew ($6) — a beautiful soup of butternut squash, acorn squash, corn, black beans and onion served with fry bread.

For those wanting something more familiar to their tastebuds, the bison sliders ($14 for two) are great with a black bean puree, onion sage jam, fry bread and corn fritters.

Desserts are special and worth trying. We liked the grape dumplings ($8) with a honeysuckle whipped cream and sweet corn cheesecake ($8). A honey pecan cake ($9) with candied pecans and honey reduction is also on the menu.

It’s important to Jacque that guests don’t feel intimidated by the food at NATV. She’s quick to answer questions or accommodate requests.

For Jacque, NATV is a dream come true — a way to combine family pride and love of Indigenous culture with her love of cooking. TP

Grape dumplings

Jacque Siegfried

Bison sliders with corn fritters

Three Sisters Stew

NATV 1611 S. MAIN ST., BROKEN ARROW | 918-940-7296 | NATVBA.COM 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m., Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday TulsaPeople.com

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W H AT’S COOK ING

SUMMER SEND OFF

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et’s toast to watermelon juice dripping down our chins, backyard barbecued chicken and buttered corn on the cob.

The best way to do it? With more food.

One of our favorite recipes this time of year is a big orzo pasta bowl fi lled with chopped summer herbs and veggies. Follow this recipe, or use any combination of your favorites. If you have garden vegetables, now’s the time to use them. — NATALIE MIKLES

END OF SUMMER PASTA BOWL Serves 8-10 1 (16-ounce) package orzo pasta 2 ears of corn, kernels removed 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 2 cups crumbled feta cheese 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped and loosely measured 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions.

Rinse with cold water, and drain well. Pour into a large serving bowl.

In a large saute pan, cook corn and red onion over medium heat until tender, but still slightly crisp. Add to orzo.

Into the serving bowl, add cucumber, tomatoes, feta, mint, parsley and capers.

In a small bowl, make dressing by whisking oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over orzo and vegetables, stirring to combine. Refrigerate 30 minutes, and stir before serving.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

Pesto is one of the most satisfying end-ofsummer cooking projects. Whether you’re pulling basil leaves from your own backyard pot or buying the last of the summer’s basil from the farmers’ market, you have the most important ingredient for a pesto you can use for months to come.

The easiest way to freeze pesto is to pour the mixture into ice cube trays, freeze, then pop out into freezer bags so you can easily pull out a cube or two when you need it.

If you’re using it now, use it as a sauce over grilled fish, toss with pasta or spread on top of hummus. Or make a pesto egg sandwich. It may be trendy, but it’s one of our favorite breakfasts.

And it’s a great way to use the last of the summer tomatoes and basil.

PESTO EGG SANDWICH Serves 2 1/2 cup pesto 2 eggs 1 ripe tomato, sliced Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced Red pepper flakes 4 slices sourdough bread

In a nonstick saute pan, heat pesto over low heat. Crack eggs into warm pesto. Cover with a lid, then cook for 3-5 minutes depending on how you like your eggs.

Toast bread. Spoon some pesto from the pan onto two slices of toast. Add eggs, tomatoes and a slice of mozzarella to each sandwich. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Top with sourdough bread.

Here’s a good, basic pesto recipe.

PESTO

2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted 2 garlic cloves, peeled 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups basil leaves 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a food processor, chop nuts and garlic, running processor until minced. Add a fine stream of oil, blending until smooth. Add basil, cheese and salt, scraping sides of bowl and pulsing until smooth. TP TulsaPeople.com

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CHEERS!

Single slider and fries from Ruth's Chicken

Banana cream beer slushie

COLD BOOZY TREATS

94

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

Winner, winner I

t was on a family vacation to San Francisco that Alton Andrews had the best fried chicken sandwich of his life.

Two weeks after that vacation, Andrews was laid off from his job. When thinking about what would be next, he couldn’t get the chicken sandwich out of his mind.

Andrews took six months to perfect the sandwich and create a business plan before opening Ruth’s Chicken, a food truck that’s making a splash in Tulsa.

Fans check the Ruth’s Chicken schedule on social media (@ruthschicken on Facebook and Instagram) at the beginning of each week to hunt down these Korean-style, gluten-free chicken thigh sandwiches. Everything on the truck is gluten-free (with traditional bread/bun options for those who aren’t gluten intolerant), as well as free from peanut and tree nut, and MSG free. The fryers are even dedicated to glutenfree cooking.

“We wanted to go with a bold taste,” Andrews says. “The chicken has an African spice blend of 12 different spices — it’s very complex.” It’s served with Ruth’s sauce, a ketchup-mayo blend with signature spices.

The chicken recipe starts with a pickle-based brine before frying. He found that cooking it at 325 degrees keeps it moist and tender, and then flash frying right at the end locks in the flavors.

Andrews uses organic brown rice flour and cornstarch for his breading to keep things gluten-free.

“Having a family member with celiac (disease), we really understand the severity and seriousness of it,” he says.

The name Ruth’s comes from Alton’s grandmother Ruth.

“I wanted to have my grandma’s energy on the truck,” he says. “Everybody remembers grandmother as a nice, fun, happy person. Anytime she saw us, she would say, ‘Give me some sugar.’”

Ruth’s Chicken has its own recipes for homemade, hand-squeezed lemonade and sweet tea.

Customers also love the coleslaw alternative — apple slaw. Made with hand-sliced apples and apple cider vinegar, it’s a lighter slaw without the heaviness of mayo.

Ruth’s Chicken is a partnership between Alton and his wife, Lizy, and Virgil King. His brother, Adrian Andrews, is a full-time cook for Ruth’s Chicken. — NATALIE MIKLES

CHEERS: GREG BOLLINGER; RUTH'S CHICKEN: MICHELLE POLLARD

“We brew weird beer” is the perfect slogan for Tulsa brewery Nothing’s Left Brewing.

With flavors like Deez Nuts and Yabba Dabba Brew, Tulsans can find interesting out-there combinations of beer on the corner of 1502 E. Sixth St. The brewery, which opened in 2015, doesn’t stop at crazy beer brews. As a special summertime treat, Nothing’s Left offers a wide selection of beer-based slushies and soft serve. At any point from early March until late October, customers can choose between three unique beer slushie flavors and a beer soft serve. The brewery’s sour beer base allows co-owners Lacy and Travis Richards to experiment with different flavor combinations that are turned over every two weeks. Flavors include both classic favorites and unique mixtures such as cherry limeade, margarita, tigers’ blood and bomb pop. “We’re artists at the end of the day and this is just our medium,” Lacy says.

A seltzer base is sometimes used for the frozen treats, and there is always a non-alcoholic slushie and soft serve available. “We want to support everyone who says alcohol is not right for me or who have kids or are pregnant,” Lacy says. “It is really important to me that we include everybody.”

The slushies can be enjoyed on the brewery’s large outdoor patio or taken to-go in 5- or 12-ounce sealed containers. Each cup is distinctly labeled with the name and ABV percentage, which is typically about 5%. — HADLEY DEJARNETTE

TRY THIS!

Kalee Kallam

La Roma’s Pizza 6027 S. SHERIDAN ROAD | 918-491-6436 | LAROMAPIZZATULSA.COM ONE BIG FAMILY Family owned for 33 years, the La Roma staff pride themselves on treating customers with respect, love and kindness.

Owners Katia and Souhaila Azar work hard to build relationships with their customers to make them feel part of the La Roma family.

MICHELLE POLLARD

PIE, OH MY Pizzas come in four sizes and diners can choose from a variety of toppings or pick from a list of La Roma favorites, like the veggie supreme, pictured here, or the “All Meat” pizza, the most popular selection, complete with three kinds of sausage, ground beef, Canadian bacon and pepperoni (mini, $11.95; small, $15.20; medium, $24.20; large, $29.45).

MIXED CUISINES Pizza isn’t the only thing you’ll find at La Roma. The menu features a mix of Italian and Lebanese cuisines complete with items such as the popular cabbage roll and homemade falafel platters served over rice with sides of cabbage salad, hummus and pita bread ($11.95).

WHAT’S IN A NAME? A new concept at Mother Road Market is cracking open fresh takes on breakfast staples.

Da Yolk, 1124 S. Lewis Ave., serves up artful and fun food presentations that delight the eyes and the tastebuds. The Nest ($11), the restaurant’s most popular item, is a take on an eggs Benedict with a playful twist. A soft-boiled egg sits in hashbrowns shaped like a bird’s nest, drizzled with a rich hollandaise sauce and topped with Abundant Farms microgreens.

The concept grew from owner Kalee Kallam’s passion for making food, which began at a very young age thanks to her late grandmother, Joyce. Kallam began making ready-made meals through her business Mae’d Meal Prep, a Kitchen 66 project. She later opened Da Yolk in November 2020.

Other popular dishes include egg rolls ($8) with a traditional, flaky crust wrapped around a soft-boiled egg and finished with a drizzle of chipotle mayo, as well as orange curd pancakes ($6) featuring a refreshing, citrus glaze. The ever-popular Brunch-Wich ($9) is made up of hashbrowns, a sausage patty, fried eggs and a splattering of hollandaise sauce served on a toasted brioche bun.

“We wanted to make a more unique experience with fun-looking and appetizing food, something more than just scrambled eggs and bacon on a plate,” Kallam says.

— MADISON WALTERS

TulsaPeople.com

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TULSA TIME WARP

MASONIC MASTERPIECE STORY AND COMPOSITE IMAGE BY PATRICK MCNICHOLAS

I

n November 1920, a groundbreaking for a magnificent Masonic temple unlike Tulsans had seen before was held on the southwest corner of East Seventh Street and South Boston Avenue.

Construction wouldn’t officially be underway until the summer of 1922. The building’s development plans were controlled by five leading Masonic bodies in Tulsa, who created the Tulsa Masonic Building Association.

Upon completion of the building in 1923, a total of 17 Masonic organizations would claim the temple as their home lodge.

The five-story brick building held spacious lodge rooms for members, a rooftop garden accessible from the third floor and a 900-seat auditorium with a motion picture projector and stage, among other amenities.

The building’s storefronts, leased by the Masons, contained clothing stores, pharmacies, restaurants and more. Eventually they began leasing out space inside the building, too.

Oklahoma Masonic lodges reached peak membership in 1958 but began to decline over the following decades. Many lodges merged and relocated to more adequately sized locations.

In 1995 the Masons eventually sold the building to First Presbyterian Church located across the street. It was reopened by the church in 1998 and renamed the Bernsen Community Life Center. TP

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2022

BERYL FORD COLLECTION/ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY, AND TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

Early image of Masonic Temple at 710 S. Boston Ave., now known as the Bernsen Community Life Center

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