The Tulsa Voice | Vol. 6 No. 10 by The Tulsa Voice

BACKPACK BEERS P20 MAY 1 – 14, 2019

VOL. 6 NO. 10

62 SUMMER FESTIVALS P26

TU PROGRAM CUTS P8 • HEALTH JUSTICE P12

paradise never sounded So Good.

Tickets On Sale Now sammy hagar’s may 4 full circle jam tour

earth, wind & fire may 18 rocktopia may 23 southern momma may 25

& cledus t judd comedy experience

miss oklahoma pageant jun 4–8 steve miller band jun 15 countess & friends jun 22 luann de lesseps

Live Music

Friday & Saturday Nights Starting at 9 pm in 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar and at 10 pm in Margaritaville! Visit margaritavilletulsa.com for a complete schedule.

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2 // CONTENTS

May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

CINCO DE MAYO The Annual

Street Party

LY AT N O

Margarita Bar! Beer! Red Bull Bar! Games! Live Music by Chris Hyde Group 1st & Elgin • Open at 12PM • Outdoor 21+ • elguaposcantina.com THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

CONTENTS // 3

‘OUTSIDE MY SKIN’ P24 BY LYNDSAY KNECHT

Lucia Lucas brings a hard-edged empathy to Don Giovanni

THE FEST IS YET TO COME

EDITOR Jezy J. Gray ASSISTANT EDITOR Blayklee Freed DIGITAL EDITOR John Langdon CREATIVE DIRECTOR Madeline Crawford GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Georgia Brooks, Morgan Welch PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Bollinger AD SALES MANAGER Josh Kampf CONTRIBUTORS Kyra Bruce, Matt Carney, Alicia Chesser Atkin, Charles Elmore, Rebecca Fine, Barry Friedman, Fraser Kastner, Lyndsay Knecht, Cassidy McCants, Mary Noble, Alexandra Robinson, Joseph Rushmore, Andrew Saliga, Terrie Shipley, Valerie Wei-Haas

The Tulsa Voice’s distribution is audited annually by

Member of

P26 BY TTV STAFF

Sixty-two summer festivals The Tulsa Voice is published bi-monthly by

1603 S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119 P: 918.585.9924 F: 918.585.9926

Lucia Lucas as Don Giovanni | VALERIE WEI-HAAS

FOOD & DRINK

ARTS & CULTURE

16 LIVE A LOT B Y TERRIE SHIPLEY

32 WILD REALITY B Y CASSIDY MCCANTS

NEWS & COMMENTARY 7 OLD COLLEGE TRY B Y REBECCA FINE Investing in Oklahoma higher education yields strong returns

VegFest invites Tulsans to try a plant-based diet

8 IDENTITY CRISIS B Y BARRY FRIEDMAN

18 NOTHING SACRIFICED B Y ANDREW SALIGA

The University of Tulsa’s ‘reimagining’ touches a nerve

St. Vitus beseeches us to drink well and play often

10 STIFLED SCHOLARS B Y FRASER KASTNER

20 $10 TASTE TEST B Y TTV STAFF

TU cuts threaten graduate students and research

12 MEDICAL EMERGENCY B Y JEZY J. GRAY

Fighting for health justice in Oklahoma

14 POWER GRAB B Y MATT CARNEY Author Eric Blanc talks teacher strikes and working-class politics

The ‘backpack beers’ of summer, ranked

MUSIC

34 A PROSPEROUS RETURN B Y ALICIA CHESSER ATKIN

The rediscovery of Bette Howland

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Send all letters, complaints, compliments & haikus to: voices@langdonpublishing.com FOLLOW US @THETULSAVOICE ON:

36 SHAME BUSTERS B Y MARY NOBLE

Local comedians talk sex and relationships, kink and connection BACKPACK BEERS P20

TV & FILM MAY 1 – 14, 2019

41 NOISES OFF B Y KYRA BRUCE

Tulsa’s most extreme music fest returns

ETC. 6 EDITOR’SLETTER 38 THEHAPS 40 MUSICLISTINGS 45 ASTROLOGY + SUDOKU 46 THEFUZZ + CROSSWORD

4 // CONTENTS

Tommy Orange on writing about urban Native life, identity, and his hometown

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNICATIONS Susie Miller CONTROLLER Mary McKisick DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Amanda Hall RECEPTION Gloria Brooks

VOL. 6 NO. 10

42 PLASTICS ONLY B Y ALEXANDRA ROBINSON Get in, losers—we’re going to see Mean Girls

44 PLAY THE HITS B Y CHARLES ELMORE

62 SUMMER FESTIVALS P26

Avengers: Endgame is an explosive finale to the MCU saga TU PROGRAM CUTS P8 • HEALTH JUSTICE P12

ON THE COVER ILLUSTRATION BY GEORGIA BROOKS May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

YOU ALWAYS PLANNED ON PUTTING ART ON THE WALLS. (You just didn’t think your kid would beat you to it.)

Some expenses in life you know are coming. Others come out of nowhere. That’s why it’s good to have both a checking and savings account, so you can keep cash on hand for the things you want to buy and the things you have to buy. Open an account online in as little as five minutes. And let us help you plan for life.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

CONTENTS // 5

editor’sletter

ast Wednesday, my workday began with a demonstration at the Oklahoma State Capitol and ended with a bottom-shelf beer tasting at Langdon Publishing headquarters here in Tulsa. I was out the door of my Riverview duplex at 8 a.m. to report on the Rally to Expand Coverage in OKC (pg. 12). Then, after a quick stop at the McDonald’s on eastbound I-44, I met with our design and editorial staff to determine the best fizzy-yellow “backpack beers” under $3-per24 oz. (pg. 20). This, I think, says a lot about our project here at TTV. We try to strike a fine balance between business and pleasure, and we’ve got both in spades this time around. First, business: 600,000 Oklahomans don’t have health insurance. That’s a crisis, folks. And until we win a moral community of single-payer universal

healthcare—no premiums, no deductibles, no insurance companies—we must increase coverage for our most vulnerable neighbors however we can. Too many live on the razor’s edge between poverty and a bad diagnosis. We need Medicaid expansion yesterday. Also inside: coverage of the recent cuts at the University of Tulsa. First, Barry Friedman talks to “some disgruntled faculty” about the 40% reduction in degree and certification programs (pg. 8). Then Fraser Kastner looks at how this “reimagining” will affect graduate students and studies (pg. 10). TU is a private university, but its place in our community gives everyone a stake in its future. Elsewhere, we’ve got the case for robust public higher-education funding from the Oklahoma Policy Institute (pg. 7) alongside Matt Carney’s interview with

Eric Blanc, author of Red State Revolt: The Teachers’ Strike Wave and Working-Class Politics (pg. 14)—a valuable reminder we’re all in this together, and we can win the future we want. Finally, pleasure: Check out Mary Noble’s story about local podcast, Digital Intercourse (pg. 36). Hosts Tom King and Lauren Turner talk about sex and relationships, kink and connection. We’ve also got Cassidy McCants’ Q&A with literary superstar Tommy Orange (pg. 32); and Alicia Chesser Atkin’s look at the life and legacy of Bette Howland, “a case study for the movement of honoring women writers whose work has been erased” (pg. 34). I won’t spoil the cheap-beer taste test for you—a scandalous result—nor will I spoil Avengers: Endgame (pg. 44), which I have not seen and will never see.

Spoilers abound in Alexandra Robinson’s micro-essay about Mean Girls (pg. 42), a personal favorite turning 15 this year, which you should catch at Circle Cinema on May 10. Do not miss Lyndsay Knecht’s stunning profile of Lucia Lucas, who will make history in her main stage U.S. debut in Tulsa Opera’s Don Giovanni on May 3 (pg. 24). You’ll love Lucia, and Lyndsay’s prose, and the stunning photography by Valerie Wei-Haas. I’m honored to share it all with you—business, pleasure, and everything in between. a

JEZY J. GRAY EDITOR

MAKING MODERN

AMERICA Progress, energy, and power ruled America’s modern age between World War I and World War II. Artists responded. Join Philbrook as we examine the relationship between industry and art from 1910–1960.

NOW ON VIEW AT PHILBROOK

Lily Furedi (American, b. Hungary, 1896–1969). Subway, 1934. Oil on canvas, 44 5/8 × 53 7/8 × 1 7/8”. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1965.18.43.

6 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

okpolicy

OLD COLLEGE TRY Investing in Oklahoma higher education yields strong returns by REBECCA FINE for OKPOLICY.ORG

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

ith so much focus on pre-K through 12th grade education funding, it’s easy to overlook the more drastic cuts that higher education has sustained over the past decade. State spending on higher education has decreased by 26 percent since 2008 with Oklahoma leading the nation for the most drastic cuts between 2012 and 2017. Unfortunately, last year’s boost to PK-12 education funding did not extend to higher education, whose budget remained vir tually ﬂat from the previous year. Maintaining a robust system of higher education in Oklahoma is vital to our state’s economy. By 2020, 67 percent of all jobs created in Oklahoma will require some college, a certificate, or a college degree. States that have a larger share of workers with a college degree are more productive and have higher median wages. Appropriating state revenue to higher education yields an especially good return on the investment, considering that 87.3 percent of Oklahoma residents who graduate with a bachelor’s degree remain in the state and are employed here after they graduate. Unfortunately, over the past two decades a dramatically shrinking share of the higher education budget has come from the state. In 1988, 74.2 percent of the budget for higher education was state appropriated dollars, but in 2019 just 27.2 percent of the budget came from state funding. As a result, Oklahoma colleges and universities have shifted these costs onto students through increased tuition and fees. From 2009-2017, tuition and fees increased an average of 4.9 percent across Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities. This

is especially troubling because a larger percentage of Oklahomans already struggle to pay back student loans than in almost any other state. Funding cuts have not only driven up tuition costs, but they have also forced schools to cut faculty positions, keep salaries low, and cut programming. Smaller institutions such as twoyear schools and community colleges have been hit the hardest by these cuts because a larger portion of their budgets comes from state funding. As a result, these schools have seen the greatest reduction in faculty and program offerings across the state’s institutions. Two-year college faculty have also left positions to teach in PK-12 schools, which can now pay higher salaries as a result of last year’s teacher pay raise. State funding shortfalls have also forced the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to cut six scholarship programs that help individuals in need attain a college degree. This includes a scholarship designed to address the teacher shortage by offering awards to students who commit to teaching math and science in Oklahoma, along with a tuition waiver for National Guard members. The good news is that this year the state can confidently invest Oklahoma’s growth revenue back into a system that will yield strong returns in the future. Our institutions of higher education have been strained for the past decade. It is time to give them the funding they need to boost Oklahoma’s college graduation rates and help secure Oklahoma’s economic prosperity. a

Rebecca Fine is an education policy analyst with Oklahoma Policy Institute (okpolicy.org). NEWS & COMMENTARY // 7

Identity crisis

The University of Tulsa’s ‘reimagining’ touches a nerve by BARRY FRIEDMAN

ays after the University of Tulsa announced a plan called “True Commitment: Reimagining The University of Tulsa,” President Gerard Clancy, Provost Janet Levit, and Tracy Manly, chairperson of The Provost’s Program Review Committee (PPRC), addressed students at the Reynolds Center. Clancy told students they had about an hour to air their grievances and then, after opening remarks by all three, they sat, passing a microphone back and forth, while students asked them to justify the university’s decision to cut more than 40 percent of the majors and to consolidate 10 departments in four divisions. It didn’t go well. Alternately dismissive and perfunctory, the three missed the passion and angst in the room. An anthropology student—the Anthropology Ph.D. program is being cut—asked, “What is my degree from the University of Tulsa worth?” Levit responded, “Your value of your degree is worth the value of a TU degree, and for that degree to be valuable, we need to make sure we have strong, viable institution and, so, that’s the value of your degree. And I just want to underscore one of the members of the committee was a member of the anthropology faculty.” But that was not the worst answer of the afternoon. When a student, a theatre major, told Clancy his program cannot survive without incoming students to design the sets and costumes and perform—hence, it was effectively killed with this announcement—Clancy responded, “We will sit down and see what that takes. We’ll figure out a way.” 8 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

the PPRC within the coming year (2019-2020), pending the creation of a task force, composed of and elected by A&S faculty, to study the effects of the proposed changes on students, faculty, and the University.

The vote was 89 to 4. To that end, the law faculty voted unanimously (with the exception of the one member of its faculty on the PPRC) not to implement the increased-teaching-loads part of the proposal until the faculty had a chance to study it. Inexplicably, this is on the university website:

Students take the mic during a mock funeral to protest dramatic cuts at the University of Tulsa. JOSEPH RUSHMORE

Why was that not already done? Nobody from theatre was on the PPRC. Levit said students have been “voting with their feet” to explain why programs were being cut. Meanwhile, TU football, which has trouble drawing ﬂies and is suffering from the same kind of “vote,” wasn’t touched in the new reorganization. Jacob Howland, Ph.D., the McFarlin Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tulsa—his department is being gutted—is ready to throw things. “We are left with a combined philosophy and religion minor. Greek, Russian, and Latin have all been eliminated. Chinese was reduced from a major to a minor. Arts and Sciences will now be a service school that staff what will be called ‘university studies.’ I will

bet you $1,000 that the content of these courses will be standardized in the curriculum determined by the administration—not the faculty.” Programs in art, music, dance, theatre, history, education, electric engineering, chemistry, law (including American Indian and Energy), geology, mathematics, physics, and finance are being cut. Days after the announcement in a Tulsa World story—not one faculty member was interviewed—a story appeared in Forbes, which read like it came directly from the provost’s office, and claimed “some faculty are disgruntled.” Some? From a resolution passed on April 17: The faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences resolves not to implement the changes proposed by

With a full football scholarship to The University of Tulsa, [Julius] Tennon prepared himself to step onto the field and the stage. Switching from offense to defense, Tennon joked, ‘I like hitting guys more than I liked being hit.’ Unfortunatel y, his football career was eclipsed by knee injuries, but Tennon focused on earning his degree and cultivating his acting discipline.

So, an acting discipline in a theatre department that will no longer be offered for future Julius Tennons is still touted as part of the TU charm? Howland was apoplectic at this point and unloaded in a piece published in the City-Journal, called “Storm Clouds Over Tulsa.” Our story is worth telling, because we have been hit by a perfect storm of trends currentl y tearing through the American academy: the confident ignorance of administrators, the infantilization of students, the policing of May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

faculty, the replacement of thinking with ideological jargon, and the corporatization of education.

He questioned the university’s veracity and lack of imagination, and took officials to task for having a board of trustees “composed of business executives and lawyers, none of whom has a higher-education background.” At stake is whether we will continue to be a liberal university: a place where young people, briefly sheltered from the noisy imperatives of the day, may take root in the rich soil of the common human past and grow into mature, independent individuals.

The administration claims the process was transparent, a characterization that infuriates every member of the faculty to whom I talked. PPRC members, who were admittedly in a tough spot, were ultimately hand-picked by Clancy and Levit and had to sign non-disclosure agreements. A student at the forum asked Levit to post the data used to justify the reorganization. “No, we’re not going to put it online,” she said. Clancy added, “It wouldn’t be wise to have it all over.” “Who are we?” one student asked Levit about the identity of the University of Tulsa. “Data showed us we’re primarily a high-touch undergraduate institution that provides every student with a grounding in critical and creative thinking, which is heavy in STEM and focused on practical and professional training,” Levit said. What is high-touch? The short answer: gobbledygook. It’s used by businesses to glorify what they consider to be their close interaction with their customers. Yes, the University of Tulsa is embracing this trope, as if nobody at the school in years past ever thought about working one-on-one with a student before. Further mangling the language, Clancy talks of departments as silos that will be dismantled. The university refers to Levit as a “thought leader,” and in a ‘Dear Colleagues’ letter last September, Levit, herself, wrote “We collectively believe in TU’s ‘secret sauce,’ faculty-led student THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

engagement in the classroom and beyond.” She also recently and breathlessly explained the PPRC ran “toward, not away from, change.” The “reimagining” of TU is part Orwellian, part Tony Robbins. “TU’s governors do not understand what a university is,” said Howland. “It’s a precious cultural institution whose essential task is the preservation, cultivation, and transmission of knowledge.” (Full disclosure: I have relationships with everyone in this story, with the exception of Clancy, Levit, Manley, and Kerr. Further, I graduated from the university in 1979 with a degree in Rhetoric and Writing and spent most of my time in theatre.) I asked Howland whether he was worried about retribution. He’s tenured, so he can’t be fired, but administrators can make his life miserable. “What are they going to do to me? They’ve already destroyed my department. I have no more fucks left to give. How can I ask my students to read about Socrates, who exemplifies moral courage in speaking truth to power, even though he is condemned to death and executed for it—if I’m not prepared to take a stand on this?” I emailed Clancy, Levit, and Manley and specifically asked about the vote of no-confidence by Arts and Sciences, the law faculty action, any second thoughts on the scope or rollout of the plan, the fury of students (who held a mock funeral on campus), criteria used in appointing PPRC members, Howland’s story in City Guide, and why they won’t just release the raw data they used to make such fundamental changes. Mona Chamberlin, senior executive director for strategic marketing and communication for the university, responded by email that there was a lot of misinformation out there and she would be happy to “fact-check anything that might raise an eyebrow,” but that most of my questions could be answered by reading through the info on the website. They weren’t. a

For complete citations, visit the hyperlinked version of this story at thetulsavoice.com.

“SOME FACULTY ARE DISGRUNTLED. . .” – MICHEAL T. NIETZEL, FORBES.COM You cannot make this happen with that much resistance. You can’t ﬁre 100 faculty members. I think they should not have touched a damn thing in any academic program as long as athletics is losing millions and nothing in our accreditation requirements requires that a school have a football or basketball team, or any sort of formal athletics program at all for that matter. –Tamara Piety, Professor of Law What most disturbs me is why the collective centuries of experience in teaching and curriculum design of the current TU faculty would be ignored, to shove through a radical maiming of the liberal arts reputation that TU itself has cultivated for the past several decades. – Bruce Dean Willis, Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature If the university is not in ﬁnancial crisis, why not take more time— say, two years—to have deeper conversations and do this right? If they get faculty and student buy-in, the changes may not look exactly like what they had envisioned, but the entire TU family would be in it together moving forward. – Grant Matthews Jenkins, Associate Professor of English The administration does not understand, does not appreciate the importance of graduate students in a holistic STEM education. In the geosciences, as well as other sciences, graduate and undergraduate students are amalgamated in many of their educational experiences, as well as their professional and personal development—a distinct advantage offered by the TU geosciences program. – Dennis R. Kerr, Department Chair, and Associate Professor of Geosciences Everybody understands higher education is in transition and largely agree we need to change. But we expect, and deserve, an open, respectful—and learned— conversation that honors our expertise and experience. Instead of that, we have a leadership team that speaks in platitudes and demeans faculty as a ‘secret sauce’ engaged in a ‘high-touch’ learning environment. What's more, if we persist with the food metaphors: I'm the main course, not a dish of mayonnaise. – Brian Hosmer, H.G. Barnard Associate Professor of Western American History

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Reflejos Flamencos MAY 11

Spunk Adams MAY 15

Taron Pounds MAY 16 BLUE WHALE COMEDY FEST AND STORY CLUB OF TULSA PRESENT

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NEWS & COMMENTARY // 9

community

Stiﬂed scholars

TU cuts threaten graduate students and research by FRASER KASTNER

uch has been said of the damage to undergraduate programs under the University of Tulsa’s “True Commitment” plan to drastically cut its degree and certification programs—but, as is frequently the case, graduate students and studies are often left out of the picture. Among the graduate programs being cut are master’s degrees in Native American law, energy law, fine arts, women’s and gender studies, geosciences, mathematics, as well as many doctorate degrees. In addition, the university will lose teaching assistantships and other benefits conferred by the presence of graduate students. Many students find that TAships and research assistantships help build relationships between undergraduates and graduate students, and the weakening of that bond is one of the many ripple effects anticipated by critics of the plan. Some fear that the university will lose credibility in the eyes of the academic community. “Let’s say they restore assistantships next year,” said Dr. Jacob Howland, McFarlin Professor of Philosophy. “Well, they took them away the year before. Do you think they have shown commitment to the program?” Even though the university says that only 6 percent of students will be affected, many feel that negative effects from cutting graduate programs will degrade the quality of TU’s educational experience as a whole. Howland pointed out that 40 percent of programs will be cut, likening the effects to killing 40 percent of species in an ecosystem. Even if that only accounted for 6 percent of individuals, the effects of that die-off could ripple far beyond. In programs where graduate degrees have been cut, tenured 10 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

Lauren Haygood, a graduate student at TU, wears the names of programs cut by the university’s “True Commitment” plan. | GREG BOLLINGER

professors will have to teach more low-level courses. This will increase the number of students in each class, according to Howland. “Our attention for students is just going to decrease in that case,” he said. “Because we’re simply not going to have the time.” Graduate students like Caleb Freeman, who started working toward his master’s in English last year, feel undervalued by the university. “We’re human resources. We’re there to be used up,” Freeman said. “We’re contract workers. Even though we’re getting an education we’re there to teach those comp courses and run the writing center and to

provide a service to the university.” This comes during a national push among graduate students for unionization as they face low pay, long hours, and universities that take their labor for granted. Professorships are also increasingly scarce. “Personally I wouldn’t be where I am today without the encouragement of my TAs,” geosciences graduate student Avery Johnson said. “They’re the ones that really pushed me to pursue this degree and this path.” The university also stands to lose prestige from research done by graduate students and professors. Previous university presidents have

aspired for TU to be among the best research schools in the country. This goal will not be attainable after the cuts, as the university will no longer have enough yearly Ph.D. graduates to be considered a major research university. “How are you gonna attract students to pay $41,698 tuition when in-state they could go to OU or OSU, which are major universities which have all these programs they’ve been cutting?” Howland said. The change affects departments on campus that champion diversity in their work, like anthropology, geoscience, and the natural sciences. TU’s Anthropology graduates have been doing important research into the Tulsa Race Riot, and the university was also one of the few places where one could pursue a degree in Native American law. “The destruction of these programs is entirely inconsistent with the university’s commitment to diversity,” Howland said. “To me, it looks like hypocrisy.” The cuts have struck many as inconsistent with TU’s culture and history. Lauren Haygood, a student in TU’s cut Accelerated Master’s in Geosciences program, mourns the loss of programs like Religion and Native American law. “Those are part of TU’s history. They started out as a Presbyterian school for Indian girls, and they’re cutting religion, and they’re cutting Native American law. They’re removing part of TU’s identity.” Some fear that it will take a long time to rebuild the academic community that has been shaken by the “True Commitment” plan. Howland compares it to Notre Dame. “It took 200 years to build the cathedral. You can burn it down in a day.” a May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

BOOK SIGNING EVENT Celebrating Oklahoma Author Ralph Cissne’s Newest Release…

“I adore these stories. Ralph Cissne’s Prudence in Hollywood offers a rare glimpse into Hollywood at the end of the twentieth century—before Instagram and the Kardashians—a time of innocence and true love and longing. They made me feel glad to be alive and hopeful for our future.” —Jamie Cat Callan, author of Parisian Charm School

Saturday, June 8 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. 221 E. Archer St.

www.TraversMahanApparel.com South Lewis at 81st • The Plaza • 918-296-4100

RECYCLE THIS Aluminum and Steel Cans

NOT THAT Aluminum Foil

Throw aluminum foil away in the gray trash cart.

Aluminum and steel cans are perfect for recycling, but aluminum foil is NOT acceptable for the blue recycling cart.

LEARN MORE AT THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

tulsarecycles.com NEWS & COMMENTARY // 11

statewide

elly Smalley had her first grand mal seizure in 2008. It’s what you think of when you think of the word seizure: unconsciousness, muscle contractions, foaming at the mouth. She was a single mom caring for her disabled, nine-yearold son. Then she developed epilepsy. Last year, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis—right around the time her son turned 19, aging out of the Medicaid (SoonerCare) benefits they both desperately needed. Smalley is now one of more than 600,000 Oklahomans without health insurance, caught on the wrong side of the razor’s edge between poverty and a bad diagnosis. In a state with one of the highest uninsured rates in the country, her story is tragic but familiar, drawn into dire relief by images of shuttered rural hospitals and crowdsourced social media fundraisers for life-saving medical treatments. A deep and diverse coalition is looking to change this bleak reality. The Coalition to Expand Coverage is made up of a broad network of organizations from the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Together Oklahoma, and the ACLU Oklahoma, to groups like the Oklahoma State Medical Association, Fellowship Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), Mental Health Association Oklahoma, and dozens more. “We gathered different groups from all over the state—healthcare, child advocacy, civic organizations, and religious organizations—just anybody who wants to come on board behind this campaign to bring federal tax dollars back to Oklahoma to cover more than 100,000 uninsured Oklahomans,” said Gene Perry of the Oklahoma Policy Institute. “It’s a great deal for the state,” he added. “It would help our economy and our health.” Legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act gave states the ability to reject federal money that would fund the expansion of state Medicaid programs like SoonerCare. Oklahoma did just that

12 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

Michele Eccleson, a cancer survivor suffering from scoliosis and a heart condition, rallies to expand coverage at the Oklahoma State Capitol on April 24. | JEZY J. GRAY

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Fighting for health justice in Oklahoma by JEZY J. GRAY under the governorship of Mary Fallin, turning down an estimated $3.6 billion in federal funding across a seven-year period, according to The Oklahoman. As a result, Oklahoma’s uninsured rate has fallen far less than the national average since 2010. For the crowd gathered at the Oklahoma State Capitol during the Rally to Expand Coverage on the morning of April 24, these numbers are a matter of life and death. “People’s lives are in jeopardy,” said former state Sen. Angela Monson. “We cannot wait for this change to happen. We need it now.” Many rally speakers touted the economic advantages of healthcare expansion, but the morality of the issue was a common throughline. “We have laid before us the unprecedented opportunity to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans,” Rev. Joe Alsay told the crowd. “And indeed we have the moral obligation to stand up and to speak out in solidarity with

those in our community whose voices have not been heard—or have been squashed.”

Inside the Capitol, rally-goers met with representatives to make their case. A line of advocates snaked around the end table in a hallway waiting area, where that morning’s issue of The Oklahoman announced: Stitt would ﬁght Medicaid expansion. The governor had just gone on record, saying he would “absolutely” oppose the state ballot initiative fi led on April 19 by representatives of Kelly Smalley and fellow advocate Erin Taylor, designed to close Oklahoma’s coverage gap by accepting federal money to bring more people into the federal-state health insurance program. Similar questions have recently been put before voters in reliably conservative states like Nebraska, Utah and Idaho. All three Medicaid expansion ballot measures passed with a sizeable majority,

but the states’ Republican-controlled legislatures have undercut those initiatives by capping enrollment, delaying implementation, and adding burdensome work requirements not included in the original ballot language. Gov. Stitt said his administration would offer voters a “Plan B” to traditional Medicaid expansion, but provided no details about what that alternative would look like. Gene Perry disagrees with the governor’s decision, but hopes his administration will support legislation that offers real relief to the state’s most vulnerable residents. “We would be concerned if whatever came through the legislature included all sorts of red tape and restrictions and expenses for patients,” he said. “There are ways you could do it that we’d be concerned about, but you can come up with an Oklahoma plan in lots of ways … that would still bring affordable coverage to Oklahomans in a way that works.” There is currently a $9-to-$1 match on traditional Medicaid expansion, meaning the federal government would pay the lion’s share of funding on every dollar spent to provide essential care to people like Michele Eccleson, a cancer survivor who suffers from scoliosis and a heart condition. This is what advocates mean when they talk about “bringing money home” on a federal pay-in, but Michele’s story also reveals the human shade of the crisis. “I know what it’s like because I did go without insurance, and my family lost everything because of it,” Michele said. She and her husband, a war veteran, were forced to move across the country to live with his parents in New York. Michele is worried about those who don’t have the same option. “I’m lucky enough to have [coverage] now,” she said. “But I don’t want to see any other family go through what mine went through.” a

For more information on the Campaign to Expand Coverage, visit coverok.org. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

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NEWS & COMMENTARY // 13

community

Demonstrators pack the Oklahoma State Capitol during the 2018 Oklahoma Teachers’ Strike. | JOSEPH RUSHMORE

Power grab

Author Eric Blanc talks teacher strikes and working-class politics by MATT CARNEY

hen Oklahoma educators organized and ﬂexed their collective power last spring, it shook more than the crumbling halls of 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Local teachers joined a national wave of education strikes that continues today, as working people around the country demand better pay and increased funding for education from their political leaders—Republican and Democrat alike. To get a better sense of who was striking and why, former San Francisco high school teacher and activist Eric Blanc embedded with local educators for three weeks around the walkout, reporting on it then for the democratic socialist magazine Jacobin. Blanc has since written a book, Red State Revolt: The Teachers’ Strike Wave and Working-Class Politics, delivering a richer and more nuanced take on this populist surge than what you’ll find on cable news or elsewhere.

14 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

MATT CARNEY: What was the mood and spirit of the Oklahoma walkout itself? ERIC BLANC: Though Oklahoma didn’t win as much as educators really wanted, the strike itself was a big success in that it brought together tens of thousands of teachers and students and gave a sense of power, solidarity and creativity to people who felt really hopeless. When I talked to teachers about what it meant to them, [they said] the strike gave them a sense of pride that they were finally making their voices heard. And that finally they weren’t just accepting all of the policies that had been imposed for so long. The spirit of being out there was so moving. It had a festival vibe at points where people were treating each other like good friends even if they’d never met before. You could go and be fed free food from strangers.

CARNEY: There’s an important distinction between two demands in the Oklahoma walkout. Teacher pay, which was increased, and statewide education funding, which was not. Why did the strike win one and not the other? BLANC: The particular demands and how to fund them, beyond pay, were not always made extremely clear. So in absence of a clear platform of what exactly was demanded around funding and how exactly people were proposing to pay for it, it made it easier for the legislature to wiggle out and say, “Look, we gave teachers their pay raise. Now it’s time to go home.” Readers might remember that the pay raise was actually won before the walkout even began on April 2 [in 2018]. So the walkout really was just for funding. But because of the haziness of the demands, it was not really

effectively made clear to the public what exactly the walkout wanted. CARNEY: You note in the book the inclusion of school support staff (cafeteria workers, janitors, etc.) in many of these strikes around the country. Did you encounter many of them on the ground at the Oklahoma walkout? BLANC: One of the differences between the Oklahoma strike and West Virginia, for instance, that shows why Oklahoma didn’t get as far, was that it wasn’t a strike for all school workers. So the Oklahoma schools weren’t completely shut down. A lot of the service personnel came to work, even if the students didn’t necessarily come. That created a little more leverage for superintendents and legislators to write off the walkout. And it shows that the movement itself wasn’t as united as it could’ve been. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

The first day, April 2, you did see a very large number of school workers. Many of them called in sick. But unlike teachers, they weren’t excused from showing up due to legal reasons, so it wasn’t that the other school workers weren’t as important. But, unlike West Virginia and Arizona, the Oklahoma strike leaders really tried to stay within the legally accepted parameters, which meant not bucking the superintendents to call on all school workers to come out. CARNEY: So it was an unwillingness to break the law that ultimately prevented Oklahoma educators from achieving as much as they could have? BLANC: Yeah. Whereas in West Virginia, most teachers credit the bus drivers for winning the strike because halfway through, when the legislators and some of the union leaders tried to end it, the bus drivers said, “We’re not showing up,” which let the strike continue. You didn’t see that happen in Oklahoma. CARNEY: One of the narratives that was widely reported during the walkout was about how many side jobs Oklahoma educators were working. What were the most common side jobs among the teachers you talked to? BLANC: Across the board you saw a lot of teachers were driving Uber and Lyft. It was such a common theme that to get to and from the Capitol you’d get picked up by a teacher. Some irony there. CARNEY: One thing I appreciated about your book was how you went to the trouble of highlighting Oklahoma’s history with labor and socialism going back to the early part of the 20th century when we were all a bunch of farmers who mistrusted the government. It’s not really taught in public schools here. BLANC: One of the specific characteristics of the strike wave was that these rank-and-fi le leaders, a lot of them in other states, were THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

socialists. People who’d been radicalized by the Bernie Sanders campaign. There were similar activists like that in Oklahoma, but unlike the other states, none of them were teachers. So they had to only support from the outside, whereas in West Virginia and Arizona, the main rank-andfi le leaders were socialists and had this vision and some political experience. CARNEY: What was it about Bernie’s [2016] campaign that made it so inﬂuential on these teacher struggles across the country? BLANC: Yeah, I think it was huge. The thing that it did was break this myth that everywhere in between the liberal blue states on the coast is a deep red conservative bastion. By talking about class politics and putting forward demands on behalf of the working class against billionaires, [the Sanders campaign] showed that there’s a wide audience—really a majority of the population—that is looking for an alternative to the status quo, against both the Democrats and the Republicans. A lot of the educators and organizers I spoke with pointed to these big rallies that Bernie did as giving them a sense of power, that they weren’t alone. And that other people in their states agreed with them. Because until then there was no real form through which you could tell that there were actually tens of thousands or more people who agreed with you and wanted to see something different. Bernie gave space for that sentiment to come out in the open and cohere. CARNEY: One of the strongest voices who emerged from the book was Stephanie Price [a black educator working in rural Oklahoma]. How did you meet her? BLANC: Covering the strike, I tried to talk to as many different rankand-fi le teachers as possible, to get a bottom-up view of what was going on. I met Stephanie at the Capitol and she ended up being really important for the book and for some of the journalism I was doing.

I do think that trying to get to an accurate assessment of the role of race in strikes is important. Because on one hand you have people who dismiss the entire state of Oklahoma (or West Virginia, or Arizona) as just 100 percent Trump racists. And then on the other hand you have people who continue to overlook the realities of structural racism, as Stephanie mentioned. So I tried to get a more nuanced take. The strike really did bring people together across racial divides. But that didn’t mean that a lot of the white teachers came to a more sophisticated understanding of exactly why black and brown communities are more disadvantaged than their white equivalents in Oklahoma or elsewhere. CARNEY: You use a really great phrase in the book: “learning conditions.” Did you talk to any students at the Capitol about what their teachers were going through? BLANC: I think that one of the strong points of the Oklahoma strike was the extent of student participation. There were a lot of students there the whole time, and even student-specific rallies that they organized themselves in support of the walkout. It was mostly high school students in the bigger urban areas. There was a majority sentiment of support and understanding for the walkout. I found some student organizers who spoke about how the underfunding of schools was a direct attack on them and their families. And that they supported their teachers because they understood that their teachers were fighting not just for themselves, but for all of the students. So I think the student participation was significant. And it’s not hard to understand why, given that students were facing the brunt of this underfunding in the everyday deterioration and conditions of schools. Everyone remembers the pictures of the old textbooks, leaky ceilings and broken chairs. CARNEY: In Red State Revolt you write “labor grievances typically emerge not from absolute depri-

vation but from relative deprivation.” What is the difference between these two? BLANC: People strike when they think they deserve more than what they have. That’s what relative deprivation is. Part of the reason you don’t see many strikes is that, at most times, working people, including educators until recently, have accepted their current situation. They might not like it, but they don’t necessarily feel that they can realistically fight for something better. And so the question then isn’t just how bad things are. Because teachers actually make more in almost all of these states than the average worker. Part of the reason you see these strikes now is that there is a particular gap between expectations and reality for teachers. Because teachers are relatively well-educated and they face conditions that are much worse for people at their same level of education. Also they want to be effective—I was a teacher, and one of the things that motivated the strike was that teachers want to teach. So it’s not just about pay. It’s that they want to be able to do their job well. When schools are systematically underfunded, it hampers their ability to do their job well. So it’s that gap between what people expect—which is relative deprivation—and what they have that generated the discontent that exploded in the strike. a

Red State Revolt is available now from Verso Books. NEWS & COMMENTARY // 15

citybites

Live a lot

VegFest invites Tulsans to try a plant-based diet by TERRIE SHIPLEY Vegan food. (Are you still reading? Stick with me.) “You hear the word and everyone runs the other way,” said Cynthia Beavers, owner of Pure Food + Juice in Center 1 in Brookside. “For a long time … I wouldn’t even say the word ‘vegan’ because I think there’s a lot of negative connotations to it.” Light bounces from every white wall of the space at Pure, which is mostly monochromatic with touches of natural wood and elegant ﬂorals. Its minimalism is the right canvas to showcase Beavers’ strikingly gorgeous menu items. Some of their drinks—like the “Hot Pink,” made with pear, pineapple, beet, and cucumber— are so highly pigmented that you might be tempted to dip in a paintbrush and Jackson Pollock the place. The restaurant has served as a role model for the greater trend of whole food plant based (WFPB) eating in Tulsa. In fact, they’re a sponsor and food court participant of the upcoming VegFest, Tulsa’s first large-scale celebration of the WFPB lifestyle. Those of us familiar with the delights whipped up by veggie-friendly chefs like Beavers know WFPB cuisine can pack a punch, but can you blame the uninitiated for their aversion to the V-word? If you and your rumbling belly were to scan a lunch menu that lacked meat, eggs, and dairy, and then read the words “gluten and soy free, table salt free, processed sugar-free,” the word abundance wouldn’t be the first that comes to mind. Yet crunch into Pure’s Green Dragon Sushi Roll and you’ll notice a veritable rainbow of wholesomeness. Bursting out of a rice wrapper is Roy G. Biv 16 // FOOD & DRINK

Pure’s Green Dragon Sushi Roll features red bell pepper, carrot, English cucumber, avocado, chili-spiced cashews and more—served with a side of almond ancho chili sauce. | GREG BOLLINGER

himself: red bell pepper, carrot, English cucumber, avocado, spinach, purple cabbage, and chilispiced cashews. Served with a side of lip-smacking almond ancho chili sauce and sprinkled artistically with black and white sesame seeds and edible ﬂowers, this is a dish that I would stack up with any other for its ability to satiate and light up Instagram. “My goal is to show people that healthy food is not like rabbit food, or doesn’t taste like tofu,” Beavers said. “We can take really healthy ingredients and it can still taste like the unhealthy version.” People, try their nachos (or tacos—or anything) and tell me it’s not like eating happiness. GREENS ON THE GREEN Featuring more than 60 vendors and exhibitors from several states, a 100 percent plant-based food

court, and national and local physician speakers, the inaugural Tulsa VegFest is the first of its kind in Oklahoma and will take place May 4 at Guthrie Green. One of the VegFest speakers will be cardiologist Dr. Rich Kacere, co-owner of Ediblend Superfood Café, another local brick-and-mortar pioneer of WFPB. With heart disease being the No. 1 killer in Oklahoma and with our state ranking third in the country for cardiovascular disease, Kacere offers a unique perspective: “I see the ravages of poor lifestyle changes all the time.” He said that what VegFest is doing—exposing more people to WFPB—is, in his practice, “probably one of the most beneficial things I can do for my patients. Almost every disease I deal with is a lifestyle choice. If we can make

a lifestyle choice that reverses a disease or stops the disease in its tracks, then wouldn’t that be amazing?” While there is evidence that WFPB/vegetarian/vegan diets have myriad health benefits, the reaction from his patients when he brings up a WFPB lifestyle is mixed. Say a patient of his recently had a heart attack. “When I talk about whole food plant based, they look at me like ‘Really?’ … It’s foreign to them,” Kacere said. “Sometimes that’s the easier crowd because it’s an audience who is having some issues, but on the ﬂ ipside, they got there for a reason.” The health benefits are a main motivator for Melissa Furman, co-founder of Tulsa VegFest and its parent organization, PlantBased Green Country. “The way I look at a WFPB journey is that it’s easier and cheaper to invest now in educating oneself about this lifestyle and taking the time to cook or order nutrient-dense foods [rather than] pay later with medical bills or limited enjoyment of life,” she said. Furman was inspired when she visited a highly attended VegFest in Florida. “I came home from that trip energized,” she said. “I thought a VegFest was probably one of the best ways to reach so many people in a fun yet educational and experiential way.” Wherever Tulsans are on the dietary spectrum, Furman hopes that VegFest will inspire people to “learn something new and try something new.” a

TULSA VEGFEST 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 4 Guthrie Green 111 E. M.B. Brady St. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

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FOOD & DRINK // 17

downthehatch

NOTHING SACRIFICED St. Vitus beseeches us to drink well and play often by ANDREW SALIGA

Batched cocktails, stunning décor, and killer acoustics make St. Vitus the dance club Tulsa didn’t know it needed. | GREG BOLLINGER

ou know the tired club scene all too well. Bass thumps loudly from the inside as you wait in line to get in. Finally, the bouncer checks your ID and accepts your cover fee—a small toll paid to be seen at such a trendy spot. Once inside the dark chasm, you’re presented with mediocre drink options, sold on bottle service, and forced to dance to a spasmodic playlist because you’d rather not think about the time and money wasted if you’d just leave. Fortunately, Tulsa’s latest dance club fits none of these stereotypes. St. Vitus is the dance club the city didn’t know it needed. The concept is something Aaron Post and Darku Jarmola discussed on the patio of Vintage 1740 over three years ago. “We both travel quite a bit,” Jarmola said. “We were seeing this whole niche that wasn’t being represented in Tulsa but had potential.” Post and Jarmola agreed that a proper dance club must meet three requirements: be welcoming to all guests, feature high-quality audio and lighting with a top-notch DJ to back it, and offer a drink program to please even the most discerning of imbibers. Every detail at 18 // FOOD & DRINK

St. Vitus has been meticulously planned and carefully executed with these benchmarks in mind. St. Vitus’ interior decor is a dark, modern dystopic theme with inspiration drawn from classical religious iconography. Church pew-like benches upholstered in velvety blue cloth mark the perimeter of the dance ﬂoor—above which is a large, custom-built array of LED tube lights. These fixtures are infinitely programmable and change throughout the course of the night. Pay close attention and you may see patterns or words hidden in them—one of the bar’s many Easter eggs. Just as you wouldn’t order a top-shelf whiskey and use Coke as a mixer, having the best audio system means nothing unless the space is designed for acoustics. For this task, they consulted with a local company, Big Canyon Acoustic Solutions, to make the acoustic treatments a priority rather than an afterthought. The result is a sound system that bumps without sacrificing the ability to discern the music on the dance ﬂoor or the conversation in front of you. Large stained glass window scenes, illustrated by Jeremy

Luther, ﬂank each side of the DJ’s pulpit. For St. Vitus, the religious-inspired iconography is more than simply an aesthetic. After all, the early club scene began in abandoned churches and warehouses. The four scenes depicted on the stained glass include Latin phrases like Frui Vita Nocere Non (Live Your Life, But Harm No One) and other worthwhile meditations for bar patrons on their path towards sainthood. However, a dance club can’t survive on dark motifs and acoustic vibes alone. Vitus’ focus is on dance music, which can mean anything from house, to disco, or techno. Jarmola (Darku J) is the resident DJ, and during his live sets you won’t find any dramatic builds associated with EDM music, rather, each set is a curated experience where he reads the audience and helps them find their groove. “There’s a big world of dance music out there, that’s been an outlier,” Post said. “We’re not saying that it needs to be mainstream, but we’re saying that you can come here for something experiential, something new.” The third element of St. Vitus’ triune foundation is their

drink program. St. Vitus offers a selection of beer and wine by the can, but it’s what they have on draft that sets them apart. After extensive research and testing, general manager Tanner Scarborough created a menu of classic cocktail riffs that are batched and available on tap. These draft cocktails provide the speed of service needed for a dance club, and, impressively, make no sacrifice on quality. Their Negroni riff which features gin, mezcal, Campari, vermouth, apricot, and cardamom, is one of the best I’ve ever had. Other notable riffs include their cosmopolitan, daiquiri, and gimlet. At only $9 each, it would be hard to find a better-priced craft cocktail in town. St. Vitus operates as an intimate draft cocktail bar on weekdays and lets loose with their dance club vibes on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. “For a lot of people, this can be the place to get draft cocktails, or it can be the place that has the best dance parties in town,” Post said. Services are held seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. No dress code. No cover. Come as you are. a May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

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303 N. MAIN St FOOD & DRINK // 19

downthehatch

$10 taste test

The ‘backpack beers’ of summer, ranked by TTV STAFF AS SPRING SOLDIERS ON AND SUMMER kicks into gear, beer drinkers across Tulsa are putting aside their Belgian quads and barrel-aged imperial stouts for something lighter—and cheaper. Sure, we love our local craft beer as much as the next city, but sometimes you need to fill your backpack for that outdoor summer festival with some bottom-shelf brews that will help you beat the heat without breaking the bank. In the name of journalism, we assembled a crack team of TTV staff beer snobs for a blind taste test. Our goal: to determine the best (and worst) fizzy-yellow lagers from our broke-ass college days, with the hope of steering you, gentle reader, in the right direction. We spent a grand total of $10.58—thanks, Denver Ave. QuickTrip!—in our search for the most crushable and affordable macro beers for the summer season. Our findings may shock and disturb you.

BUDWEISER, 24 OZ. CAN, $2.49 GEORGIA BROOKS (GRAPHIC DESIGNER): I think I know what this one is. BLAYKLEE FREED (ASSISTANT EDITOR): This is very drinkable to me. MORGAN WELCH (GRAPHIC DESIGNER): Bitter aftertaste, a little bit. GEORGIA: It’s heavier than I expected any of these to be. JOHN LANGDON (DIGITAL EDITOR): Yeah —it doesn’t have that light crispiness I was expecting from this group of beers. JEZY GRAY (EDITOR): More body. I think it’s pretty tasty. GEORGIA: I do too! BLAYKLEE: I could drink this whole cup. JEZY: But I will say, it’s got that slight creamed corn, wet cardboard taste I frequently get from these beers—which is not entirely unpleasant. [Laughter] VERDICT: The King of Beers enjoyed a respectable showing during our blind taste test. Not our favorite, but not the worst. While more ﬁlling than the rest, Budweiser is a solid option during your next outdoor summer event. 20 // FOOD & DRINK

COORS BANQUET, 24 OZ. CAN, $2.49 BLAYKLEE: I know what this one is, I’m pretty sure. GEORGIA: I feel like I know what this one is, too. MORGAN: It’s kind of ... JEZY: Flabby. BLAYKLEE: It reminds me of the smell of spilled beer at festivals. JEZY: That old tap smell. JOHN: It’s a little funkier. MORGAN: Even though it’s cold, it tastes like it’s warm? JEZY: Tastes like a hangover. MORGAN: It’s got that Cain’s ﬂoor aroma. [Laughter] VERDICT: A big surprise for all involved, Coors Banquet landed at the very bottom of our tasting notes. Blayklee, a frequent YellowBelly drinker during $2 Tuesdays at The Max, was the most shocked by our panel’s ﬁndings. We drank and ranked the summer’s most crushable backpack beers—for journalism. | MORGAN WELCH

PABST BLUE RIBBON, 24 OZ. CAN, $1.49

MILLER HIGH LIFE, 32 OZ. CAN, $1.79

NATURAL LIGHT, 24 OZ. CAN, $1.49

BLAYKLEE: This one definitely has a more pronounced smell to it. JEZY: Yeah—more on the nose. MORGAN: I know what this one is. GEORGIA: Less creamed corn. More cardboard. BLAYKLEE: Getting the cardboard, for sure. MORGAN: Even though it’s cold, I would have a harder time drinking all of it. JEZY: Yeah, seems like it would get gross as it warms up in your hand. BLAYKLEE: There’s something more potent about this one. JEZY: A little more dank? GEORGIA: Yeah. JOHN: Less creamy. More dank. [Laughter]

GEORGIA: This one has the least flavor so far. BLAYKLEE: I just got a super yeasty aftertaste, though. JEZY: Big aftertaste. GEORGIA: But it’s very watery, pretty much the whole way. BLAYKLEE: I think I definitely know what this one is. JEZY: Me too. GEORGIA: I might like this one the best so far. JEZY: Really—why? GEORGIA: Because it just tastes like water. [Laughter] JOHN: A good candidate for a high-volume drinking beer. JEZY: Very crushable.

JOHN: It tastes like something real, made from actual ingredients. GEORGIA: This one does? JOHN: Yeah. There’s something natural about it, somehow. BLAYKLEE: This is definitely my favorite so far, I think. MORGAN: It’s pretty bitter at first, but then I don’t taste anything. JEZY: A little more hopped than the other ones. A little more ﬂoral, a bit more bite. JOHN: Yeah. JEZY: Very refreshing, too. BLAYKLEE: This would definitely quench my thirst. JOHN: I feel like I enjoy this the most. GEORGIA: Yeah, this might be the tastiest. JEZY: Maybe my favorite, too.

VERDICT: Before the tasting, most everyone agreed that Miller High Life—the champagne of beers—was their prefered cheap brand. While it didn’t win out in our blind taste test, it finished in a very respectable second place.

VERDICT: It’s unanimous—Natural (Natty) Light, the lowest of the low-shelf beers, was our top pick. We could save face by fudging our scientiﬁc results to favor a more respectable brand, but this is journalism baby. Democracy dies in darkness. Don’t @ us. a

VERDICT: Since it’s not 2012, we won’t make a ‘hipster beer’ joke. But suffice to say, it is the finding of this panel that PBR gets more of a bump for its reputation as a fashionable cheap beer than any merits on flavor or drinkability.

May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

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THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

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FOOD & DRINK // 21

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‘OUTSIDE MY SKIN’ LUCIA LUCAS BRINGS A HARD-EDGED EMPATHY TO DON GIOVANNI

By Lyndsay Knecht Photos by Valerie Wei-Haas

LUCIA LUCAS IS HERE TO PLAY DON GIOVANNI AS A PSYCHOPATH—AND IT’S GETTING BIT COMPLICATED.

You’ve caught me at a strange moment,” Lucia Lucas says on the phone. The carousel of dinners and interviews—of talks and performances, of fittings and meetings required by her U.S. mainstage debut at the Tulsa Opera—has been turning for two weeks. Such fanfare would test this witty Virgo anyway. An introvert who walks new cities as part of her artistic process (“soaking everything in; seeing the people, the animals, the trees”) Lucia is finding herself distracted as she courts colleagues and patrons in Tulsa. It’s all lovely, she says. It’s just: She’s here to play Don Giovanni as a psychopath, and it’s getting bit complicated. Like the other night, when she went to Jinya for dinner. She approached a host at the door. Do you have free wi-fi? Lucia asked with a charmed smile. This is not like Lucia. Usually she would look at her phone first; if she would have, she would’ve seen “Jinya 24 // FEATURED

Free wi-fi” right there in the network list. But, for some reason, she seized the opportunity to ask, to test. The host was super nice, said he’d go check into it. Lucia ate her noodles. Her liaison returned to say that yes, the restaurant does have free wi-fi. Oh, what’s the password? Lucia asked. She looked at her phone then, to see the network listed plain and public, no password needed. “I don’t know why I asked him,” Lucia laughs. “I just feel like I’m a little bit outside of my skin, like, watching myself interact with people in a way that Giovanni would.” Lucia Lucas’ Don Giovanni, under the direction of Denni Sayers, would collect as much information about every person as possible, quietly reading the room while romancing it. This Don Giovanni might not, for example, physically drag Zerlina out of the ballroom in Act 1. “What happens if I don’t pull her? Will she still come with me?” Lucia posits. “These are great moments. A psychopath is testing their power … I feel like all sociopaths—and specifically in this case, psychopaths—are empaths. They are all empaths. But empaths have maybe a moral framework that says, ‘I’m not going to use this for evil.’ I feel like psychopaths and sociopaths—they can feel other people’s emotions. But they just don’t have a problem using that

against that person. If you’re an empath, you can choose—you can choose to be good or evil.”

Lucia Lucas’ Don Giovanni is poised to be singular for a few reasons. The baritone prepared for the role with a Killing Eve binge, a careful recommendation from Sayers. It was Tulsa Opera who approached Lucia for the role. And she’s the first transgender woman to play a lead role in a U.S. opera company—probably the first out transgender woman to play a lead role in a major opera, period. This has meant a new dimension of both pressure and intrigue for Lucia, who’s lived in Germany for the last decade. “I decided through a process that if I wanted to have an international career, if I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure that my career continues and is as fruitful as possible, I needed to see if I could be comfortable playing anyone in any gender,” Lucia says. “If I wanted to perform for myself, for my own amusement or my own character enrichment, I could perform in LGBT spaces. And I could say: ‘This is the show that I want to do. This is how I want to present. This is what I’m most comfortable with.’ But if I want to perform at Tulsa, if I want to perform at ENO [English

National Opera], where I’m performing in the fall—if I want to perform at the Met someday, it’s not for me to say how far they’re allowed to take my character,” she says. “If I do that, I’m limiting my work.” Lucia’s career up to now has been unconcerned with limits of any kind. She unceremoniously zeroes in on what she wants, and gets it. In describing the parallel trajectory she’s taken with her wife, Ariana, she speaks with a matter-of-fact sort of pride. “We decided 15 years ago that we both wanted to do opera, and we were going to make careers—we were going to make giant international careers—in opera. And then you know, we set out doing that.” The pair met at California State University, Sacramento, when Lucia played french horn. She remembers hearing Malcolm McKenzie and Dean Elzinga at the Sacramento opera and feeling inspired. Later, Lucia found her own baritone, and the experience was close kin to the sensations of horn-playing. “When I started singing I was already vibrating with my entire body. When I sang for the opera director at my school, he said, ‘Oh, have you thought about studying privately?’ I had to learn how to sing high. The low voice and the mid voice was something that came natural to me. I’ve been singing with the same voice for 20 years now,” she says. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

“I needed LUCIA LUCAS PERFORMS SONGS FROM DON GIOVANNI DURING THE TULSA OPERA’S PRESIDENT COUNCIL DINNER ON APRIL 23.

Her career is that voice, a star around which all other elements of the roles orbit with intention. She is a permanent member of the Staatstheatre Karlruhe in Germany, and was seen before with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, II Teatro Regio, the Sacramento Opera, the Chicago Opera Theater and others. Lucia began her transition at the age of 33. It was clear that she would continue to play male roles, primarily, and she set out to educate the opera community at large on how it’s totally possible for a woman to do that. She relishes teaching makeup artists and costume designers the best practices for gender performance. Realistic stubble only requires wax and tiny snips of faux hair, Lucia shows them. Recently while acting for a long-form classical music video, she shaved a beard made of wax and faux hair cleanly off her face in one take, beaming at the movie magic. Lucia keeps in her kit a binder to conceal her chest and a packer for tight pants. (“If a binder minimizes the top, a packer fills out the bottom, let’s say,” Lucia laughs.) Facilitating this insight is part of the deal now, she says. “Especially during a show, navigating the character that I’m living with and [trans advocacy] is a little tricky. But I basically decided that it wasn’t going to be possible for me to be a stealth woman baritone because nobody did that yet. They have existed, THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

not like this—maybe in pop music, or in jazz music,” Lucia says. “When I decided to come out in 2014, I pruned my Facebook a little bit for in jokes, with the idea that—‘From this point on, any post that I do, anything that I do, is just going to be public. All of this is going to be public record, from now on. This is my life, and I’m just going to be open. I’ve said this in a lot of interviews but I still feel it to be true, and what I want to do is be who I needed when I was younger.” With Lucia’s openness has come a loop of affirmation. In 2017 Lucia performed the 12-minute aria of Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer completely naked in London at The Glory, Muse, and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Someone in the audience was intersex and presented as female; they responded to the show in gratitude. Lucia gave the exchange a tender mention in a piece she wrote for Accent magazine soon afterward. “They assumed that I was like them— they saw my naked body and saw a woman’s body, not a trans woman’s,” Lucia wrote. “That was very gender confirming.” When it comes to traction for opera singers who are trans, Lucia is the sole generator. What she’s doing as a baritone is creating new possibilities. She played the four villains in Les contes d'Hoffmann as women with Oper Wuppertal, a feat she credits to an experimental director.

“In the scale of my career, I’ve had people saying, ‘Yeah well I guess that was good for you, because you can play that.’ And I was like, ‘No! If they were all men, I would have played it just fine,’” she says. Looking broadly, just two contemporary operas center queer characters in large productions. Hannah, the smalltown quarterback heroine in As One, goes through a series of self-actualizing moments as she transitions and a larger world blooms around her. As One debuted in Brooklyn in 2014, the same year Brokeback Mountain met audiences as an opera in Madrid. It’s unsettling for many that Hannah’s part is articulated by cis singers—one man, and one woman— rather than a trans performer. Lucia mentions this kind of dichotomy offhand as it happened in The Danish Girl in 2015, when cis actor Eddie Redmayne portrayed Danish artist Lili Elbe. She brought up the story because it’s one she deeply relates to: the pair of artists, tenderly in love, navigating one partner’s transition; even the ball at which Lili steps out as herself is familiar. The controversy surrounding the film is distant from our conversation, which is about real life, Lucia’s life, the epic roles in her grasp, and the success that’s shaped her relationship of 15 years. She’s here to see the screen—and the stage— catch up. a

to see if

I could be

comfortable playing

anyone in

any gender.

I could say: ‘This is

the show

that I want to do.

This is how I want to present. This is

what I’m most

comfortable with.'”

MAY

THE FEST IS YET TO COME SIXTY-TWO SUMMER FESTIVALS BY TTV STAFF

Saturdays and Sundays through June 2 Oklahoma Renaissance Festival THE CASTLE OF MUSKOGEE, OKCASTLE.COM Travel back the days of yore to the village of Castleton. 2–4 Tulsa Noise Fest CARSON STUDIO, TULSAARTISTFELLOWSHIP.COM 66 acts push sonic boundaries. Read more on pg. 41. 3 International Jazz Fest GUTHRIE GREEN, TULSAJAZZ.COM Performances include a Herbie Hancock tribute by the Free Samples, as well as The Elizabeth Speegle Band, Gemstar Caribbean Steel Band, and more. 3–4 BBQ ‘n Blues Festival BIXBY, BIXBYROTARYBBQ.COM Two days of smoked meats and smokin’ guitar licks. 3–5 Cinco de Mayo Festival RIVER WEST FESTIVAL PARK This three-day celebration of Mexican culture will feature live music and performances, food and drink, carnival rides, and a 5K run.

Summer festival season is upon us. As we collectively thaw out and reach for our shades, now is the time to get out and about and enjoy all the fun our fine city has to offer. Food fests, beer bashes, art parties, cultural events, and music blowouts are just a few of the kinds of happenings that remind us Tulsa was made for summer. 26 // FEATURED

3–5 Germanfest GERMAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TULSA, GASTULSA.ORG This annual celebration features folk dancing, polka bands, food, drink, and activities. 4 Tulsa VegFest GUTHRIE GREEN, TULSAVEGFEST.ORG This inaugural festival will celebrate sustainability and plant-based lifestyles and will feature speakers, vendors, and food. 4 Festival of Colors HAIKEY CREEK PARK, BROKEN ARROW, IAGTOK.COM Celebrate Holi with free colors, games, and music.

4 Jenks America Food Truck Festival JENKS, JENKSCHAMBER.COM Enjoy the live sounds of local music and the ﬂavors of local food trucks. 4–5 Elote’s Cinco de Mayo Street Festival DECO DISTRICT, ELOTETULSA.COM See luchador bouts in the middle of Boston Ave. at this fest, which will feature food, margaritas, and local beer. 9–12 Rooster Days CENTRAL PARK, BROKEN ARROW, ROOSTERDAYS.COM This 88-year tradition includes a parade, carnival, market, and live performances. 11 OK Eclectic Fest GUTHRIE GREEN, OKROOTSMUSIC.ORG This inaugural festival will feature contemporary dance, a talk by Rolling Stone’s first staff photographer, Baron Wolman, and a variety of live music, including singer/songwriter Valerie June. 11 Bristow Tabouleh Fest BRISTOW, TABOULEHFEST.COM Bristow celebrates its Lebanese heritage at this annual street festival. 11 Stilwell Strawberry Festival STILWELL, STRABERRYCAPITAL.COM Enjoy the sweet strawberries of Stilwell at this festival which also features, art, and music. 11–12 Festival of Kites WIND RIDERS FIELD, FACEBOOK.COM/TULSAWINDRIDERS Take to the skies at Tulsa Wind Riders Kite Club’s 26th annual festival. 17–19 Tulsa International Mayfest TULSA ARTS DISTRICT, TULSAMAYFEST.ORG In its 46th year, Mayfest is moving to the Tulsa Arts District. The festivals three stages will host dozens of local and regional acts, and with a new local-artists area, Mayfest will have more local art than ever. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Like us on Facebook!

www.Visitmuskogee.com

88 years strong! Saturdays & Sundays Now - June 2nd may 9 - 12, 2019 roosterdays.com • facebook.com/RoosterDays • @RoosterDays • #RoosterDays

JULY 20, 2019 • BROKEN ARROW, OK • 10AM–3PM

TASTEOFSUMMERBA.COM THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

OKCASTLE.com Located just North of Muskogee on Hwy 69

Free Parking

FEATURED // 27

OKLAHOMA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

ROSE FESTIVAL & CHALK IT UP

18 Ales & Tails Crawfish Fest VINITA, ALESANDTAILS.NET This fest in Vinita pairs Cajun cooking with Red Dirt music. 18–19 Habit Mural Festival GATEWAY BUILDING, HABITFESTIVAL.COM Artists from around the country will transform the Gateway Building and create new murals at several other locations downtown and in the Pearl District. 19 The Hop Jam TULSA ARTS DISTRICT, THEHOPJAM.COM Hanson will return to headline their festival, which will feature more than 100 breweries and music from Phantom Planet, The Weeks, Wilderado, and more. 23–27 Juneteenth Carnival OSU-TULSA, TULSAJUNETEENTH.ORG Tulsa Juneteenth hosts this familyfun carnival with rides, games, food, and more.

24–26 World Culture Music Festival TULSA ARTS DISTRICT, WCMTULSA.COM Oklahoma’s largest hip-hop festival will feature more performances by more than 60 acts.

30–June 1 Chillin’ & Grillin’ BBQ Festival SAND SPRINGS, SANDSPRINGSCHAMBER.COM This once-small gathering of BBQ enthusiasts has grown to a competition featuring dozens of teams.

24–26 Rocklahoma PRYOR, ROCKLAHOMA.COM Pryor’s rock-fest will feature performances by Shinedown, Gwar, Korn, Disturbed, and Bush.

31 Real Okie Craft Beer Fest MUSKOGEE, FRIENDSOFHONORHEIGHTSPARK.ORG This festival celebrates the art of craft brewing in Oklahoma.

25 Hip Hop 918 GUTHRIE GREEN, GUTHRIEGREEN.COM Tulsa’s old school rap fest returns with Slick Rick the Ruler, Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, and Bid Daddy Kane.

31–June 1 Broken Arrow Rose Festival & Chalk It Up ROSE DISTRICT, BROKEN ARROW, KEEPBABEAUTIFUL.ORG This festival celebrates the natural beauty of Broken Arrow’s roses and the temporary beauty of chalk art.

25 Route 66 Patriotfest HISTORICAL ROUTE 66 VILLAGE, RT66PATRIOTFEST.COM Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with a classic car and motorcycle cruise down Route 66, historical displays, and live entertainment. 30–June 1 Tallgrass Music Festival SKIATOOK, TALLGRASSMUSICFESTIVAL.COM Performances by The Baker Family, Blue Moon Rising, The Moron Brothers, and more.

28 // FEATURED

31–June 2 Tulsa Pride EAST VILLAGE DISTRICT, TULSAPRIDE.ORG Oklahoma’s longest-running LGBTQ+ celebration features a parade, live performances, speakers, a family picnic, the Rainglow Run, and more.

JUNE 1 Big Dawg’s Crawfish Festival MUSKOGEE, BIGDAWGFEST.COM This festival will feature a massive crawfish boil, live music, beer, and vendors. 6 Brookside Rumble and Roll BROOKSIDE, RUMBLEANDROLL.COM Thousands of motorcycles will parade through town before arriving at a street party on Brookside. 6–8 Okmulgee Pecan Festival OKMULGEE, OKMULGEECHAMBER.ORG Go nuts at Okmulgee’s annual festival. 6–8 American Heritage Music Festival GROVE, GRANDLAKEFESTIVALS.COM This celebration of old-timey tunes also includes the Grand Lake National Fiddle Fest competition. 6–9 deadCenter Film Festival OKLAHOMA CITY, DEADCENTERFILM.ORG The biggest film festival in the state, deadCenter is a weekend of screenings, panels, and parties. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

RENAISSANCE FEST: CLIFF MOORE; TULSA TOUGH: PROPELLER COMMUNICATIONS; CHALK IT UP: COURTESY

TULSA TOUGH

EXCHANGE CHOREOGRAPHY DANCE FESTIVAL

Liddy Doenges, TPAC July 26-27, 2019

To register, log on to www.thebellhouse.info or call (918) 269-1621. Deadline: May 15, 2018 Early festival registration through July 1st.

The best of Tulsa:

music, arts, dining, news, things to do, and more. Come find out what ’s happening.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

FEATURED // 29

8–15 OKM Festival BARTLESVILLE, OKMMUSIC.ORG This 35th annual festival features a wide variety of musical performances, including jazz, classical, bluegrass, and folk. 13–16 Tulsa Juneteenth GREENWOOD, TULSAJUNETEENTH.ORG Tulsa’s Juneteenth celebration will feature art, music, and events, including a tribute to Prince featuring Morris Day and Sheila E.

FREEDOM FEST

SCOTFEST

JULY 4 Folds of Honor Freedom Fest VETERANS PARK AND RIVER WEST FESTIVAL PARK, FREEDOMFESTTULSA.COM Celebrate our nation’s independence with live music, activities, and one of the largest fireworks displays around. 5 Fuck You We Rule OK! THE VANGUARD, FYWROK.COM The punk fest will bring The Unseen Defiance, Monster Squad, The Oi! Scouts, and more to The Vanguard.

20–23 Muscogee Nation Festival OKMULGEE, CREEKFESTIVAL.COM This festival features a wide variety of events including a Stompdance, rodeo, carnival, games, tournaments, and fitness events, and performances by national music acts.

10–14 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival OKEMAH, WOODYFEST.COM Wish Woody a happy 106th birthday on a visit to his hometown with musicians who have followed in his footsteps.

20–23 Tulsa Greek Festival HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, HTGOCTULSA.ORG Celebrate Greek culture with art, performances, and food.

12 Tulsa Funk Festival VFW POST 577, FACEBOOK.COM/TULSAFUNKFESTIVAL The second annual funk fest will feature performances by Collidoscope, Groovement, Cherokee Rose, and more.

22 Breaking the Bible Belt Fest THE VANGUARD, THEVANGUARDTULSA.COM This inaugural sludge fest will feature two stages of metal bands from the South and Southwest. 22 Boulder Dash TULSA ARTS DISTRICT, BOULDERDASHTULSA.COM A day of highly competitive big-wheel trike races. 27–29 Bixby Green Corn Festival BIXBY, BIXBYOPTIMIST.COM Nothing too corny here, just oldfashioned family fun. 29–30 I AM Yoga Festival CEDAR ROCK INN AT REDBERRY FARM, IAMYOGAFESTIVAL.COM

30 // FEATURED

I AM Yoga features indoor and outdoor classes and workshops, group meditations, live music, and more.

12–14 Tokyo in Tulsa STONEY CREEK CONFERENCE CENTER, TOKYOINTULSA.COM Oklahoma’s largest anime and pop culture expo has a cowboys vs. aliens theme this year. 18–20 Porter Peach Festival PORTER, PORTERPEACHFESTIVALS.COM This small-town fest dedicated to Porter’s delicious peaches has been a summer tradition for nearly 60 years. 20 Taste of Summer Ice Cream Festival BROKEN ARROW, TASTEOFSUMMERBA.COM Blue Bell offers unlimited ice cream at this Broken Arrow summer staple. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

I AM YOGA: KASSIE PATTON; FREEDOM FEST: RICHARD HARKINS; SCOTFEST: COURTESY

7–9 Tulsa Tough BLUE DOME AND TULSA ARTS DISTRICTS, AND RIVERSIDE, TULSATOUGH.COM Downtown Tulsa loses its collective mind during this weekend of cycling races.

I AM YOGA FESTIVAL

25–27 Exchange Choreography Festival TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, THEBELLHOUSE.INFO Exchange features performances, workshops, and events that blur the line between performer and audience.

30–31 Blue Whale Comedy Festival TULSA ARTS DISTRICT, BLUEWHALECOMEDYFESTIVAL.COM Tulsa’s premiere (read: only) comedy festival returns with shows by national and local comedians.

27–28 Tulsa Powwow COX BUSINESS CENTER, TULSAPOWWOW.ORG Tulsa Indian Club hosts their 67th annual powwow.

30–September 1 Dusk ‘til Dawn Blues Festival RENTIESVILLE, DCMINERBLUES.COM True to its name, dozens of blues bands perform from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night of this one-of-a-kind festival.

AUGUST 9–10 Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo & Festival OKMULGEE, OKMULGEECHAMBER.ORG Okmulgee Invitational was the nation’s first black rodeo and is one of the state’s longest-running rodeos. 9–11 IICOT Pow Wow of Champions MABEE CENTER, IICOT.ORG The Intertribal Indian Club of Tulsa hosts their 42nd annual powwow. 9–11 Green Country Roots Festival TAHLEQUAH, GCRFESTIVAL.COM This roots music fest will expand to three days for its second year. 10 Will Rogers/Wiley Post Fly-In OOLOGAH, WILLROGERS.COM More than 100 small aircraft ﬂy-in to the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch to celebrate small plane aviation and the lives of Rogers and Post. 24 Maker Faire Tulsa CENTRAL PARK HALL AT EXPO SQUARE, TULSA.MAKERFAIRE.COM Maker Faire celebrates hobbies, experiments, and projects of all kind. 24 Wild Brew COX BUSINESS CENTER, WILDBREW.ORG Support wildlife conservation while sampling your choice of more than 200 beers and food from more than 50 restaurants. THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

· Oklahoma’s newest festival ·

lec tic e c Ok SATURDAY,

fe st

May 11, 2019

Guthrie green & duet

jazz | tulsa, ok

VALERIE JUNE Soulful Americana Singer-songwriter

rolling Stone’s first staff photographher

SEPTEMBER 2 Tulsa’s Great Raft Race THE ARKANSAS RIVER, TULSARAFTRACE.COM Hundreds brave the treacherous waters of the mighty Arkansas in homemade dinghies. 6–7 Bluegrass & Chili Festival WAGONER, BLUEGRASSCHILIFEST.COM This chili competition and showcase of top bluegrass talent has been an end-of-summer tradition for 40 years. 6–8 WizardWorld Comic Con RENAISSANCE HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER, WIZARDWORLD.COM The biggest name in fan conventions returns to Tulsa. 13–15 ScotFest BROKEN ARROW, OKSCOTFEST Now in its 40th year, ScotFest is a celebration of Scottish and Celtic culture, music, food, and drink, and the area’s largest Highland Games. 14 MisFEST GUTHRIE GREEN, MISFEST.COM MisFEST returns for its third year celebrating women in music. 14 The Big Om at Home Yoga Festival PEARL BEACH BREW PUB, BIGOMYOGARETREAT.COM The Big Om will host classes, workshops, entertainment, and music under downtown’s skyline. a

baron

contemporary dance

dark

wolman reflejos

circles

spanish flamenco

middle-eastern dance

perizad &

flamencos

elysium

bellydance bellydance

Retro-soul

Dane arnold

circus arts

& the soup + Family activiti

es, local cuisine,

inspyral

Okrootsmusic.o fine wine tastings

, OK craft brews &

more...

rg +

WineTasting spanish wine tasting, flamenco music & dance at duet Join us for an evening of sustainably produced Spanish and Portuguese wines followed by the world-class Spanish music and dance of flamenco troupe REFLEJOS FLAMENCOS. Rolling Stone’s first chief photographer BARON WOLMAN will give away a signed archival print of Santana at Woodstock ($800 value) to one lucky ticket holder.

Saturday, May 11 at 9pm @ Duet. Jazz .

DUET, 108 N. Detroit, Tulsa (Next to Magic City Books) $35 includes concert immediately following tasting. Tickets @ OKRootsMusic.org

FEATURED // 31

bookworm

Wild reality

Tommy Orange on writing about urban Native life, identity, and his hometown by CASSIDY MCCANTS

ommy Orange’s debut novel, There There, won both the 2018 PEN/ Hemingway Award and the John Leonard Prize—and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. An enrolled member of the Arapaho and Cheyenne Tribes of Oklahoma, Orange was born and raised in Oakland, California, which serves as the setting for There There. The novel, a series of vignettes featuring a large cast of characters who come together at an Oakland powwow, has received much praise for its depictions of Native people in urban settings— experiences rarely portrayed in literature and media even today. Orange will join Sterlin Harjo on May 9 for a Booksmart Tulsa discussion at Living Arts. I spoke with him before the much-anticipated event.

did it arise from a consideration of the place, Oakland?

Tommy Orange will join Sterlin Harjo for a Booksmart Tulsa discussion at Living Arts on May 9. | ELENA SEIBERT

CASSIDY MCCANTS: Hey, Tommy. Thanks for speaking with me. TOMMY ORANGE: Hey, hi. MCCANTS: So, to start. You’re from Oakland and got your MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Did you start working on There There when you were in the program? ORANGE: No, I was about halfway through the novel when I joined the program. It had all been pretty well envisioned, but there was still a lot of work to do. I was kind of anti-MFA because I figured people had been becoming writers for more years just by writing than by going through MFA programs. I was trying to develop my own voice and authority and thought an 32 // ARTS & CULTURE

MFA would really tamper with that, but then I found this specific program with Native faculty, and I just knew it would be a different experience. I’d be part of a Native writing community; I just knew it was not your typical MFA. Also, one of the best things about MFAs, and the reason I think a lot of writers gravitate toward them, is they’re access points to the publishing world. You develop relationships with people who have to have published books. And if [...] they respect your writing they’ll often give you opportunities. So I was sort of aware of that, too, that it might make publishing a book more possible. And it was lowresidency. I couldn’t exactly relocate my whole family—I have a son and a wife—and so it had to do with the fact that it was affordable and low-residency. Also, if I was being

realistic I would have thought the MFA would allow me to have a teaching job and not a career as a writer. That wasn’t really what I thought would happen. I thought, this is what I love to do, and I could see loving teaching. I was already teaching in a different capacity, so I knew that was something I could make into a career—being a writing teacher. MCCANTS: The prologue of There There opens with meditations on what you call “Indian Heads,” the way American culture approaches and reacts to this symbol—in a jar, on a spike—and goes on to discuss how many Native people have chosen and embraced urban city life, something rarely depicted in stories by and about Native people. And the interlude functions similarly. Did this novel come out of these ruminations, or

ORANGE: Well, I worked in the urban Native community in Oakland for many years, and I grew up in Oakland, so it was very much coming from wanting to represent the place I come from— wanting to write a novel, wanting to include personal experience, and wanting to represent something that’s not often represented. As far as the structure, or form, goes, I just really like how prologues function in novels, and I’d never written it as an essay, as a lot of people are calling it. It just kind of broke form—it uses the “royal we” point of view and was meant to, before starting an urban Indian story, contextualize what even is an urban Indian. I’d heard it used pretty casually in the nonprofit world and it was often a part of a clumsy acronym written for a grant. That’s where it came from. MCCANTS: The title comes from Gertrude Stein’s Everybody’s Autobiography. Your character Dene speaks on the importance of this quote—how Stein wrote that she “found that she was talking about how the place where she’d grown up in Oakland had changed so much, that so much development had happened there, that the there of her childhood, the there there, was gone, there was no there there anymore.” Could you talk a little about how the title introduces the themes of the novel? ORANGE: Yeah, so, when I was doing research, trying to see what other writers have written about Oakland, what kind of Oakland writers are out there, I came across this Gertrude Stein quote. I’d known of her, but I hadn’t May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

really been a Gertrude Stein reader. But that particular line had so much resonance for me when it comes to Native experience and, like with the characters in this novel, identity struggles. If you’re from a city but what’s supposed to defi ne you is the land or nature, what does it mean to be Native now? She was referencing Oakland, and the whole book is about the ‘there there’ of Oakland. So there were some different ways to it I really enjoyed, including the Radiohead song, which was serendipitous. I was Googling “there there” to see if it was already a book, because I just really liked the title. I saw the Radiohead song, which I’d known as “Track 09” because I’d pirated Hail to the Thief, the album it appears on. I didn’t even know the song was called “There There.” So the themes of the song—you know, “just because you feel it doesn’t mean it’s there” and “accidents waiting to happen,” were a total coincidence—it felt like a very lucky thing, because I love Radiohead. MCCANTS: That’s wonderful. Well, clearly people have responded well to the book. Did you get the sense this was a novel people were craving—did you foresee this success with your debut? ORANGE: No. I was thinking, best case scenario, I sell it to a university press. And then my director from my school said I could get a teaching job if I published a book. So my dreams were very reasonable, not wild ones that would have included anything close to what’s happened. MCCANTS: Which of these characters was easiest for you to write about? The most difficult? ORANGE: Well, Thomas Frank came out really fast and really complete, in 10 days, I think. And then Opal, when she’s a little girl in Alcatraz, took a really long time. But then her older chapter I wrote in a month, so it was really all over the map. Some characters took years to develop, and others came out really fast. MCCANTS: For you, what is really at the heart of this story, these THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

stories? What is the most important thread or takeaway? ORANGE: I think there are two different things I wanted to pull off. One was to write a novel that’s pretty bleak but hopeful at the same time, because […] life is that way. I also wanted to make more complex and expand depictions of Native people, and how people think of contemporary life for Native people, by making reallife-feeling characters and having them do contemporary things like everyone else does, instead of how we’re so often depicted in media. If we’re there at all, it’s usually a stupid depiction. MCCANTS: Do you think people are appreciating the novel for the things you wanted it to accomplish? ORANGE: Yeah, for sure. When I found out Oakland Native people embraced it, and also the wider Native population, that was really important to me, because that’s who I feel like I was writing it for. So that would have been success for me no matter how well the book did. But obviously getting to write for a living is really nice. The publicity stuff is not very fun because, naturally, that’s not what I like to do, but I’m getting used to it—I’ve accepted it, because it’s what you have to do to have a successful book. MCCANTS: And what are you working on now? ORANGE: Right now I’m focusing on short stories. I started two different novel projects that I’ve put on the proverbial desk or shelf. Just short stories right now. MCCANTS: Somehow There There feels like one big short story to me, or maybe like a collection, with all the different storylines. It’s something about the bleak and the hopeful coming together, maybe. ORANGE: I really love the form. I’m still developing it. MCCANTS: Well, thanks for talking with me, Tommy. Looking forward to having you here. ORANGE: Thank you. a ARTS & CULTURE // 33

bookworm

everal years ago, Brigid Hughes—founder and editor of the Brooklyn-based literary journal, A Public Space—had a chance encounter that would send her reaching into the past, emerging with a treasure for the future. “At a used bookstore in New York City, I came across a copy of a book called W-3 on the one-dollar cart,” Hughes said. “It had this striking black and neon green cover, and a blurb from Saul Bellow. I opened a page at random and was enthralled. We looked for more information about the author, and Google though we may, could find very little. That such a gifted writer had been so forgotten seemed both a puzzle and an injustice.” What was lost, and what was found—after a long hunt that led Hughes and her team to the author’s son, Jacob Howland, a professor of philosophy at the University of Tulsa, who replied the next day via email—turned out to be a safe-deposit box full of unpublished stories and letters by the late Bette Howland, a woman whose personal and literary history was as riveting and complex as her writing. A Public Space has been around since 2006, but until this year had never published a book. Taking the place of honor as the fi rst work in its new imprint line is Bette Howland’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, a collection of grittily-detailed, tender-hearted, uncompromising stories of mid-century life in Chicago that are, in Hughes’ words, “singular and memorable and absolutely original.” “Her story is a case study for the movement of honoring women writers whose work has been erased,” Hughes said. Born in 1937, Howland—the fi rst in her working-class Jewish family to go to college—attended and taught at the prestigious Committee on Social Thought and studied in the creative writing program at the University of Iowa. “I don’t know whether she 34 // ARTS & CULTURE

The life and legacy of Bette Howland is “a case study for the movement of honoring women writers whose work has been erased.” | COURTESY

A prosperous return The rediscovery of Bette Howland by ALICIA CHESSER ATKIN would say that she learned a lot from the guys at Iowa,” Jacob Howland said with a laugh. Her gift for writing was her own. A single, divorced mother of two sons, as familiar with poverty as she was with prose, she published three books between 1974 and 1983, and in 1984 received the MacArthur Award (also known as the “genius grant”), after which she published very little, according to her son, feeling a pressure of expectation that was perhaps too much for a woman who had been so little encouraged in her work up to that point. One person who certainly did encourage her was Bellow, one of the 20th-century’s great fiction writers. They met in 1961 and became lifelong friends and literary compatriots. Bellow wrote recommendations for Howland

when she wanted to get into writer’s retreats to work on her books. She, her son recalled, once offered some criticisms on a draft of Bellow’s Mr. Sammler’s Planet that made the author so angry he stormed out of the house. “To the extent that he could, Bellow helped to make a place for her in American letters,” Jacob Howland said. “And she was always proud of helping him improve that book. People say she was a protege of Bellow, but she doesn’t need any qualifications. The sheer excellence of her writing is the biggest reason for this renaissance.” And the writing is extraordinary: both dream-like and hyperreal, experimental and classical, the product of a prodigious mythopoetic imagination and a visceral attention to the facts of

downtroddenness and heartbreak. Her late story “Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage”—described by her son as “the story of a man named Victor Lazarus, either a Greek tragedy or just bad Jewish luck”— is a wildly contemporary feat of layering, where quotations from scripture lie alongside Chicago colloquialisms and descriptions of characters’ interior lives that would have made David Foster Wallace genuﬂect. For Howland, the vocation of the writer was a moral one. Her favorite word, her son told me, was “ardor.” Bette Howland died in Tulsa in 2017, having moved from her native Chicago to be cared for during her final years, and it’s from here that her work has been born again. Though Hughes (who, earlier in her career, edited The Paris Review, the first woman ever to do so) never got to talk with the author while preparing the forthcoming book, she said she took guidance from an interview with her from the 1980s. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” Howland said there. “And any separate chapter has more power when read with the rest, as part of the book. I had no theme. I was just interested in my characters and in their place. You see, everything about writing is intuitive and intentional at the same time.” “I wanted to honor that,” Hughes said. “I also wanted the book to span her career. ‘Aronesti’ was her first published story. The opening story, ‘A Visit,’ was one of the pieces Jacob sent in that first email. And we knew we wanted ‘Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage,’ a masterpiece, as the finale; to end the book with that beautiful last line: ‘It’s all over— and it’s only the beginning.’” a

Magic City Books presents CALM SEA AND PROSPEROUS VOYAGE BY BETTE HOWLAND with Dr. Jacob Howland and special guests from Belletrist and A Public Space IDL Ballroom, May 7 May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

presents

by Susan Pargman

May 3 & 10 at 7:30pm May 4, 5, 11, 12 at 2:00pm Adults – $12 Seniors – $11 Children – $10 For reservations, call 918-587-5030

E V E N T S @ T PA C

spotlighttheatre.org

Don Giovanni Tulsa Opera May 3 & 5 The Wizard of Oz Theatre Tulsa Academy May 3-5 Casii Stephan Brown Bag It Series May 8 Into The Woods Jr. Riverfield Country Day School May 10-11 TBCDE End of Year Performance Tulsa Ballet May 13-14 Hanson: String Theory Tulsa Symphony May 17 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Theatre Tulsa May 17-26 One-Man Pride & Prejudice and One-Man Star Wars Trilogy Tulsa Project Theatre May 18

TICKETS @ TULSAPAC.COM 918.596.7111

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

ARTS & CULTURE // 35

podpeople

Tom King, Lauren Turner, and Landry Miller are the voices behind the Digital Intercourse podcast. | GREG BOLLINGER

Shame busters

Local comedians talk sex and relationships, kink and connection by MARY NOBLE

n 2017, comedian and burlesque dancer Tom King had the idea to start a podcast about all things sex: relationships and pleasure, kink and connection. Seeking a witty co-host, King combed through his mental rolodex of local talent. Standup comedian Lauren Turner came immediately to mind. “I pitched it to Lauren, not knowing she was in mental health at the time and … I was like, ‘Perfect! You can be like the Dr. Drew and I’ll be just some horny jackass.’” “Which is kind of our dynamic —we both bring our expertise,” Turner added with a laugh. Digital Intercourse releases four episodes a month—two full-length episodes where the pair bring on a guest with an expertise, kink, or sexual/relational experience they find interesting. They also release two “quickie” episodes with discussions of current events in the wide world of sex, based off research and news articles. The show is produced and edited by comedian and writer Landry Miller, who occasionally offers input and assists with research. “I learn so much from the show,” he said. “It’s not just sex and kink. They also talk to [people] about being mothers … people moving in together, and all these different sociological 36 // ARTS & CULTURE

dynamics of relationships and how they work.” Since the show’s inception, King and Tuner’s friendship has strengthened along with their ability to navigate difficult topics, each offering a unique point of view. Turner has worked in various arenas of the mental health field, including two and a half years with Tulsa Cares, an organization offering an array of services and treatment for those living with HIV/AIDS. This background was especially applicable in an episode where the hosts discussed PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a strategy that uses medication to prevent HIV from establishing infection in an HIV-negative individual. King offers experiential expertise from his involvement in the kink and polyamorous (poly) communities in Tulsa. He often frequents BDSM dungeons for pleasure and networking purposes. “If someone is knowledgeable about a certain kink, I build a relationship with them,” King said. For King, offering listeners the opportunity to get to know the people within these scenes is integral in reducing the shame associated with them. “I carried a lot of shame, and getting out of that is very liberating. Even if you see kink, poly, or horseplay people in some television show, they’re

[depicted as] some circus clown. So being able to sit down and have a normal person-to-person conversation about whatever their thing is, is really important.” King recognizes the importance of respecting all choices, taboo and traditional. “We talk about all the shame that can go into non-traditional lifestyles but if you get too absorbed in a non-traditional lifestyle there’s shame coming back. Bringing in a vanilla couple who has an interesting relationship that’s unique to them and just to them is just as exciting as what anyone else is doing,” he said. Touching on taboo themes in a state with a long history of abstinence-only sex education, high teen birth rates and sexually transmitted diseases makes for interesting guests with unique experiences. “There are other sex podcasts out there, but I think where we are doing it makes it very interesting,” Turner said. “I think it challenges people’s assumptions about people who live here, and that’s important for me as far as shame busting. I grew up with so much shame around this. This is me kind of turning that on its head.” Since the show began, Turner came out as gay to friends and family and released an episode in February of this year centered around her journey titled, “Coming Out!”

“I think it was important for me to talk about my own experience of coming out so late. In our current culture, this is late as fuck because it’s so acceptable now, so there was a lot of emotional processing behind that,” Turner said. “It created a safe space for me to explain myself without anyone saying anything back to me.” For Turner, hosting the show has challenged many of the heteronormative standards of sexuality she and many Oklahomans grew up with and still wrestle today. “It’s been very educational and sometimes it pushes me ask, ‘OK, is my issue with the thing? Is it my repression? What is it?’ “It has pushed me and challenged me,” Turner said. “I’ve learned things that I can apply to my relationship from those communities like communication, consent, body positivity. All those things are very inherent to kink when it’s done appropriately and in a healthy way. So, I can still learn a ton from that even if I’m not going to go home and ﬂog my girlfriend.” a

Digital Intercourse can be streamed on most podcast platforms such as iTunes and Google Podcasts, as well as the Digital Intercourse website: channelfourandahalf.com/ digitalintercourse. May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 14, 2019

ARTS & CULTURE // 37

DESIGNER SHOWCASE Harwelden Mansion May 2–19, $15 More than 60 interior designers will transform Harwelden Mansion for the 2019 Designer Showcase, which beneﬁts The Foundation for Tulsa Schools. foundationfortulsaschools.org

“Harwelden by Lantern light” | MATT MOFFETT

OPERA

SOCCER

Tulsa Opera’s production of Don Giovanni will be the ﬁrst time a trans performer has performed a principal role in an opera in the U.S. May 3 & 5, $35–$130, Chapman Music Hall at Tulsa PAC, tulsaopera.org. For more, see pg. 24.

Tulsa Athletic will kick off its season with a match against the Little Rock Rangers at Veterans Park. May 5, 2 p.m., tulsaathletic.com

CYCLING

HOCKEY

Tour de Tulsa marks the beginning of cycling season and features ﬁve courses, from an 8-mile family fun ride up to a 101-mile course. May 4, 8 a.m., OSU Center for Health Sciences, tulsabicycleclub.com

The Tulsa Oilers have advanced to the second round of the Kelly Cup tournament, with a series against the Idaho Steelheads. Catch games 4 and 5 at the BOK center on May 5 & 6. $18–$58, tulsaoilers.com

EAT YOUR VEGGIES

BALLET

The inaugural Tulsa VegFest will celebrate sustainability and plant-based lifestyles, featuring speakers, vendors, and food. May 4, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Guthrie Green, tulsavegfest.org. For more, see pg. 16.

Tulsa Ballet’s Signature Series will include pieces that blend classical ballet and Broadway-style dance, including a piece by “Hamilton” choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. May 9–12, Lorton Performance Center, $20–$85, tulsaballet.org

38 // ARTS & CULTURE

May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

BEST OF THE REST CINCO DE MAYO

EVENTS

COMEDY

Martha Hall Kelly // 5/1, McBirney Mansion, magiccitybooks.com

VFW Comedy Open Mic // 5/1, Centennial Lounge at VFW Post 577, facebook.com/vfwcomedyopenmic

Movie in the Park: Bohemian Rhapsody // 5/2, Guthrie Green, guthriegreen.com Hershel Self - Neon Figures // 5/2-5/31, Dennis R Neill Equality Center, okeq.org The Conciliation Series: MollyWatta and Matthew Phipps // 5/3-5/31, Black Wall Street Gallery, bwsarts.org Star Wars Party // 5/4, Kiss My Ale Pub, facebook.com/kisserintherye Jim Steichen: Balanchine and Kirstein’s American Enterprise // 5/4, Magic City Books, magiccitybooks.com Tulsa Garden Tour // 5/4, Tulsa Garden Club, tulsagardenclub.org

There are plenty of ways to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage this weekend. Here are our picks: May 3–5 Festival Cinco de Mayo The largest celebration will take place over three days at River West Festival Park and will feature live music and performances, carnival rides, and a 5K run. May 4–5 Elote’s Cinco de Mayo Street Festival See luchador bouts in the middle of the Deco District, and enjoy food, margaritas, and local beer. May 5 Los Cabos at the Jenks Riverwalk will feature live music all day, traditional dance performances, and activities for kids. May 5 El Guapo’s Downtown will host a street party on Elgin with live music. May 5 Dos Bandidos will host live music and dance performances on their patio.

BEER

For Tulsa Craft Beer Week, breweries and bars all over town hold special events, introduce new beers, and celebrate the craft movement. May 9–17, facebook.com/tulsacraftbeerweek

Vintage Toy Mall Mini Con 5 // 5/4, Vintage Toy Mall, vintagetoymall.com Tulsa Spirit Fair // 5/4-5/5, Wyndham Hotel, spiritfair.com First Street Flea // 5/5, Gateway Building, thefirststreetflea.com Random House Live: Elizabeth Berg, Elizabeth Letts, Lynne Olson // 5/6, Magic City Books, magiccitybooks.com Lost Genius Found: Bette Howland // 5/7, IDL Ballroom, magiccitybooks.com

OK Eclectic Fest will feature contemporary dance, live music, photography, and more. May 11, 4–11:30 p.m., Guthrie Green, Duet, Magic City Books, okrootsmusic.org

ALL THE FESTIVALS!

Find more upcoming events in our Summer Festivals Guide on pg. 26

Whose Live Anyway? // 5/3, Brady Theater, bradytheater.com Funny Makes Laugh // 5/3, Rabbit Hole Improv, rabbitholeimprov.com Jim Breuer // 5/4, Brady Theater, bradytheater.com The Gutfeld Monologues Live // 5/4, Cox Business Center Ballroom, bokcenter.com Tulsa Night Live // 5/4, Rabbit Hole Improv, rabbitholeimprov.com VFW Comedy Open Mic // 5/8, Centennial Lounge at VFW Post 577, facebook.com/vfwcomedyopenmic Spencer James // 5/8-5/11, Loony Bin, tulsa.loonybincomedy.com Blue Dome Social Club // 5/11, Rabbit Hole Improv, rabbitholeimprov.com Randy’s Cheeseburger Picnic Tour // 5/12, The Venue Shrine, tulsashrine.com

SPORTS Tulsa Drillers vs Midland Rockhounds // 5/1, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com

In the Realm of Curiosities // 5/10-5/25, Liggett Studio, liggettstudio.com

Tulsa Drillers vs Midland Rockhounds // 5/2, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com

Woodstock at 50 with Rolling Stone Photographer Baron Wolman // 5/11, Magic City Books, magiccitybooks.com

ORU Baseball vs Western Illinois // 5/3, J.L. Johnson Stadium, oruathletics.com

Route 66 Gurney Tourney // 5/11, The University of Tulsa, hhtulsa.org 2nd Saturday Walking Tour - Deco // 5/11, Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, tulsaarchitecture.org Undercroft HoneyFest // 5/12, Gateway Building, guthriegreen.com

PERFORMING ARTS The Wizard of Oz // 5/3-5/5, Tulsa PAC - John H. Williams Theatre, tulsapac.com

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

Brandon Vestal // 5/1-5/4, Loony Bin, tulsa.loonybincomedy.com

Something Rotten! // 5/4, Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, brokenarrowpac.com

Tulsa Drillers vs Midland Rockhounds // 5/3, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com ORU Baseball vs Western Illinois // 5/4, J.L. Johnson Stadium, oruathletics.com Tulsa Drillers vs Corpus Christi Hooks // 5/4, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com ORU Baseball vs Western Illinois // 5/5, J.L. Johnson Stadium, oruathletics.com Tulsa Drillers vs Corpus Christi Hooks // 5/5, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com Tulsa Athletic vs Little Rock Rangers // 5/5, Veterans Park, tulsaathletic.com Tulsa Drillers vs Corpus Christi Hooks // 5/6, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com

Ok, So Story Slam // 5/9, IDL Ballroom, oksotulsa.com

Tulsa Drillers vs Corpus Christi Hooks // 5/7, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com

Letters to Her, From Phetote // 5/11, Living Arts, livingarts.org

Bedlam Baseball: OU vs OSU // 5/10, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com

Second Sunday Serials // 5/12, Agora Event Center, hellertheatreco.com

High Schoo State Baseball Championship // 5/11, ONEOK Field, tulsadrillers.com Tulsa Athletic vs FC Wichita // 5/11, Veterans Park, tulsaathletic.com ORU Baseball vs Wichita State // 5/14, J.L. Johnson Stadium, oruathletics.com

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

ARTS & CULTURE // 39

musiclistings Wed // May 1 Bad Ass Renee’s – After The Calm, Interfate, BKR, Second Glance Cain’s Ballroom – Frank Turner, Shovels & Rope, Indianola – ($27-$42) Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – 24 Karat KountryJuicemaker Lounge – Stanley Fonka and the New Chocolate Factor Mercury Lounge – Beau Roberson River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Travis Kidd Soul City – Jared Tyler Band The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project The Penthouse Bar at The Mayo Hotel – Nick Williams

Thurs // May 2 Carson Studio – Tulsa Noise Fest Duet – Leon Rollerson – ($10) Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Jump Suit Love, Weston Horn, DJ Mib Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – Steve Earle & The Dukes – ($19.50-$39.50) Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Taria Lee, DJ Demko Juicemaker Lounge – Cypher 120: Experience Mercury Lounge – Paul Benjaman Band Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Remains to Be Seen, Chrim River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – DJ 2 Legit Soul City – Don & Steve White Soundpony – Push Gang The Colony – Jacob Tovar The Colony – David Hernandez - Happy Hour The Run – The Zinners Jam The Venue Shrine – Trail to Backwoods w/ Chase Makai, RainesOnEm, Rousey, Doctor Junior, Cherokee Rose, VARI – ($10) Tulsa Event Center – NBA Young Boy – ($60-$100)

Fri // May 3 Barkingham Palace – Red Kate, Hummin Bird, Fiscal Spliff Blackbird on Pearl – Prophets and Outlaws, Zac Wenzel – ($10) Cabin Boys Brewery – Dane Arnold & Johnny Mullenax Carson Studio – Tulsa Noise Fest Duet – Grady Nichols – ($15) Elwoods – Clint Ingram Guthrie Green – International Jazz Fest w/ The Free Samples playing Herbie Hancock, The Elizabeth Speegle Band, Gemstar Caribbean Steel Band Gypsy Coffee House – Morningstar Band Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Scott Ellison, Hannah Kirby, DJ 2 Legit Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – Robert Cray – ($19.50$39.50) Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Nick Hickman, DJ Demko Juicemaker Lounge – Fuzed, FlyCity DJs Max Retro Pub – DJ Jeffee Fresh Mercury Lounge – Dreseden Bombers, The Fabulous Minx, Feral Ghost Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – The Grits, Dane Arnold & The Soup Soul City – Jennifer Marriott Band – ($10) Soul City – Susan Herndon - Happy Hour Soundpony – Soft Leather The Colony – Tiny Towns, American Shadows – ($5) The Fur Shop – Taylor Atkinson, Jordan Cox The Hunt Club – The Lonelys, Brujo Roots – ($5) The Vanguard – Strutter - KISS Tribute – ($15-$30) The Venue Shrine – Indigenous, Paul Benjaman Band – ($15-$20) Whittier Bar – Nonconnah, Dachshund, Beta Betamax

Sat // May 4 Bad Ass Renee’s – Mudd Flux BOK Center – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – ($95-$128) Cain’s Ballroom – Ella Mai, Mahalia – (SOLD OUT) Carson Studio – Tulsa Noise Fest Dixie Tavern – Had Enough, Dee Hym, Bradley YouGene, Savya Worldwide, Cult Classic, C10, Modest K, Two Face Raw, Frank Thompson, Fritzy Duet – Siembra Salsa Dance Party – ($13)

40 // MUSIC

Gathering Place Great Lawn – Tribute to Tulsa w/ Nightingale, Jared Tyler, Electric Billy Club, Casii Stephan, Steph Simon, Zunis, Branjae, Roots of Thought, and Eric Himan Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Caleb Fellenstein, Jason Nelson, DJ Mib Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Barrett Baber, DJ Demko Juicemaker Lounge – Freak Juice Max Retro Pub – DJ Robbo of ’80s Prom Mercury Lounge – Porter Union Osage Casino Tulsa - Skyline Event Center – Randy Houser – ($35-$75) Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Sniper 66, The Penny Mob, The Normandy’s, Soaker River Spirit Casino - Paradise Cove – Sammy Hagar’s Full Circle Jam Tour – ($81/50) Soul City – Desi & Cody – ($10) Soundpony – Soul Night The Colony – Kalyn Fay – ($5) The Fur Shop – Follow the Buzzards, The Mules, Hey Judy, Celebrity Sex Tape – ($5) The Hunt Club – Sovereign Dame, Murderous Mary, Jason Ford The Vanguard – The Agony Scene, OH, Sleeper, Earth Groans, Aberrant Construct, Tell Lies – ($13) The Venue Shrine – The Mighty Pines Uncle Bently’s – Tyler Brant Whitty Books – Hersker, One Finger Discount, Constant Peril

Sun // May 5 Cain’s Ballroom – Burn Co BBQ Brunch w/ Dane Arnold & The Soup – ($15) Guthrie Green – Pilgrim, Dane Arnold & The Soup, The Dull Drums Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Tequila Azul Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Bobby Marquez Juicemaker Lounge – O’Malley B – ($10) Max Retro Pub – Cinco de Mayo Party Mercury Lounge – Brandon Clark Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Skanka River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Brent Giddens Soul City – Blues Brunch w/ Dustin Pittsley Soul City – Bruner & Eicher Soundpony – Soundpony Birthday Bash w/ DJ Sweet Baby Jaysus The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing The Colony – Singer Songwriter Open Mic Matinee w/ Cody Clinton The Starlite – Bandelier

Mon // May 6 Juicemaker Lounge – Open Mic Mercury Lounge – Chris Blevins Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Chris Foster River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Jesse Weaver The Colony – Seth Lee Jones The Run – Jermey & Friends The Vanguard – Marbin – ($10) The Venue Shrine – Tom MacDonald, Nova Rockafeller, B Hart, Mikey P – ($20)

Tues // May 7 473 – Singer/Songwriter Night Blackbird on Pearl – The Pearl Jam Cain’s Ballroom – SoMo, Drama Relax, LENERD – ($20$299) Gypsy Coffee House – Open Mic Marshall Brewing Taproom – James Johnson Mercury Lounge – Wink Burcham River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Fuzed Soul City – Steve Pryor’s Tuesday Bluesday The Colony – Dane Arnold & The Soup The Colony – Deerpaw - Happy Hour The Run – Campfire The Vanguard – The Unlikely Candidates, IRONTOM, Future Tapes – ($13) The Venue Shrine – HedPe – ($10-$15)

Wed // May 8 Duet – Collective Improv w/ Bishop Marsh Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – Alanis Morissette – ($79.50-$99.50)

Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Jessica McVey Inner Circle Vodka Bar – Kevin Jameson Juicemaker Lounge – Stanley Fonka and the New Chocolate Factory Mercury Lounge – Beau Roberson River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Travis Kidd Soul City – Jared Tyler Band Soundpony – Mike Dee and Stone Trio The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project The Vanguard – Twiztis, 5th Power, Gangar – ($19) The Venue Shrine – John Kadlecik’s Fellowship of The Wing – ($16-$20) Tulsa PAC - Westby Pavilion – Casii Stephan

Thurs // May 9 Cain’s Ballroom – Dirty Heads, The Hip Abduction – ($29.50-$45.50) Duet – Majeste – ($5) Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Travis Kidd, Scotty Bratcher, DJ Mib Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – Jonny Lang – ($19-$39) Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Daniel Jordan, DJ Demko Juicemaker Lounge – Cypher 120: Experience Mercury Lounge – Paul Benjaman Band Retro Grill & Bar – Jerica Wortham River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – DJ 2 Legit Soul City – The Begonias Soundpony – Bodeen and the Muckin Crew, Knipple, Nicholas Foster The Colony – Jacob Tovar The Colony – David Hernandez - Happy Hour The Hunt Club – Jacob Dement The Run – The Zinners Jam The Run – Kevin Jameson The Vanguard – Big Loser, Spotless Mind, Handsome Sinners, The Others Like Us – ($10) Woody Guthrie Center – Tim Easton – ($20)

Fri // May 10 Blackbird on Pearl – Tylor & The Train Robbers, Acie James – ($5-$7) BOK Center – Luke Combs, LANCO, Jameson Rodgers – ($35-$50) Duet – Tommy Crook and Jim Bates – ($12) Four Aces Tavern – Kevin James, Echo Guthrie Green – Band Together for Reproductive Health w/ Graveyaed Party, Emrldboi Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Dante Schmitz, Push The Limit, DJ 2 Legit Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Kevin Fowler, DJ Demko Heirloom Rustic Ales – Xenogenius, Bezel365, Dismondj IDL Ballroom – Delta Heavy, Dieselboy, Krispe, Skanka – ($20-$25) Lefty’s On Greenwood – Faye Moffett Max Retro Pub – DJ Kylie Mercury Lounge – Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Dismondj, Jason Bauer Soul City – Electric Billy Club – ($10) Soul City – Susan Herndon - Happy Hour Soundpony – Afistaface The Colony – Helen Kelter Skelter, Jason Steady and Chris Twist, Cucumber and the Suntans The Hunt Club – November The Market at Walnut Creek – Midlife Crisis Band The Vanguard – The Standby, A Mixtape Catastrophe, The Sunday Finery, CAEZAR – ($10) The Venue Shrine – Kalya Scintilla, Yeshwah, Rhizomorphic – ($25-$30) Utica Square – Annie Ellicott Whiskey Dog – Kings of Neon, Wade Quinton Whitty Books – Okipa, Sprnrml, Strothers

Sat // May 11 Bad Ass Renee’s – We All Bleed, Blackthorne-Elite Blackbird on Pearl – Brad James Band – ($5) Dead Armadillo Brewery – Beth Lee, Chris Duarte Duet – Reflejos Flamencos – ($15) El Coyote Manco – La Maquinaia Norteña, Peña Blanca, Norteño 4.5 Elwoods – Tylor & The Train Robbers Guthrie Green – Valerie June, Dane Arnold & The Soup Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Trett Charles, After Party,

DJ Mib Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – Chick with Hits: Terri Clark, Pam Tillis, Suzy Bogguss – ($29.50-$49.50) Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Drew Six, DJ Demko IDL Ballroom – Thriftworks Max Retro Pub – DJ AB Mercury Lounge – The Yawpers, In the Whale, Electric Rag Band Soul City – Casii Stephan & The Midnight Sun, Drew Thomas & the Soul Talk – ($10) Soundpony – Pony Disco Club The Colony – Tanner Miller and The Contraband – ($5) The Colony – Don White - Matinee – ($5) The Hunt Club – Hosty The Vanguard – Cicadia, SteelyFace, All For More, My Heart & Liver Are The Best of Friends – ($10) The Venue Shrine – Flotsam & Jetsam, DRYVR – ($16$20) Whittier Bar – The Fibs, Giraffe Massacre, Plastic Psalms

Sun // May 12 Gathering Place Great Lawn – HoneyFest w/ Smoochie Wallus Hard Rock Casino - Track 5. – Lyle Parman Mercury Lounge – Brandon Clark Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Skanka River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Brent Giddens Soul City – Blues Brunch w/ Dustin Pittsley Soul City – Bruner & Eicher Soundpony – Stallone Cobras The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing The Colony – Singer Songwriter Open Mic Matinee w/ Cody Clinton The Hunt Club – Preslar Music Showcase

Mon // May 13 Juicemaker Lounge – Open Mic Mercury Lounge – Lost Dog Street Band, Matt Heckler Rabbit Hole Bar & Grill – Chris Foster River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Jesse Weaver Soundpony – Leggy The Colony – Seth Lee Jones The Run – Jermey & Friends

Tues // May 14 473 – Singer/Songwriter Night Blackbird on Pearl – Tameca Jones – ($12-$15) BOK Center – The Avett Brothers – ($47.50-$57.50) Cain’s Ballroom – Violent Femmes, X – (SOLD OUT) Gypsy Coffee House – Open Mic Marshall Brewing Taproom – Dannie Wesley Mercury Lounge – Wink Burcham River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Fuzed Soul City – Steve Pryor’s Tuesday Bluesday The Colony – Dane Arnold & The Soup The Colony – Deerpaw - Happy Hour The Run – Campfire The Vanguard – Issues, Outline in Color, Fight the Fade – ($17) The Venue Shrine – Crystal Bowersox, Chloe Johns, Casii Stephan – ($12-$15)

Get the word out for upcoming live music shows Send dates, venue and listings to John@Langdon Publishing.com May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

musicnotes

Nathan Young and Matt Hex | SHANE BROWN

NOISES OFF

While the festival will draw extreme music acts from across the United States, it’s also a platform for local artists with an appetite for dissonance. “Last year’s was such an incredible experience, and probably the best noise festival or show that I’ve ever been to,” Tulsa noise artist Natty Gray said. “It was a super strong lineup with absolutely no filler, and I’m sure this year’s will be the same way.” Even attendees with a high threshold for feedback should expect to be challenged. Just

ask Caleb Campbell, one-half of the experimental hip-hop noise duo Campbell & Gardner. “[We] are so different that it’s seen as completely obscene to the rest of the community,” he said. “Some people love it—others hate it. It’s very polarizing.” That polarization is baked into the DNA of Tulsa Noise Fest, but Gray hopes it won’t discourage newcomers. “I think a lot of first-timers would be really surprised at how much they would actually enjoy themselves. Plus

it’s free and downtown! If you’re curious, there’s no excuse not to check it out.” “It’s unlike any other show you will experience,” Campbell said. “Keep your mind open—and probably bring some ear plugs, ‘cause it can get loud as hell.” a

TULSA NOISE FEST Cameron Studios – Tulsa Artist Fellowship 303 N. Main St. May 2–4, 7 p.m., free

Tulsa’s most extreme music fest returns by KYRA BRUCE

ast May, punks, freaks and normies alike crammed into the Tulsa Artist Fellowship’s Cameron Studios for what was thought to be a one-time celebration of the most extreme sounds imaginable. The inaugural Tulsa Noise Fest, highlighting a genre built on dissonant loops and earth-shattering feedback, brought together a wide range of artists with one goal in common: to push the limits of sound into the most sonically-punishing realm possible. But after the dull hum of last year’s festival subsided, co-organizer and Tulsa Artist Fellow Nathan Young realized locals wanted more. “There is a serious curiosity and enthusiasm for this kind of stuff in Tulsa,” he said. Now, Young and fellow noise artist Matt Hex are making another go of it. “[We] have been planning this year’s Tulsa Noise Fest since the last one really,” Young said. “It helps to have a partner like Matt. His enthusiasm and love for noise and underground music is inspiring to me.” The two started with a wish list of their favorite acts, then reached out to their friends from scenes all over the country to find more performers. “Artists who we invite almost always say yes or are interested because a lot of people have not had the chance to visit Tulsa and want to check it out,” Young said. THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

MUSIC // 41

onscreen

Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, and Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls | COURTESY

Plastics only

Get in, losers—we’re going to see Mean Girls by ALEXANDRA ROBINSON

illennial nostalgia has arrived in full form, baby. We’ve gained enough distance from the trauma of low-cut ﬂair jeans, the so-called Janet Jackson “Nipplegate,” and the second Bush administration that we now look back on the early 2000s as a bygone era so far removed that we don’t hesitate to call it by its adorable-yet-pretentious sounding name: “the aughts.” My sentimental affection was reignited as I fired up my dusty DVD player, spent about 15 minutes re-learning how to use it, and found myself transported via the previews to a tackier but somehow more wholesome place: 2004. Yes, it’s 2004 on my screen, and now available on DVD is School of Rock, Napoleon Dynamite, and The Prince and Me. Usher’s “Yeah!” bumps as my neighbor rolls by in his ‘91 Corolla, my sister is on the Dell toggling between AIM and her current game of The Sims, and I’m checking my ﬂip phone to see what my friends are doing after youth group tomorrow night. Our favorite movie is Mean Girls, the unexpected box office hit starring a fresh-faced Lindsey Lohan as Cady Heron, the new girl at North Shore High School. 42 // FILM & TV

After being homeschooled all her life in Africa by her research zoologist parents (Ana Gasteyer and Neil Flynn), Cady is forced to learn the innerworkings of the adolescent world. She is quickly adopted by “art freak” pariahs Janis and Damian (Lizzy Caplan and Daniel Franzese), who teach her the golden rule of the school: Stay away from The Plastics. But Cady is quickly pulled into the Plastic fold by mean girls Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert), and Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried) nonetheless. While the three take it upon themselves to teach Cady the ins-andouts of teen royalty, Cady, Janis, and Damian commence plans to teach a lesson of their own. It’s been 15 years since Mean Girls showed us how to live, and yet the movie has stood the test of time based on several factors: its iconic script and perfect characters adapted by Tina Fey, its always-relevant lesson that “making Regina George’s life miserable won’t make you any happier,” and its longstanding and immovable place in today’s meme culture. It also taught us the rules of feminism: “Ex boyfriends are off limits to friends!” Thank god Circle Cinema

is giving us the opportunity to collectively bask in our aughts nostalgia. They’ll be screening the film May 10-11 at 10 p.m., as part of the Circle Cinema Graveyard Shift series, to mark a decade-and-a-half of “trying to make ‘fetch’ happen.” Mean Girls, which is to my generation what Heathers and Sixteen Candles were to my parents, provided a coming-of-age moment for so many of us. We adopted and internalized its one-liners, using them to keep our friends in their place and to let Sarah know that she “smelled like a baby prostitute” at Homecoming. Its impact on our Millennial psyche stands to this day, as we still pull out the old “you can’t sit with us” line when jokingly hazing a new coworker—for some of us (me), well into our late 20s. We loved Regina, Gretchen, and Karen because they were the girls we knew in high school, but worse. We were allowed the catharsis of loving hatred with these on-screen stand-ins. It’s impossible not to mourn Lindsey Lohan, immortalized here in her pre-public disintegration glory as the naïve Cady Heron. She is both the wholesome girl next door and the mega-bitch we secretly wanted to be, and the magic of Mean Girls hinges on the

charming performance she gave at the young age of 17. But, to this day, what we love most about Mean Girls is that it didn’t try to teach us anything we didn’t already know. We already knew that Brutus was just as cute as Caeser, that we should keep our burn books to ourselves, and that sinking to the level of our tormentors is an exercise in futility. Joining the mathletes is bad, but slowly becoming a soulless mean girl is the real social suicide. The movie gave us aughts adolescents the space to see ourselves from a distance, in caricature. It offered respite during a time that often feels deceptively dark and heavy. For young women, it uncovered layers of pain we tried not to acknowledge: the conditional nature of acceptance from our peers, the feeling of being constantly exposed and judged, and a delicate self-worth that hinged on one’s place in the social hierarchy. Mean Girls lightened our adolescent burdens so that we could carry them with humor and grace. a

GRAVEYARD SHIFT: MEAN GIRLS (2004) Circle Cinema 10 S. Lewis Ave. May 10-11, 10 p.m., $10 May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 14, 2019

FILM & TV // 43

The Lord is good; his mercy is EVERLASTING; and his truth endureth to ALL GENERATIONS.

onscreen

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“Avengers: Endgame” | COURTESY

PLAY THE HITS Avengers: Endgame is an explosive ﬁnale to the MCU saga

IN CASE YOU SOMEHOW DECIDED TO skip out on the previous Avengers film, it ends—spoiler alert!—with our heros failing to stop Thanos, the Mad Titan, from using the infinity gauntlet, which in turn eradicates half of all civilizations. Avengers: Endgame picks up in the immediate moments after Avengers: Inﬁnity War, as the toll of Thanos’ act continues to ripple through our world. While many of the more-popular and recent fan-favorite Avengers were turned into ethereal deathdust, Avengers: Endgame finds the core Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye) burdened with the weight of failing to save mankind. Five years after the “snap,” the world is in turmoil. While some have moved on— Tony Stark and Bruce Banner—others, like Black Widow and Captain America, live with the weight of failure. When Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) re-appears after a brief (but five years in reality) jaunt into the quantum realm, he has the not-so-bright idea to somehow go back in time and prevent Thanos from collecting the stones. It’s not all that surprising that an integral part of this movie hinges on our heroes going back in time, returning to several key moments within the already-established Marvel Comic Universe (MCU) itself. It’s a plot contrivance that could feel a little too Star Trek: TNG than brilliant comic book plotting, yet it’s a delightfully satisfying walk down memory lane, as well as a clever opportunity to bring back most if not all of the supporting characters throughout the entire MCU. As our heroes break off into teams to travel back in time, we return to the scenes from previous Marvel films: the NYC battle from the very first Avengers; the

classic rock-infused space opera of the first Guardians of the Galaxy; even the oft-maligned second Thor, all in an attempt to collect the stones long before Thanos set out to go all Pokémon on them and bring back all that were lost. It all builds to an even more rousing rematch between the assembled Avengers and Thanos and his throng of intergalactic baddies. If you felt like the battle scene from Infinity War was simply plodding filler to get us to this point, the culmination of this showdown will certainly leave you breathless from the sheer scale and spectacle, surprising re-appearances, and the heart-wrenching fallout of it all. The heart of Avengers: Endgame, and the entire MCU to a greater extent, is Robert Downey Jr. who anchors the emotional fulcrum of this second part of the Infinity War saga. Whether it’s his star turns in the stand-alone Iron Man films or the multitude of contractually-obligated appearances in other MCU properties, Downey Jr. always seems to elevate the material, oftentimes providing a much-needed injection of humor and trademark cool-dad snark. So it comes as no surprise that much of the emotional stakes hinge on his Tony Stark’s desire to right the fallout of Avengers: Infinity War. Avengers: Endgame is as much a three-hour, action packed culmination of the MCU phase three as it is a celebration of the decade-in-the-making cinematic takeover of the zeitgeist. With 22 (and counting) entries into the MCU, Marvel and its core-six stars take a victory lap celebrating the mountainous task of carrying one of the longest-running serialized movie-going experiences ever accomplished. And what an accomplishment it is. — CHARLES ELMORE May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

free will astrology by ROB BREZSNY

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): I invite you to explore the frontiers of what’s possible for you to experience and accomplish. One exercise that might help: visualize specific future adventures that excite you. Examples? Picture yourself parasailing over the Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona, or working to help endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica, or giving a speech to a crowded auditorium on a subject you will someday be an expert in. The more specific your fantasies, the better. Your homework is to generate at least five of these visions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “We must choose between the pain of having to transcend oppressive circumstances, or the pain of perpetual unfulfillment within those oppressive circumstances,” writes mental health strategist Paul John Moscatello. We must opt for “the pain of growth or the pain of decay,” he continues. We must either “embrace the tribulations of realizing our potential, or consent to the slow suicide in complacency.” That’s a bit melodramatic, in my opinion. Most of us do both; we may be successful for a while in transcending oppressive circumstances, but then temporarily lapse back into the pain of unfulfillment. However, there are times when it makes sense to think melodramatically. And I believe now is one of those times for you. In the coming weeks, I hope you will set in motion plans to transcend at least 30 percent of your oppressive circumstances. CANCER (June 21-July 22): You Cancerians can benefit from always having a fertility symbol somewhere in your environment: an icon or image that reminds you to continually refresh your relationship with your own abundant creativity; an inspiring talisman or toy that keeps you alert to the key role your fecund imagination can and should play in nourishing your quest to live a meaningful life; a provocative work of art that spurs you to always ask for more help and guidance from the primal source code that drives you to reinvent yourself. So if you don’t have such a fertility symbol, I invite you to get one. If you do, enhance it with a new accessory. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In my horoscopes, I often speak to you about your personal struggle for liberation and your efforts to express your soul’s code with ever-more ingenuity and completeness. It’s less common that I address your sacred obligation to give back to life for all that life has given to you. I only infrequently discuss how you might engage in activities to help your community or work for the benefit of those less fortunate than you. But now is one of those times when I feel moved to speak of these matters. You are in a phase of your astrological cycle when it’s crucial to perform specific work in behalf of a greater good. Why crucial? Because your personal well-being in the immediate future depends in part on your efforts to intensify your practical compassion. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “We are whiplashed between an arrogant overestimation of ourselves and a servile underestimation of ourselves,” writes educator Parker Palmer. That’s the bad news, Virgo. The good news is that you are in prime position to escape from the whiplash. Cosmic forces are conspiring with your eternal soul to coalesce a well-balanced vision of your true value that’s free of both vain misapprehensions and self-deprecating delusions. Congrats! You’re empowered to understand yourself with a tender objectivity that could at least partially heal lingering wounds. See yourself truly! LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The country of Poland awards medals to couples that have stayed married for 50 years. It also gives out medals to members of the armed forces who have served for at least thirty years. But the marriage medal is of higher rank, and is more prestigious. In that spirit, I’d love for you to get a shiny badge or prize to acknowledge your devoted commitment to a sacred task—whether that commitment is to an intimate alliance, a noble quest, or a promise to yourself. It’s time to reward yourself for how hard you’ve worked and how much you’ve given. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote, “I admit I desire, / Occasionally, some backtalk / From the mute sky.” You’ll be

Place the numbers 1 through 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

NOVICE

wise to borrow the spirit of that mischievous declaration. Now is a good time to solicit input from the sky, as well as from your allies and friends and favorite animals, and from every other source that might provide you with interesting feedback. I invite you to regard the whole world as your mirror, your counselor, your informant. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In January 1493, the notorious pirate and kidnapper Christopher Columbus was sailing his ship near the land we now call the Dominican Republic. He spotted three creatures he assumed were mermaids. Later he wrote in his log that they were “not half as beautiful as they are painted [by artists].” We know now that the “mermaids” were actually manatees, aquatic mammals with flippers and paddle-shaped tails. They are in fact quite beautiful in their own way, and would only be judged as homely by a person comparing them to mythical enchantresses. I trust you won’t make a similar mistake, Sagittarius. Evaluate everything and everyone on their own merits, without comparing them to something they’re not. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I want what we all want,” writes novelist Jonathan Lethem. “To move certain parts of the interior of myself into the exterior world, to see if they can be embraced.” Even if you haven’t passionately wanted that lately, Capricorn, I’m guessing you will soon. That’s a good thing, because life will be conspiring with you to accomplish it. Your ability to express yourself in ways that are meaningful to you and interesting to other people will be at a peak. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Using algorithms to analyze 300 million facts, a British scientist concluded that April 11, 1954 was the most boring day in history. A Turkish man who would later become a noteworthy engineer was born that day, and Belgium staged a national election. But that’s all. With this non-eventful day as your inspiration, I encourage you to have fun reminiscing about the most boring times in your own past. I think you need a prolonged respite from the stimulating frenzy of your daily rhythm. It’s time to rest and relax in the sweet luxury of nothingness and emptiness.

MASTER

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Blue Room is a famous Picasso painting from 1901. Saturated with blue hues, it depicts a naked woman taking a bath. More than a century after its creation, scientists used X-rays to discover that there was an earlier painting beneath The Blue Room and obscured by it. It shows a man leaning his head against his right hand. Piscean poet Jane Hirshfield says that there are some people who are “like a painting hidden beneath another painting.” More of you Pisceans fit that description than any other sign of the zodiac. You may even be like a painting beneath a painting beneath a painting—to a depth of five or more paintings. Is that a problem? Not necessarily. But it is important to be fully aware of the existence of all the layers. Now is a good time to have a check-in. ARIES (March 21-April 19): “How prompt we are to satisfy the hunger and thirst of our bodies,” wrote Henry David Thoreau. “How slow to satisfy the hunger and thirst of our souls!” Your first assignment in the coming days, Aries, is to devote yourself to quenching the hunger and thirst of your soul with the same relentless passion that you normally spend on giving your body the food and drink it craves. This could be challenging. You may be less knowledgeable about what your soul thrives on than what your body loves. So your second assignment is to do extensive research to determine what your soul needs to thrive.

What are the five conditions you’d need in your world in order to feel you were living in utopia? t h i s w e e k ’ s h o m e w o r k // T E S T I F Y AT F R E E W I L L A S T R O L O G Y. C O M . THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 – 14, 2019

ETC. // 45

THE FUZZ THE TULSA VOICE SPOTLIGHTS: TULSA SPCA

2910 Mohawk Blvd. | MON, TUES, THURS, FRI & SAT, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 918.428.7722

DUCKY is a sweet guy who loves belly rubs and ear scratches. Ducky loves to hop on your lap and give you kisses. He needs an easy walker harness or a gentle leader for when it’s time for a walk. Ducky is two years old and weighs about 53 lbs.

ACROSS 1 Boar, to a sow 5 Handbag handle 10 Wild guess 14 Pack (down) 18 Berserk 19 Doing the dishes, e.g. 20 Like some masculinity 22 Power tool brand 23 Climax of a bake-off? 26 Pelt 27 Certain inverse trig function 28 Jazz’s Simone 29 MLB cleanup hitter 31 “Whatevs” 32 Oodles 35 Clears after taxes 37 Satellite’s path 38 Like a pig’s autobiography? 43 Blacken on the grill 45 Palme ___ (Cannes prize) 46 Unbroken horse 47 Distraction in church? 52 Olive and eggplant 53 “Raiders of the Lost Ark” snakes 57 Variety 58 English throne? 59 Kazoo player 61 New professor’s goal 63 Due (to) 65 Egyptian pyramid’s function 66 Dark, as an alley 67 Herds waterfowl off the green? 74 “Harry Potter” villain Malfoy 75 Former Yankee Martinez 76 Golden calf maker 77 Ticker-tape event in New York 79 iRobot floor cleaner 82 Sticky tree product

83 86 87 89

ELDEN is a small, quiet, and relatively shy, but he opens right up if there’s a toy to play with! He would be happiest with a patient family without small kids around. This sweet boy is about 1.5 years old and weighs about 13 lbs.

Fictional Baba Twinkle source Bridle attachment Like a pirate who walks with a “clunk”? 92 Jupiter worshipper, e.g. 94 “Awful!” 95 Divas have big ones 96 Baptize a bruiser? 105 Like noble gases 106 Big rig 107 ___ cotta 108 “The Simpsons” shopkeeper 111 Targeted in paintball 113 Where kids may do crafts 115 Breakup words 117 Daddy, in Honduras 118 What a snake would do to lose a tattoo? 123 Reese’s “Legally Blonde” role 124 Photoshop developer 125 Yale namesake Yale 126 End in ___ (require overtime) 127 Levi’s alternative 128 Amount of work 129 Yam, for one 130 “Little” Dickens heroine DOWN 1 Palindromic female title 2 Italian for love 3 NFL dead-ball ruling 4 Heart tests, briefly 5 Wall-mounted light fixture 6 String of online posts 7 Night vision cell 8 MSNBC host Melber 9 Hammer’s round end

10 One living the high life? 11 Cheap seats projectile 12 Can 13 Recycling container 14 It may be aimed at fans 15 Like a mad parent’s arms 16 Where many baseballs are caught 17 Prosperity 21 Arena, often (Abbr.) 24 Cheap seats sound 25 In the original packaging, maybe 30 Cap’n’s mate 33 Birdbrain 34 Black part of a polar bear 36 Commuters’ home 39 Pirate’s cry 40 Cornstarch brand 41 Ph.D. hopeful’s test 42 Chris Harrison, for “The Bachelorette” 43 CBS drama with three spinoffs 44 “2001” computer 48 “Blues Brothers” brother 49 Slay 50 Color vision cell 51 Electric hair straightener 52 Blouse edges 54 Takei’s “Star Trek” role 55 Goody Two-shoes 56 Actor MacFarlane 60 “TiK ___” (Kesha hit) 62 The Bosporus separates it from Asia 63 Hollywood get-togethers? 64 Skimpy bathing suits

The Tulsa SPCA has been helping animals in our area since 1913. The shelter never euthanizes for space and happily rescues animals from high-kill shelters. They also accept owner surrenders, rescues from cruelty investigations, hoarding, and puppy mill situations. Animals live on-site or with foster parents until they’re adopted. All SPCA animals are micro-chipped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and treated with preventatives. Learn about volunteering, fostering, upcoming events, adoptions, and their low-cost vaccination clinic at tulsaspca.org.

CHUCK is quick to greet new friends and seems to do well with most other dogs. Chuck likes to run and play and would be happiest with an active family. He’s about four years old and weighs 36 lbs.

67 Economy size figs. 68 The “E” of Q.E.D. 69 “Gone With the Wind” plantation 70 Pop icon Celine 71 Wild Draw Four card game 72 “A Beautiful Mind” subject John 73 Asia’s drying-up ___ Sea 78 Cogito-sum connector 80 Twelve rounds of boxing, often 81 Zero, once 83 Really annoy 84 Feline zodiac symbol 85 Passports, e.g. 88 Cologne bottle word 90 Indian clarified butter 91 Capital of Georgia? 93 Lead-in to “boy!” or “girl!” 96 Relieve, as fears 97 Take a breath 98 “Sexiest Man Alive” magazine 99 “Iliad” queen 100 Did a brain scan, say 101 “The Secret of ___” (1982 animated film) 102 Squirm 103 King who wielded Excalibur 104 Hit with a stun gun 109 Jeopardy 110 TV nerd who said “Did I do that?” 112 Pat-down org. 114 Pound, e.g. 116 Yemen neighbor 119 “Bad” cholesterol, for short 120 Tic-tac-toe win 121 Winter contagion 122 Little lie

KING LOUIE is a big guy and a big talker! He loves attention from every human and is a great companion, happy to chill by your side all day and night. King Louie is about seven years old.

UNIVERSAL SUNDAY CROSSWORD CLOSE ENOUGH by John-Clark Levin and Jeff Chen, edited by David Steinberg

NERMAL is a big chunk of kitty! She likes attention (on her terms) and will tell you what she likes and doesn’t. She’d prefer to be the only cat in the house, but can tolerate other cats if given time to adjust. Nermal is about five years old.

5/12 May 1 – 14, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

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THE TULSA VOICE // May 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 14, 2019

ETC. // 47

THURSDAY

05.09

SATURDAY

05.11

SATURDAY

05.18

JONNY LANG

8PM

CHICKS WITH HITS

8PM

GOOD CHARLOTTE

8PM

LIGHTING IT UP SCAN TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Schedule subject to change.

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Pleas e re cycle this issue.

4/22/19 4:00 PM