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NEWS 4 City education income tax update 6 City median panhandling update 8 Health microhospitals 9 Letters 10 Chicken-Fried News

EAT & DRINK 13 Review Cafe Kacao

14 Feature Classen Coffee Company 15 Feature Sonic test kitchen

17 Feature ButterSweet Cupcakes 18 Gazedibles pie

ARTS & CULTURE 21 Cover Factory Obscura presents

Shift at Current Studio

23 Comedy Maria Bamford at

Tower Theatre Buy This 30 Theater Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s The Christmas Show at Civic Center Music Hall 32 Theater Oklahoma City Ballet’s The Nutcracker at Civic Center Music Hall 33 Theater Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s A Christmas Carol at Plaza Theatre 34 Culture Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame relocates to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark 35 Community Oklahoma Autism Center’s 10th Anniversary Family Celebration and Grilled Cheese Fundraiser 24

36 Calendar

MUSIC 39 Feature John Moreland 40 Review Tacit 41 Live music

FUN 41 Astrology

42 Puzzles sudoku | crossword

OKG Classifieds 43

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NEWS Frances Kersey, city clerk of Oklahoma City far left is joined by other city employees reviewing the initiative petitions competed by Save OKC Schools coalition. | Photo Laura Eastes

tions” made at the state level.

cit y

Economic powerhouse

Little extra?

Save OKC Schools leaders say OKC voters should get ready to weigh in on an income tax to deliver stipends to teachers. By Laura Eastes

W hen Oklahoma City Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid and others involved in the grassroots coalition Save OKC Schools proclaimed their intent to circulate an initiative petition to temporarily address teacher pay in local schools back in August, what prompted their efforts was inaction from state leaders on raising teacher salaries. Three months later, not much had changed. Less than 24 hours after state House members failed to pass a budget bill to patch up a $215 million hole and provide a $3,000 pay increase for teachers, Shadid and other Save OKC Schools supporters lugged big suitcases containing thousands of petitions with more than 16,000 voter signatures into City Hall. “We are asking, in the absence of a solution from the Legislature, that this be put to a vote of the people,” Shadid told reporters as representatives of Oklahoma City government began vetting the petitions. In mid-August, Save OKC Schools launched its plan for a city income tax for education, known as Initiative Petition No. 37. The one-half percent temporary increase would bring around $50 million a year for local school districts and guarantees a pay stipend for teachers and support staff. If around 12,000 signatures are deemed valid by City Clerk Frances Kersey, Oklahoma City voters will be asked to vote on creating a city income tax to boost teacher pay in 25 school dis4

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tricts and charter schools that serve Oklahoma City students. The election could come sometime in spring 2018. If approved by voters, Oklahoma Tax Commission would collect income tax on OKC residents who reside in the city for more than seven months. The city’s poorest residents would be excluded. As a temporary tax collected over a fouryear period, Save OKC Schools estimates about $200 million would be distributed to local school coffers and ultimately placed in the hands of teachers.

We want to be an economic powerhouse in the state, and that requires a well-funded, robust education system. Ed Shadid According to Shadid and others behind Save OKC Schools, stipends are key to supporting local teachers, many who feel their profession is underappreciated and disrespected, evident by its low wages. In recent years, Oklahoma school districts have reported a mass exodus of teachers from the profession and to neighboring states. Now, those who skipped university preparations for teaching and earned emergency and alternative certification credentials

from the state are teaching many Oklahoma students. “We are clearly in crisis,” Shadid said, “and maybe in the beginning of the crisis.”

Customized for OKC

Save OKC Schools’ proposal is the first of its kind — a customized policy solution to fit the local environment. In Oklahoma, public schools are primarily a state and local funding responsibility. Local school boards, not municipal governments, traditionally levy local taxes for their districts. The school boards are limited to ad valorem taxes, also known as property taxes, for general fund support and infrastructure. They cannot collect a local income tax or a sales tax, which limits school boards from raising funds for teacher salaries. While municipalities and counties have levied sales taxes towards local school districts in the past, levying a city income tax is a brand-new concept in Oklahoma. Save OKC Schools leaders see an individual income tax on OKC residents as a progressive tax likely to gain favor with voters over a sales tax increase, which can place a greater burden on lower-income earners then it does on the wealthy. Income tax is not new in Oklahoma. In fact, the Sooner State is one of many states to collect a state income tax. In early 2016, the state’s income bracket was cut from 5.25 percent to 5 percent as part of a tax cut passed by Oklahoma lawmakers intended to make the state more attractive to business. In recent years, Oklahoma has struggled to fill revenue shortfalls and passed along cuts to agencies. Some policy experts and lawmakers have pointed to repeated cuts to the state’s income tax during the 2000s as one of the culprits in Oklahoma’s budget woes. Save OKC Schools presents its proposal as “rolling back income tax reduc-

While Save OKC Schools pushes a message of increasing teacher pay, its focus is on improving the city’s quality of life. Coalition leaders argue that there is an economic impact when it comes to improving primary and secondary education. “In the City of Oklahoma City, we want to be an economic powerhouse in the state, and that requires a well-funded, robust education system,” Shadid said. “You are certainly not going to get the corporate recruitment, corporate retention and economic development we need without a robust education system.” Teacher and support staff stipends are a step toward building a strong public education system in Oklahoma City Public Schools and other school districts serving OKC students, said Shadid. In the months to come, all eyes will be on this education proposal. If voters approve paying a little extra in taxes for bringing bonuses to teachers, other municipalities looking for education solutions could follow suit, Shadid said. “We can’t have our path, our economic development and our city’s future tied to the Legislature, which continues to fail to act,” Shadid said. “It is time for another path.”

Gist of the proposition Shall the Ordinance proposed by Initiative Petition Number 37 be approved? The Ordinance levies an income tax on every Oklahoma City-resident individual. The tax would last four years. The tax is computed as follows: single individuals and married individuals filing separately pay one half (1/2) of one percent of the adjusted gross income of each such individual earning over $15,000 annually; and married individuals filing jointly and surviving spouses filing jointly pay one-half (1/2) of one percent of the adjusted gross income of each such individual earning over $30,000 annually. The tax can be spent only for annual stipends for teachers, resident teachers, school nurses and support personnel of school districts.

Shall it be approved? ❐❐ Yes ❐❐ No

Now opeN See downtownindecember.com for information. @devonicerinkokc @devonicerink

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CITY

Dapper Never Dies

Second version

A median safety ordinance to decrease panhandling and increase pedestrian safety is reworked in Oklahoma City. By Laura Eastes

Just two years ago, the Oklahoma City Council was debating an ordinance to make it a crime to stand, sit or stay on medians at busy intersections. First proposed as an ordinance to crack down on soliciting, or panhandling, the ordinance was later drafted as a median safety ordinance and billed as a safety issue for both pedestrians and drivers. While the ordinance found favor with some residents and ultimately a majority of the council, the plan also drew backlash from members of the community saying it undermined the neediest and violated free speech protections. Months after the city council passed the law 7-2, a federal lawsuit was filed challenging the constitutionality of the local ordinance. City officials argued against the “antipanhandling” label placed on the legislation by objectors. The passed ordinance didn’t mention panhandlers. Further, those who wished to panhandle in city limits could but must do so on the side of the street or at the few medians exempted from the law. For a period of 22 months, it was illegal to stand, sit or stay on medians less than 30 feet wide when within 200 feet of an intersection. The law exempted medians wider than 30 feet or ones that featured benches, gazebos, park equipment or trails. That all changed on Nov. 7 when the council approved an emergency amendment to the median safety ordinance, striking reference to median width and location but adding language recognizing national studies correlating high vehicle speeds with fatal injuries to pedestrians.

The major change centered on allowing standing, sitting or staying on certain medians located in areas where the speed limits are less than 40 mph. According to city records, anyone — from panhandlers and youth soccer players to firefighters and missionaries — can legally stand, sit or stay in 103 Oklahoma City medians. The intersection at NW 23rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, which was repeatedly cited as a heavy panhandler area during public debate of the ordinance in 2015, is one of the medians exempt under the change. The ordinance’s change was recommended by the municipal counselor’s office and first introduced to the council on Oct. 24 by attorney Amanda Carpenter. Before Carpenter introduced the change, which shifted the law from the size of median to speed limit, she reiterated the city’s view on medians, which are traffic safety devices. “There have been some concerns that our current median safety ordinance is not allowing enough medians to be available for people to express whatever activity they would like,” Carpenter told the council. “As with any ordinance that goes into effect, there is a time period for review and clarification. In this situation, we conducted more study and research to determine what is the highest risk to pedestrians that sit, stand or stay longer periods than just crossing the street.”

The lawsuit

About nineteen months ago, four months after the ordinance took effect, American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, Legal

A man accepts cash from a driver after panhandling in a median in Oklahoma City in 2015. | Photo Gazette/file

Aid Services of Oklahoma and a University of Oklahoma College of Law professor filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the ordinance. Filed on behalf of a magazine vendor, political activists, runners and journalists in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote that “the ordinance is a sweeping ban on free speech, liberty and equality” and violates the First and 14th amendments in McGraw et al v. City of Oklahoma City. “It creates a very real First Amendment free speech concern,” Brady Henderson, ACLU legal director, told Oklahoma Gazette about the original ordinance. “It is targeting certain people based on their viewpoint. In this case, someone’s speech is about their own financial condition and needs.” The case is currently in the discovery process. After the council approved the ordinance change, the ACLU filed a “motion for leave to amend complaint,” stating additional facts and information about the case had come to light. In the latest proceedings, the plaintiff’s attorneys argued the “revised ordinance suffers similar constitutional failings as the original ordinance.

“The First Amendment concerns are all very much still alive,” Henderson said. “One of the phrases I’ve used before to describe this is a step sideways. It doesn’t necessarily make things worse. It doesn’t necessarily make things better. The First Amendment problems are still there. The impact is slightly different because different medians are impacted.” In addition, the ACLU took issue with the city’s municipal counselor’s office suggesting revisions to the median safety ordinance after more than 18 months in law and about two months before the close of discovery. The defendants, the city, can file a response to the motion on or before Friday. Prior to the recent round of proceedings, the case was scheduled for a trial docket in spring. City spokeswoman Kristy Yager was unable to comment on the lawsuit because of legal issues.

Safety first

Oklahoma City’s median safety ordinance lives on. The Sooner State’s largest city isn’t alone in passing ordinances to ban people from occupying medians. Other localities to have passed laws outlawing people from medians include Omaha, Nebraska; Cedar Rapids, Michigan; Lexington, Kentucky; and Madison, Wisconsin. Like OKC, these cities’ leaders say it’s a boost for public safety. Also, like OKC, ordinances restricting panhandling or keeping people from median strips have brought legal challenges. In the city’ five-page median safety ordinance, the first finding reads, “Regardless of the speed limit, individuals who are sitting, standing or staying in streets or highways open for use by motor vehicles are placing themselves in danger of serious bodily injuries or death from motor vehicles using such streets or highways.”

A woman begs for money from one of Oklahoma City’s medians in 2015. | Photo Gazette/file

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NEWS According to Advisory Board, a global firm offering research technology and consulting to improve health care performance, microhospitals should not be “all things to all people”; however, they should aim to meet up to 90 percent of the care needs of a community. While microhospitals have a set of core services, like an emergency department, pharmacy, lab and imaging, other services can include primary care, dietary services, women’s services and lowacuity outpatient surgeries. Microhospitals are often around 15,000 to 50,000 square feet in size and are located within 18 to 20 miles of a fullservice hospital, reports Advisory Board.

H E A LT H

Tomorrow’s health care

They might be called ‘microhospitals,’ but Integris says the community should prepare for a new approach to health care that’s fast, convenient and economical. By Laura Eastes

The latest trend in health care — tiny hospitals with small overhead and big profits — is coming to the Oklahoma City metro in early 2019. Earlier this month, Integris and Emerus leaders, along with municipal and community dignitaries, broke ground on the first of four microhospitals coming to the area. The first, Integris Community Hospital, will be located at 3391 S. Interstate 35 Service Road in Moore. The other three are planned for Del City, west Oklahoma City and northwest Oklahoma City. These small 24/7 inpatient facilities are designed to fill service gaps in growing communities located away from fullservice hospitals, explained Vic Schmerbeck, Emerus executive vice president of strategy and business development. The Texas-based company serves as a strategic partner with Integris in this endeavor. “What is a community hospital or what some people might call a microhospital?” Schmerbeck asked when speaking to a crowd gathered at the Nov. 1 groundbreaking for the Moore location. “We believe it is a transformative concept that allows great health systems like Integris to expand its reach into the community in settings that can be lower cost in providing services to the community.” While microhospitals are popping up around the country, it’s important to recognize no two microhospitals are alike. The Moore facility will be a smallscale, fully licensed inpatient hospital with between eight and 10 inpatient beds An artist’s rendering shows Integris Community Hospital at its proposed location at 3391 S. Interstate 35 Service Road in Moore. | Image Integris / provided

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for observation and short-term stay and provide an emergency department. The second floor will be dedicated to primary and specialty care physicians from Integris Medical Group. “These microhospitals will offer 90 percent of the medical services many patients and their families will need,” said Bruce Lawrence, Integris Health’s outgoing president and CEO, when speaking at the groundbreaking — he will retire at the end of the year. “They will be opened 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and be equipped to respond to almost any medical emergency a patient would present.”

Key features

“The mission is bringing empathetic care to communities that are in need of care and bring that closer to where people work, live and play,” said Schmerbeck of Emerus. Emerus is credited with developing the nation’s first microhospital. While other companies and health systems have replicated the model in communi-

Earlier this month, ground was broken for the first microhospital in the area. Come early 2019, Integris will open its first of four microhospitals in the metro. | Photo Integris / provided

ties across the country, Emerus currently operates more than 20 microhospitals and will surpass 60 by 2019. The partnership with Integris, first announced in 2016, signifies Emerus’ first venture in Oklahoma. Emerus presents microhospitals as “a solution, providing entry points into markets where demand would not be able to support a full-scale hospital.” “Culture means a lot to us as we think about partnerships and the communities that we serve,” Schmerbeck said. “We found a fit culturally with Integris.”

The mission is bringing empathetic care to communities that are in need of care and bring that closer to where people work, live and play. Vic Schmerbeck Proponents of microhospitals, which can also be called community hospitals, see the health care facilities as the middle ground between large medical centers with emergency departments and urgent care centers. The facilities can play a role in relieving pressure put on larger hospitals, treating patients for emergencies and non-emergency needs, thus reducing larger hospitals’ ER wait times.

Community need

The Oklahoma City metro area is considered one of the country’s fastest growing for population and jobs. The metro’s growth played a key factor in Integris pursuing the microhospital model. The state’s largest nonprofit health care system is well known for its Integris Baptist Medical Center and Integris Southwest Medical Center in Oklahoma City and Integris Health in Edmond. Integris’ microhospitals will be located in areas of the metro that have grown exponentially over recent years, said Lawrence. The future facilities allow Integris “to bring high-quality care closer to home to the residents that [they] serve.” “We chose Moore as our first such location for a variety of reasons,” Lawrence said. “It is one of the fastest growing, most progressive, resilient communities in central Oklahoma. We have owned this land since 2002. We saw that the growth and prosperity in this area was going to be here for the long haul.” According to Schmerbeck, Integris Medical Group offices are an added benefit to the microhospital model, as they allow locals to connect with health care professionals for routine check-ups and general care. Integris’ microhospitals will also provide emergency treatment and triage rooms. Each microhospital will employ between 50 to 100 people. “This project is going to be very transformational in this market,” Lawrence said.

letters

NEWS

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

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

GOP strangled Obamacare

“If Republican Senators are unable to pass what they are working on now, they should immediately repeal, and then replace at a later date!” said President Donald Trump. Conservatives quickly pounced on the idea — including Senators Rand Paul and Ben Sasse, as well as the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity. Former House Speaker John Boehner called repeal then replace laughable: “In the 25 years that I served in the United States Congress, Republicans never, ever, one time agreed on what a health care proposal should look like. Not once,” Boehner said. “And all this happy talk that went on about repeal, repeal, repeal — yeah, we’ll do replace, replace — I started laughing, because if you pass repeal without replace, first, anything that happens is your fault. You broke it.” This is the danger facing the GOP; if

they simply repeal Obamacare, that would leave 18 million more people without coverage in the first year after its enactment and 32 million more by 2026, according to a Congressional Budget Office report. It would also cause premiums on individual market policies to increase by up to 25 percent the first year and nearly double by 2026, mainly because the individual mandate would be repealed. But some insurers would also likely pull out of the market, the CBO said. The remaining carriers would likely raise rates dramatically because the remaining enrollees would tend to be older and sicker. When the health care law started requiring insurance companies to sell policies to everyone (even with pre-existing conditions), the companies didn’t know how much to charge in premiums to cover expenses for all those new policies. So the law set up a three-year period, from 2014 to 2016, during which the government would subsidize the losses for insurers in the new law’s marketplaces while they adjusted premiums. This program is known as risk corridors. The GOP yanked funding for risk corridors when lawmakers passed a massive spending bill in December 2014, which included a “rider” that said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could not use any extra money in its budget to pay risk corridor expenses. As a result, the government only paid 12.6 cents on the dollar owed insurers

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Put the Democrats in power and this is what they’ll do! 1. Raise the debt limit. 2. Pass enough money to take care of Harvey’s victims. 3. Finally begin a workers program to repair the nation’s infrastructure. This will create millions of jobs, and these mil-

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What the Democrats will do

lions of jobs will put money back into the economy. And because of the booming economy, this will produce more jobs. 4. Erase or drastically cut college intuition. By giving students more freedom, they will inject their money into the system that will increase the generators that increase the economy. 5. This is not socialism! This is using the government machine in a way that it works for the people. There’s a big difference! 6. For the people of the mining states who realize that there’s not much future in mining: Begin programs that will help and educate these people so that they can continue living and working with dignity as proud Americans. 7. The American people could have a kick-ass economy by using the Democratic proven formulas of the past. If you don’t believe me, go back to the past administrations and see the results. 8. The Democrats have always stood on a platform of structure, rules and regulations and decorum. If you want to know the truth, the Repubs actually know all this, but they don’t want the simple people to know it. Which boils down to why are the Repubs in politics if they’re not there to help the people? Joe Wright Oklahoma City

December 1st marks the global awareness of World AIDS Day. The Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund and local area HIV/AIDS service providers are collaborating to paint the town RED in support of World AIDS Day and bring much-needed awareness to the cause.

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under the program, causing insurers to flee the individual markets and raise premiums to cover the losses that the government had promised to cover. A class action lawsuit followed. In February, the US court of Federal Claims ruled: “If these programs did not provide for compensation … insurers might lack the resources to continue offering plans on the exchanges. Further, if enough insurers left the exchanges, one of the goals of the Affordable Care Act, the creation of ‘effective health insurance markets,’ would be unattainable.” The court sent the feds an $8 billion bill to pay insurers. Whether that $8 billion would have kept premiums down and insurers in the individual market is impossible to say, but the GOP proposed an extra $8 billion to help fund high-risk pools for people with preexisting conditions, so it is the same concept by another name. Just politics as usual: party first; We the People be damned. D.W. Tiffee Norman

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chicken

friedNEWS Bad news, good news

Amen’s game

A First Amendment defense group called Freedom From Religion Foundation is requesting an investigation into the practices of a high school football team after video emerged of a coach-led prayer before a game in Norman. What?! No prayer in football? Are they also going to make us order salads from the Braum’s drive-thru? These godless heathens were probably just mad the kids weren’t all wearing Colin Kaepernick jerseys. OK; in all seriousness, the group’s fight to preserve a separation between church and state has merit. No one is saying a coach or player has to quit practicing their religion; they just should not be imposing their personal beliefs on anyone else in a tax-funded setting. In the video, as reported by News 9, a Norman High School football coach can be seen hovering over his kneeling players and asking for the Lord’s wisdom. This being Oklahoma, buckle of the Bible Belt, there are certainly many to jump in defense of the coach’s actions. But how many would be as supportive if the coach was leading an Islamic prayer? Norman Public Schools declined to comment to News 9 at the time of the report because the district claims it had just learned about the complaint. While, ideally, public prayer should be left out of state football games, this instance in Norman is likely far from a one-off occurrence. Truly separating religion and football is a tall order in a state where football has, over the years, become a religion in and of itself. Plus, it is hard to keep prayer off the football fields when state lawmakers and our own governor have literally asked the state to bring it to the oil fields. Remember 2016’s Oilfield Prayer Day? Sheesh. If that does not tell you everything you need to know about this state, we’re not sure what will.

No one likes hearing bad news. We at Chicken-Fried News imagine bad news just kept coming from the mouths of lawmakers at the 2017 legislative forum hosted by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. This forum happened to be scheduled during week eight of the Oklahoma Legislature’s Special Session, where lawmakers have been struggling to fill a $215 million budget hole. At the time, the most current proposal to fix the budget called for cuts to agencies, including higher education. If lawmakers approve that proposal, higher education stands to lose another $17.3 million, according to NewsOK.com. Chancellor Glen Johnson reports Oklahoma’s higher education system hasn’t been funded at that level since 1999. One of the lawmakers to address the crowd of college presidents and higher education leaders was Rep. John Echols, R-Oklahoma City, who also serves as majority floor leader. “I’m going to vote yes on a bill — on a budget — that cuts you by 2.5 percent. I hate it. I don’t want to do it,” he said, according to NewsOK.com. “But I feel like I have a gun to my head at this point. If this budget doesn’t pass, then health care in the state of Oklahoma is decimated and there’s nothing we can do about it.” More brutal honesty was shared by Sen. Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

“If this bill goes down, the situation gets worse, not better,” Treat said. We imagine that someone in the crowd raised their hand and asked how the state could reverse the trends of budget cuts. What advice did the lawmaker give? “We have a lot of people who are thinking about next year’s election in both parties,” Echols said. That just might have been the only good news delivered throughout the forum.

Oversharing overdrive

Chicken-Fried News prides itself on being courteous and conscientious drivers, which means staffers don’t take group selfies while driving and we wait until we get home to fire up the hibachi. In contrast, one Oklahoma City motorist went dudebro bonkers in Cleveland County on Nov. 13, broadcasting his getaway from law enforcement on Facebook Live. According to NewsOK.com, Brenton James Hager, 25, fired up the ol’ smart phone for something stupid, narrating his high-speed chase on social media. During the chase, Hager could be heard yelling at fellow drivers as he blasted down surface roads in Oklahoma and Cleveland counties for nearly three hours.

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“Hey! You don’t see me on a high-speed chase? I’m in a high-speed chase, bro,” Hager said during the stream, and based on his use of the term “bro,” CFN infers that he was applying Axe Body Spray and listening to The Chainsmokers at the time. Hager also informed viewers when he ran red lights and avoided spike strips that law enforcement laid in the road. “You didn’t get your spike strips out fast enough, homie,” he said. Hey, as Damon Wayans told us in the ’90s, homie don’t play that, as in “Homie don’t play Facebook Live while homie is driving, homie.” After Hager tried to T-bone a deputy’s car, everything came to a wet end when he plowed the stolen Ford F-250 into a pond in southwest OKC. When Hager tried to flee the pond, a deputy hit him with a Taser, and he now faces multiple felony charges. No word on whether Hager said, “Don’t Tase me, bro,” because that would be too perfect.

A Wild Teenager Appears

warning to check your wheel well and engine block to make sure there isn’t a neighborhood feline friend seeking warmth. As an incident in Tulsa last week showed us, you should also check under your vehicle for a stray teenager. According to KOTV, a teenaged Braum’s employee was sent to the hospital last week after attempting to play a practical joke on a co-worker. Police were called to the Braum’s near 101st Street and Riverside Parkway in Tulsa to assist the victim, who suffered a fractured leg and head trauma but is expected to recover. Police say the victim left work a little early and hid underneath the fellow employee’s truck. The driver was unaware until he said he felt something lodged under his wheel and realized that he ran over a co-worker. The driver was not ticketed for nearly participating in what would’ve been an entry for the state’s Darwin Awards had things gone even worse. Let this be a lesson to all Chicken-Fried News readers: Beware of cats seeking warmth and teenagers looking to escape the ennui of working a lowwage job.

It’s getting colder, which means you are probably familiar with the

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REVIEW

EAT & DRINK

Beyond brunch

Cafe Kacao is one of the city’s most beloved breakfast locations, but how does it handle expanding its hours and menu to dinner? By Jacob Threadgill

Cafe Kacao 3325 N. Classen Blvd. cafekacao.com | 405-602-2883 What works: The empanadas and pupusas are new menu items that are a must-try. What needs work: The carne adobada would be better braised. Tip: Enjoy breakfast all day.

The waiting line outside Cafe Kacao, 3325 N. Classen Blvd., on the weekends is a sure sign of a high-quality breakfast inside. The Guatemalan restaurant is the highest rated breakfast on Yelp in Oklahoma City and has ranked in Oklahoma Gazette’s reader poll as the city’s best breakfast on multiple occasions. The first time I visited Cafe Kacao was like organizing a trip to see the sun rise. I had driven by many times midmorning and seen the line. Bound and determined to beat the rush, my girlfriend and I set dual alarms for predawn and set up a tent in its parking lot. OK; the last part is hyperbole, but we arrived a few minutes before its listed 8 a.m. Saturday opening to find the restaurant already nearly full.

Sweet meets Guatemalan

It’s easy to see why the breakfast is so highly sought-after. The combination of sweetly decadent desserts-disguised-asbreakfast, such as pancakes topped with Oreos or mango, and the unique flavors of Guatemalan favorites like motuleno, corn tortillas filled with black beans topped with ranchero sauce and a fried egg, are a unique pairing that excites the senses. Add in the fact that Cafe Kacao is one The chicken flautas were crisp without being oily. | Photo Jacob Threadgill

of the most interesting coffee houses in the city serving an assortment of interesting espressos, lattes and cold brews, and it seems as if the restaurant checks off all the boxes for the perfect destination brunch spots in the city. Cafe Kacao opened in 2011 under the management of owner Luidgi Del Cid, whose mother Alba Veronica opened the city’s other Guatemalan hot spot, Café Antigua, but sold her original venture some years ago. She then joined her son in the kitchen at Cafe Kacao.

Expansion to dinner

Back in May, Del Cid announced his restaurant would be expanding to dinner service and expanding hours from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the week. With the extended service came new menu items like empanadas, pupusas and ceviche. The new hours have done little to put a dent in the weekend line, which still regularly snakes around the corner of the restaurant’s tinted windows, but

how has the restaurant handled the new menu and hours? When I heard the news that Cafe Kacao was expanding, I was head over heels. I wouldn’t have to wake before the sun rose to get a good seat. I could stroll in after work and enjoy a nice plate of machaca: scrambled eggs mixed with lime-braised shredded beef, tomatoes and onion. I knew the breakfast was good, but what about the rest of the menu? The first item I tried on the new menu was the pupusas ($14), which are a personal favorite, and I was excited to see them on the menu for the first time in Oklahoma City. Pupusas, which originally hail from El Salvador, are almost like a stuffed tortilla, but thicker. The masa harina for the pupusas is the same used on its tortillas, but it’s stuffed with a melty, mild cheese and shredded pork. Served with marinated cabbage and a pair of sauces, it’s easily my favorite thing on the new menu.

The empanadas are a can’t-miss. I’ve also tried the carne adobada ($12) on a previous visit, and I was less enamored. The idea of a marinated pork steak sounded better in my head than it did in execution. The marinade was flavorful, smoky and spicy, but a pork steak served whole isn’t exactly the most ap-

left The empanadas are new to the Cafe Kacao dinner menu. right The cochinita pibil marinated pork is served in a citrus-pepper sauce. | Photos Jacob Threadgill

petizing cut of meat. I find it’s usually better to braise the steak as a full Boston butt until it shreds. What I got was gristly and uneven in texture. During my latest meal, I felt much more confident in my order: empanadas, flautas and cochinita pibil, which is slow-cooked pork in citrus and guajillo pepper sauce. The empanadas ($9), which I will often make at home, were unlike any I’ve had or made on my own. I’ve eaten many empanadas across a variety of preparations from countries all over South and Central America, and I can say that Cafe Kacao’s are the first I’ve had with a corn dough; usually, they’re made with flour. The corn dough allows the outside to get crispy in the fryer while retaining a pillowy center. The shredded pork on the interior almost melts along with the cheese to create a filling where it’s hard to tell where the cheese ends and pork begins. Add in a little sourness from crema on top, and the empanadas are a can’t-miss. I wish I could say the same for the cochinita pibil ($14), which arrived a step above lukewarm. I assume it sat on the plate while the flautas finished frying. I meant to tell my server, but he disappeared before I could alert him. On first bite, the citrus-guajillo sauce intrigued me, but halfway through the dish, I found that the citrus drowned out the spiciness of the pepper. I also nearly ate a piece of a bay leaf because I thought it was a caramelized onion, and I never expected to have to fish two inedible bay leafs out of the sauce. The flautas were an above-average execution of the dish. The exterior was crisp without being oily, and the shredded chicken was bolstered with potato for a nice contrast. I’ve tried the new dinner menu at Cafe Kacao on multiple occasions, and it has been hit-and-miss. The last few times in particular, I’ve regretted not ordering breakfast, which can be ordered all day. Perhaps the best thing that has come from dinner service is that Cafe Kacao’s delicious breakfast is available into the evening. O kg a z e t t e . c o m | N OV E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7

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F E AT U R E

EAT & DRINK

Hurry, wait

Classen Coffee Company opens after a lengthy delay over the sprinkler system. By Jacob Threadgill

While working for Trinity Baptist Church just off Classen Boulevard, Kyle Duncan would often look to the vacant white building across the street and fantasize about what it could become. The church has owned the white building since the 1960s, when it was first a doctor’s office and then became a hand-painted sign shop, but the church had mostly used the space for storage until Duncan and business partner Robin Palesano struck a deal to rent the space from the church. The space is now Classen Coffee Company, 2515 N. Classen Blvd., which opened Aug. 21, but the journey to get it open was anything but smooth. Duncan and Palesano signed a lease in Oct. 2016 with the intention to open for business by February.

Delayed opening

Renovation delays pushed things back a few months, but just before they were ready to open in May, Duncan and Palesano were informed that under state law, any restaurant with two stories must be retrofitted with a sprinkler system. “All summer we spent arguing [with the city], and they weren’t going to let us do anything,” Duncan said, noting that it would take $50,000 they didn’t have to install the sprinkler system. Eventually, the partners and the city reached a compromise: The steel door leading to the basement, which Duncan and Palesano eyed as a conference space, would have to stay locked. What they thought would be a fourmonth process turned into a year and half of hurrying up and waiting. Today, Duncan is able to put the frustration of getting the business open behind him.

Deliberate design

The inside seating area at Classen Coffee 14

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is separated into two rooms: a front bar area where coffee is made with small tables perfect for people working on laptops and a back lounge area with comfortable couches and plush chairs. “It’s still very surreal. I’ll sit and look from this room so I can see the whole place,” Duncan said while seated in a big, black, puffy chair in the back. “I’ll come here and study in a place that for so long I just dreamed about. Now people talk about how they come here all the time and see a lot of the same faces. That’s really cool because that’s what I hoped would happen.”

We found the Oklahoma City coffee culture is not as late or as early as we originally tried. Kyle Duncan Customers at Classen Coffee Company are greeted with the venerable building’s original brick, wood ceiling and finished cement floors complete with paint stains that are remnants of its time as a sign shop. “People pay a lot of money to have their walls look like this,” Duncan said, referring to the exposed brick. The renovation worked around the building’s existing materials but added new electrical outlets to charge computers and devices. “This would’ve never worked had people wanted it to look brand-new,” Duncan said. “It would’ve been easier to bulldoze it and start over, easier and The outdoor patio at Classen Coffee Company features plenty of outlets. | Photo provided

cheaper. These old buildings are worth saving, and you get a clientele that loves that kind of stuff.” In addition to making sure there were plenty of available outlets, Duncan said he wanted Classen Coffee Company to stand out from other locally owned coffee stores by offering a drive-thru and staying open as long as possible. They’ve actually scaled back the hours to 7 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week. “We found the Oklahoma City coffee culture is not as late or as early as we originally tried,” Duncan said. Approximately 25 percent of Classen’s Coffee Company’s business comes from the drive-thru window, where customers choose from a streamlined menu — it’s mostly coffee and a few teas. It offers a few prepackaged snacks and pastries from Ingrid’s bakery, but Duncan and Palesano have no desire to open a kitchen, preferring to rely on cross-promoting with other local businesses.

Hybrid model

Its coffee is supplied from Bethanybased roaster Grounds 4 Compassion, a for-profit business that donates a large portion of its proceeds to world charities. Grounds 4 Compassion supplies many churches and offices with coffee. Owner Bradley Carter hooked up with Classen Coffee after being introduced through mutual friends. “When you put like-minded people

Classen Coffee Company, housed in a building that sat empty for nearly 50 years, has plenty of exposed brick. | Photo provided

together, you can see how one dollar a person might spend will impact multiple lives all over the world,” Carter said of the relationship with Duncan and Palesano. While Classen Coffee Company is a for-profit, just like Grounds 4 Compassion, its landlord is the church, which will establish a food pantry in the other half of the building not occupied by Classen Coffee. Duncan said the fact that the coffee shop’s rent is helping the church is a positive. “We wanted to leverage business opportunity with a community mindset,” Duncan said. “We loved the idea of coming in with the church. We’d represent them in their building, but it’s forprofit. It’s almost a hybrid.” Classen Coffee Company’s outdoor patio space features nearly as many outlets as its interior and has been transformed to host three concerts, which Duncan said he wants to host with regular frequency. He still hasn’t given up hope of opening the building’s bottom floor without having to install the sprinkler system. “It’s got 12-foot ceiling and lots of natural light. One of these days, it will be a cool space,” Duncan said. Visit classencoffeeco.com.

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F E AT U R E

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Imagination kitchen

Inside Sonic’s Cullinary Innovation Center, products go from ideas to nationwide menus. By Jacob Threadgill

Across the country, Sonic has built its national brand as one of the most successful quick-service restaurants on the basis of bold and exciting flavors. From recent full-time menu additions like boneless Buffalo wings to other wild ideas that never see the light of day — like a hot dog topped with peanut butter, bacon, pecans and caramel — it all begins as a kernel of a thought at Sonic’s Culinary Innovation Center located on the first floor of its corporate headquarters downtown, 300 Johnny Bench Drive. Inside the gleaming 3,429-foot facility, Scott Uehlein, vice president of product innovation and development, is a trained chef with — surprise — a background in health and wellness who oversees a team of developers that create products based on their own ideas and work with the marketing department’s calendar. Uehlein arrived at Sonic two years ago from Canyon Ranch, a company that specializes in health spas and resorts, not long after the innovation kitchen opened. “We have a lot of fun,” Uehlein said. “I try to explain to people what I do, and they say, ‘Wait; they pay you to do that?’”

Product development

Uehlein admitted that the transition from health to fast food might be a head-scratcher to some, but he said his

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Scott Uehlein gives a tour of Sonic’s Cullinary Innovation Center. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

previous job working under a restrictive calorie structure only enhanced his ability to create flavor profiles. “When you take fat and calories, you have to layer flavors by finding the balance —bitter/salty, sweet/ sour — and adding umami ingredients,” he said. “Sonic is known for bold flavors, so it gives us a lot of runway to work with. Each product begins as an idea, either from the development team or the marketing department. For instance, Sonic will always unveil a new ice cream flavor in the summer. The idea is screened during an online survey. If the idea received enough positive feedback, the development team gets to work in the kitchen that is constructed to replicate the equipment available to the more than 3,500 Sonic locations across the country. Uehlein and his team run cook-time studies and develop prototypes that will go to taste tests and then run operations tests before going to a test market in hopes of the item being added to the menu as a limited-time offer. Uehlein admits it’s not exactly a linear path from idea to final product. There are a variety of factors that delay a release or derail a product altogether. Sauces and drink flavors tend to have a quicker continued on page 16

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EAT & DRINK

Scott Uehlein and Jordan Denton,

F E AT U R E

continued from page 15

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turnaround time from idea to final product.

“Potentially disruptive”

Product developer Jordan Denton brought in a grapefruit-flavored Sonic fizz, a carbonated beverage without artificial sweetener, color or flavor, which is Sonic’s play into the sparkling water market popularized by La Croix. It will appear on menus this spring and had about an eight-month window from idea to implementation. It has been a much longer process for a product that Uehlein describes as “potentially disruptive.” It’s a blended burger that the development team refers to as a Sonic Slinger but does not yet have a final name. The meat patty is 25 to 30 percent mushrooms and is served on a bun that is somewhere between slider and fullsized patty. “You should never get emotionally attached in the development world, but I confess that I’m emotionally attached to this one,” Uehlein said, noting that it’s an idea he brought with him from his health and wellness background and has been in production since he arrived almost exactly two years ago. The Sonic Slinger classic with lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles is 370 calories, and a bacon-and-cheese-topped variety is 410 calories. By comparison, the slightly larger regular Sonic cheeseburger is 730 calories. “People have been blown away at how good this tastes,” Uehlein said. “You’d never know that it has a bunch of mushrooms in it.” Jason Acock, assistant manager of corporate communications at Sonic, said the Sonic Slinger recently finished product testing in August and might have limited availability in late spring or early summer. The announcement of the Slinger received coverage in Food & Wine magazine, which Acock said is rare for the quickservice industry.

product developer, talk about menu items in the works. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

“I knew how damn good this product tasted,” Uehlein said, comparing the product ideas to raising children. “I hope this one goes to Harvard.” Although the Slinger has nutritional benefits, the marketing around the new product will likely focus on its premium qualities.

You’d never know that it has a bunch of mushrooms in it. Scott Uehlein

Idea search

Uehlein and corporate members travel the country seeking new flavor profiles. Uehlein said food trends often start in either fine dining or at local food trucks. For example, he said they ultimately passed on using Sriracha flavor, which has popped up as co-branded product in everything from potato chips to kettle corn. “By the time we get through the validation process, it’s already on to the next thing,” Uehlein said. “Anything spicy is polarizing. It’s better to be broadly appealing.” He said that the company likes to look forward while keeping an eye on current trends. When a product doesn’t work, it’s not thrown away. An avocado ranch sauce originally created for a pulled chicken sandwich has found its way to a breakfast sandwich, Uehlein said. “No one is getting rid of french fries, but how do you evolve them? We already got a big menu, so you have to earn your way on,” Uehlein said.

The salted caramel cupcake is among the top sellers at ButterSweet Cupcakes. | Gazette / file

McBrides opened Tiffany’s Cake Atelier, which focuses on wedding and birthday cakes, in the vacant Yukon competitor’s store within the last year.

F E AT U R E

Commitment to fresh

Trendy bakes

ButterSweet Cupcakes started in a Yukon kitchen and has turned into an empire. By Jacob Threadgill

The concept of a cupcake-only bakery was essentially unheard of in American culture until an episode of Sex and the City featured sweet treats from New York’s trendy Magnolia Bakery in 2000. The line around the block at the Greenwich Village location grew as it earned a spot on the Sex and the City tour. In the following decade, bakeries dedicated to cupcakes began popping up from coast to coast, and in 2010, Food Network debuted the competition reality show Cupcake Wars. Around the same time the show debuted, Yukon’s Tiffany McBride was between jobs, and she began to rely on experience of baking with her grandmother while growing up. McBride made an elaborate custom cake for a friend, and the encouragement began. “You should open a store,” became a common refrain from McBride’s friends.

Making a baker

What started as a hobby turned into a fulltime cake enterprise for the McBrides — husband Matt included — as ButterSweet Cupcakes opened locations in Yukon, 817 S. Mustang Road, and Edmond, 16708 N. Pennsylvania Ave., and a standalone cake

store, Tiffany’s Cake Atelier, 501 S. Mustang Road, in Yukon. Five years after the first ButterSweet Cupcakes opened in Yukon, it’s still surprising for Matt McBride to be in the bakery business. McBride cashed out his 401K as a paralegal and the family maxed out credit cards and used a family loan of $10,000 to get their first storefront open in 2012.

We try not to be over-the-top crazy with stuff. Matt McBride “I never imagined in a million years that I’d be a baker,” Matt McBride said, noting that he had to first learn how to make frosting as his wife embarked on the journey to a cake empire. “We only had the store open for two months before I quit my day job [to] do cake full-time.” The McBrides have watched as other bakeries and cupcake-themed stores — including a competitor in Yukon — have closed over the years. The

McBride said ButterSweet’s commitment to baking fresh — each store puts out new product six days a week — and high-quality ingredients like real vanilla extract have set its product apart. “We try not to be over-the-top crazy with stuff,” McBride said. “People like familiar stuff, so we don’t have weird flavors. It’s a homemade style that’d you enjoy, like peanut butter and chocolate.” ButterSweet has fun with designs: superhero themes like blueberry pie cupcakes with Spider-Man images, apple pie cupcakes with a Captain America shield, Wonder Woman blue coconut cream or Halloween cupcakes featuring characters from cult classic Hocus Pocus. Those daily specials join menu fixtures like the Vanilla Thrilla, a classic white wedding cake with a vanilla buttercream; cookie dough, a cookie cupcake topped with a egg-free cookie dough frosting; and crème brûlée, a yellow cake with vanilla cream filling and vanilla buttercream with a sugar topping that has been torched brown and bubbly. ButterSweet also sells specialty items like cake truffles, cake parfaits (layers of cake, frosting and filing in a cup) and Doozies, cookie sandwiches with buttercream filling. For the holidays, ButterSweet also produces pies for pre-order in five flavors: pecan, pumpkin, chocolate cream, coconut cream and apple crumble (each available with meringue or whipped cream topping). “The idea of people all over the metro having our baked goods at their family Thanksgiving is a very cool thing,” McBride said. The success of ButterSweet allowed the McBrides to expand the original location to include the retail space next door and open an Edmond location in 2015. Matt said he has an itch to expand again, possibly at the beginning of 2018, with a food truck. “You’re limited with your reach with a brick-and-mortar to get people to drive too far just for cupcakes,” McBride said. “Since we’ve got two facilities baking every day, we’ve got more than enough inventory to supply a food truck.” McBride said there is a hole in the local market for a food truck focused solely on desserts, with only Holey Rollers doughnuts coming to mind. He said the potential food truck could focus on catering or going to schools and weddings. “I think there is a hole in the market that we could fill nicely,” McBride said. “I think that could certainly help us accelerate into opening a third [brickand-mortar] location.” Visit buttersweetcupcakes.com.

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g a z e di b l e s

eat & DRINK

Pie chart

No, we can’t list the first 10 digits of mathematical pi from memory, but we will gladly hand over our seven-digit telephone number to anyone who promises to deliver a piping-hot cinnamon-apple pie. Since the holiday season has officially arrived and we’re all up to our eyeballs in pumpkin pies, Oklahoma Gazette thought it would be a good time to recap some of the best pan-perfected masterpieces Oklahoma City has to offer. By Ben Luschen | Photos by Megan Nance and Gazette / file

Beverly’s Pancake House 3315 Northwest Expressway 405-848-5050

Every city needs that 24/7 diner to go to at any time of the day or night for a coffee and hearty slice of pie with a good friend — you know, the kind of establishments television and movie detectives always seem to find themselves patronizing. For OKC, Beverly’s has long been that place. But it will be no great mystery finding out where that slice of apple pie disappeared to

Crimson & Whipped Cream

The Drake Seafood & Oysterette

During football season, the only kind of turnovers they like on the University of Oklahoma’s historic Campus Corner are ones that happened to have been made in Crimson & Whipped Cream’s bakery. Sure, their traditional pies — like the apple-cranberry tart — are fantastic. But one would be remiss to pass over the Oatmeal Cream and chocolate Whoopie pies, which are like the lunchbox snack cakes of our dreams.

Seafood and oysters are this restaurant’s two main draws. (Well, duh!) But no trip to The Drake is complete without ordering a slice of what has quickly become one of this city’s classic meal-finishers: the Lemon Cloud Pie. Lemon cream pies are already among the most underrated of the saucered sweets, but no one does it better than The Drake. There is a strong lemon flavor but also a sweet creaminess that lingers on diners’ minds for hours and days to come.

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The Grill on the Hill

324 SW 25th St. grillonthehillokc.com | 405-634-9866

A good way to judge a restaurant is by the loyalty of its regulars. And the customers one finds at Grill on the Hill day in and day out will absolutely swear by the place. The much-loved diner carries apple and pecan pies. Both are fantastic, but those looking for something a little more savory might opt for the Frito chili pie, a delightfully stringy and salty mix worth its weight in nostalgia.

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Ingrid’s

3701 N. Youngs Blvd. ingridsok.com | 405-946-8444

Ingrid’s pies have been gracing the city’s Thanksgiving and holiday dinner tables for years, and for good reason. The German-style bakery delivers on quality and selection. It bakes everything from blueberry, rhubarb and pumpkin to the more elaborate millionaire and mincemeat varieties. While it would technically be dishonest to unpack one of these beauties and present it as your own, Ingrid’s won’t tell anyone if you do.

Classic deli food, made froM scratch

Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler

2652 W. Britton Road johnniesburgers.com | 405-751-2565

By all means, eat your delicious Johnnie’s hamburger — they are truly wonderful. But if you leave the restaurant without a slice of delicious chocolate cream pie, you’re not doing this right. The generously sized, elegant-looking slices behind Johnnie’s glass pie window call to hungry diners like the Sirens to Ulysses. But giving into temptation is not a sign of weakness here. Instead, it shows a respect for self-care.

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Pie Junkie

1711 NW 16th St. piejunkie.com | 405-605-8767

No list of Oklahoma City pie is complete without a nod to Pie Junkie, which routinely churns out so many mouth-watering creations that it seems almost unfair. This is no secret to the pie-lovers around these parts, which is why Pie Junkie is already booked to capacity for Thanksgiving orders. Still, it is always worth a trip to the 16th Street Plaza District store for a single slice of Drunken Turtle or Macadamia Key Lime while supplies last.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Open portal

Factory Obscura’s Shift is a gateway into an immersive art world and the first step in an attempt at improving prospects for career artists. By Ben Luschen

Time and human consciousness are things that cannot simply be bought, captured or mass-produced. Instead, we know consciousness because we have experienced it — because we have lived it and shared it with others. Similarly, there are no words or photographs that can fully capture Shift, the debut installation from the locally groundbreaking artist collective Factory Obscura. A multimedia, experiential art world has entirely consumed Current Studio, the forward-thinking but usually traditional-looking artist gallery and studio space in the blossoming Classen Ten Penn neighborhood. When entering the installation, guests step inside a massive model skull, entering through the nose and exiting through the mouth. There is a “neural forest” to walk through, platforms to climb and secret tunnels to traverse. One room represents the concept of time itself. Even the bathroom has been transformed into an aquatic-feeling fishbowl. It is hard to imagine a more ambitious local art project. “We’re really thinking about multiple planes of consciousness — as it changes throughout the course of a single day, but also as it changes through the course of your life and has evolved through all of humanity,” said Kelsey Karper, a Factory Obscura co-founder and curator for Shift. But, like the frustration one feels when trying to capture all the breathtaking beauty of a mountain vista on a smartphone camera, there is no way to fully understand Shift without experiencing it.

“There’s no language for it,” said artist and co-founder Tammy Greenman. In addition to Karper and Greenman, Factory Obscura’s other founders include Laura and Laurent Massenat, Hugh Meade and Thomas Thompson. Shift, which officially debuted Nov. 9, is open and free to the public noon-6 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays at Current Studio, 1218 N. Pennsylvania Ave. The installation will remain at the studio through Feb. 25. Some have called Factory Obscura — and the world’s larger experiential art trend — the future of art and a potential new hope for artists endlessly fighting to make their craft a livable one. But in Greenman’s mind, the future has already arrived. “I think this is in the moment; it’s happening now,” she said. “We’re in the midst of this new art movement.”

Experiential trend

Laura Massenat, known by many as a coowner of Midtown’s Elemental Coffee Roasters along with husband Laurent, said the collective was born out of a conversation with the Massenats’ long-time yoga instructor and friend Thompson. He noted to them that while there were many playgrounds and activities for children in the city, there were few comparable options that parents could enjoy. Not long after that conversation, the Massenats visited City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. City Museum describes itself as “an eclectic mixture of children’s playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion and architectural marvel made out of

unique, found objects.” The delightfully bizarre 600,000 square-foot space opened in 1997 and was voted the No. 1 family attraction in the world on Trip.com. Massenat’s group told City Museum they were interested in developing an adult playground in Oklahoma, and museum officials arranged a private tour of their facility. When they got back home to OKC, Massenat said their heads were spinning with ideas.

It responds to a market that is looking for experience instead of just spending money on things. Laura Massenat “We started talking to everyone we thought would be interested or would want to help or would have an idea or would know other people we needed to talk to,” she said. Though the world has drastically changed in the last several years, the ways in which adults enjoy a wholesome day out still closely resemble the things their parents and grandparents did: bowling, movie theaters, miniature golf. Factory Obscura realizes we live in a time when Factory Obscura is heavily inspired by

front from left Laurent Massenat, Kelsey Karper and Laura Massenat and back from left Hugh Meade, Tammy Greenman and Thomas Thompson co-founded the Factory Obscura collective. | Photo Mark Hancock

the quality of the official group selfie at the place is as legitimately important as the outing itself. “It also responds to a market that is looking for experience instead of just spending money on things,” Massenat said. Even more than City Museum, Factory Obscura takes its influence from Meow Wolf, an art collective based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The group started by organizing its own underground art installations and events. In March 2016, the collective opened its 20,000 square-foot art complex with funding from Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin. The totally immersive experiential art environment includes a neon forest, a pseudo-house of magical realism and a unique concert venue that hosts real shows. More than 100 artists representing practically every visual medium are included in the Meow Wolf collective. Massenat said Meow Wolf has enthusiastically thrust its support and endorsement toward Factory Obscura. “[Factory Obscura] is exactly the Meow Wolf model, absolutely,” she said. “What permits them to help us get started is what inspires us to create our business that way and permits us to help the community going forward.”

the Meow Wolf artist collective based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. | Photo Mark Hancock

continued on page 22

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ARTS & CULTURE Factory Obscura is heavily inspired by the Meow Wolf artist collective based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. | Photo Mark Hancock

and purveyors of experiential art, the founders make clear that their intention is not to diminish or compete against other artists and art forms. “The development of motion pictures didn’t kill photography,” Meade said. “And photography didn’t kill painting,” added Karper. Greenman said no one has to choose between enjoying only experiential art and all the other traditional art movements and mediums that came before it. In fact, Factory Obscura acts as a connecting bridge between all visual styles. By combining the energy of previously scattered and solo-working art voices, Greenman said the collective’s potential is staggering to think about. “You used to not be able to make money off just an experience; people had to take something away,” she said. “But now we’re opening that up to say, ‘What could that look like?’” Visit facebook.com/factoryobscura.

Factory Obscura presents Shift noon-6 p.m.Thursdays-Sundays | through Feb. 25 Current Studio | 1218 N. Pennsylvania Ave. facebook.com/factoryobscura | 405-673-1218 free

cov er

continued from page 21

Reimagined model

Before Factory Obscura got its official name, group members referred to it using mysterious and ambiguous monikers like “the project” and “not recommended.” Co-founder Hugh Meade said the Factory Obscura name is intended to represent a “new century” view of the creative process. Obscura is a Latin word meaning “hidden” or “in darkness.” Meade said some might be familiar with the term camera obscura, the phenomenon in which an image on one side of a screen is projected onto the other through a tiny opening, like with a pinhole camera. “It also turns the image upside down,” he said. “So, we are turning the idea of the factory on its head.” To counter art made with a factory mindset — works produced under the idea that they will eventually be purchased by a buyer and added to that buyer’s existing collection of things — the group hopes to make being in the midst of that art its main selling point. Achieving that takes grand vision and aspiration, which, in turn, demands a lot of collaboration. A team of 15 local visual artists was assembled to visualize and construct the Shift installation. Those artists included Denise Duong, Nicole Emmons-Willis, Adam Lanman, William Walker Larason, Erin Latham, Nick Lillard, Mike Litzau, Leigh Martin, Tiffany McKnight, Mandy Messina, Amber Rae Black, Brandon Seekins, Cassie Stover, David Webber and Amanda Zoey. The team did not begin physically in22

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stalling Shift until mid-August, working tirelessly for the next three months to complete it. It took each of their perspectives and sets of expertise to make the installation what it is today. Though some of the artists are multimedia by trade, others were working in three-dimensional space for the first time. Greenman said if any of the Factory Obscura artists faced a challenge working in the format, the team was there to help steer them in the right direction. “We are cooperative,” she said, “so we all worked together to figure out, ‘How can you take something that is two-dimensional and — almost like pop-up art — how do you present it in a three-dimensional way?’”

Better together

Of course, the Shift installation remains free through the rest of its run at Current Studio. Factory Obscura won’t be able to fully realize its admission-based artist profitability model until it achieves its goal of securing a permanent home. The collective is scouting potential landing places for its own art complex somewhere in the city. “Wherever we land, we see the potential for Factory Obscura to be a huge draw for people to come to wherever we are,” said Karper, who is also co-founder of Current Studio. “That’ll have a big impact on the surrounding area, so we want to be really strategic about that.” While the group is excited about what the future might hold for Factory Obscura William Walker Larason inside the Factory Obscura Shift installation at Current Studio | Photo Mark Hancock

ARTS & CULTURE OKG: Was your first time headlining really in Alaska? Bamford: Yes, I think it was. It was so long ago, but I think that’s where it was. I just remember I was just extremely terrified. But there was pay involved, which seems to take the edge off any terrifying fear. OKG: A lot of people can relate. Before some of these interviews, I feel a little bit of terror. Bamford: Well, I’m so glad to hear you say that because I get scared of interviews, too. I get scared of them because I’m worried I’m going to say something dumb. I’ve had a few instances — there was this radio deejay-type sitch. Sometimes I think they say things to get you going, like, “You’re single and you’re crazy; what do you think are the odds of you getting—” and it’s like, “Uh-huh.” I mean, fair enough; they’re trying to fill their hour with delightful interaction.

Maria Bamford | Photo Natalie Brasington

co m e dy

/ provided

Big boom

Maria Bamford returns to Oklahoma City straight off the hilarious second season of Lady Dynamite. By Ben Luschen

Netflix is the perfect platform for a comic like Maria Bamford to host a show. But then again, it is there really anyone quite like the Lady Dynamite star? In her stand-up act, Bamford is known for her uncanny use of impressions and voices often taken from family members or people in her past — or from her own vivid imagination; it is hard to tell sometimes. Her material is also candidly biographical, addressing her struggles with mental health and depression with disarming openness. Lady Dynamite, the critically praised Netflix original comedy series, debuted its second season earlier this month. True to her stage comedy, the show (which stars Bamford as a fictionalized version of herself navigating show business and Fred Melamed as her always-say-yes agent) is somehow surreal, raw, dark, sweet and relatable while being gut-bustingly funny. Oklahoma City fans can see Bamford for the first time since the new season premiered when the comic performs Dec. 3 at Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St. Wisconsin-born stand-up Jackie Kashian, who is also Bamford’s dear friend and frequent tour companion, opens the 8 p.m. show. Bamford chatted by phone with Oklahoma Gazette after dropping Kashian off at a coffee shop in Bloomington,

Indiana, where they were both scheduled to perform. Oklahoma Gazette: When did you meet Jackie Kashian? How did that friendship start? Bamford: Well, for a long time, I didn’t really know anyone very well because I was very shy and frightened of people. Not in a totally bizarre way, but especially in comedy, I just kind of stayed away. I would perform and then leave to try to avoid anyone giving me notes. But I knew Jackie. We didn’t really know each other very well until she moved to LA. She’s kind of a hub of social activity in Los Angeles for comedians. Like, she’s always available for lunch, always available to hang out. So we started hanging out that way, and she did me a favor. I had to headline for the first time — I want to say it was in Alaska. And I had never done 45 minutes of stand-up before, so she offered to come with me and to open for me, which was very generous and kind of her. She came with me and made it a lot less frightening. So I think that’s where we began our closer friendship that stands, I believe, to this day. Now, of course, there’s someone else in the relationship, so you might want to ask her, but I consider her a dear friend.

OKG: It’s the holiday season now. Do you have any holiday plans for this year? Bamford: Well, I’ve been working on a video series called The 12 Gifts of Desperation, some of which are addiction, an early death. It’s going to be a video series on Topic.com. I hope it’s going to be great; it hasn’t been done yet. But for this Christmas, we’re going to go to my family’s [place], but after the holidays. Oh, and over the season, I will be selling merch [on mariabamford.com] which was showcased in my last Comedy Central special. All the money goes to the adult psychiatric wing of the hospital in my hometown. OKG: For a lot of people, the holidays can be a stressful, even depressing time. Is that something you can relate to? Do you have any tips for people facing holiday stress? Bamford: Yes. I assume if you have a shitty health care provider like 90 percent of us have, you’ve probably already used up all your mental health for the year. That or they can’t see you until January. So I would say go to anything free that you can. There are so many free support groups, whether it is those anonymous ones or run by the National Association of Mental Illness — NAMI. Any kind of group can be very helpful. If you sit in a circle with a bunch of people and people are talking about their feelings in some way, it can be very helpful to mental health. Also, try stand-up comedy! Try it! It gets your endorphins going, you get really scared and, also, it’s a free group. Comedians, we don’t necessarily sit in a circle, but there is definitely someone sharing on stage and — as we all have found out — whatever they’re sharing is real. It’s not far from the truth. And a lot of comedy is free, especially open mic nights. And they need you — you’re needed! During the holidays, a lot of the volunteer opportunities dry up. OKG: Lady Dynamite is an excellent show. Compared to a lot of shows on

Netflix and just shows in general, it’s pretty out there. When you all finish a season and turn these episodes into Netflix, at any point, do they say anything about it or give you any feedback? How does that work? Bamford: Because I don’t write on the show — I just go in and have a salad and say, “Oh, that’s funny; I like that” or “Well, subjectively, I don’t like that but I support you.” That’s all I do, but from what I’ve heard, they say it’s dreamy. The only thing the network does — and the network is just six or seven people — but I’ve heard that their notes are helpful. And I’ve heard that about other streaming medias, that there’s less creative input from the business people. OKG: It is less formal. There aren’t any commercials. Bamford: Yeah. I guess not a lot of people know what their business model is. They’re not as dependent on advertisers, I guess. OKG: Yeah, it’s subscribers. Bamford: Yes. I pay for my Netflix. And the rate just went up. We changed debit cards and I forgot to pay. It’s so funny because the day the show premiered, I couldn’t watch it because I didn’t have my new debit card. OKG: It seems like Netflix should probably be giving free subscriptions to people who have their own show. Bamford: Listen; come on. There’s so many shows on Netflix, it’d be hard to keep track. Also, businesswise, I’m a blip in their history. They have bigger fish to fry, and I’m happy to pay the service. OKG: You’re actually paying yourself in a roundabout way. Bamford: I am. Live better; work union. OKG: A lot of people love Lady Dynamite. Because that show is so you, does it feel like people are loving you when they love the show? Bamford: No. I mean, it’s really nice, but you’re a separate person. ... I think everything is taken with a grain of salt. I’ve said this before, but I like to think of show business as a terrible alcoholic. She is so much fun if you get her at the right time at the party, and then she may turn. Just wait for it. OKG: She may, and she has. Bamford: And it’s OK. I think it’s part of life that people’s tastes change or somebody that has been lauded either does something that is disappointing or illegal or whatever. Nobody can maintain the love, even for our most loved ones.

Maria Bamford

w/ Jackie Kashian 8 p.m. Dec. 3 Tower Theatre | 425 NW 23rd St. towertheatreokc.com | 405-708-6937 $27.50-$33.50

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Buy This!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE unique and local ideas for holiday gifts

F

iguring out what to get that person who has everything or someone hard to shop for is difficult. Don’t give your money to Amazon or Walmart. Shopping local and in person is what makes finding a unique gift even more special. The gift opening then has a story behind it instead of “Yeah, I got it online.” Oklahoma Gazette has collected a few cool, unique local items that we know our readers would like under their tree. Most of these items won’t break the bank, and they all give you an opportunity to go into a local store, talk to the shop owner, learn their history and browse all that they have to offer. Don’t forget about gifts for cats, dogs and secret Santa groups. We hope these gift ideas spark an idea and make your holiday gift buying special in 2017.

MAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS

� ul b a f FIND CHRISTMAS / HANUKKAH ARRANgEMENTS, FRESH gARLAND & pOINSETTIAS!

TONY FOSS FLOWERS 7 6 1 0 N M AY | 4 0 5 . 8 4 3 . 4 1 1 9

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! 9 1 $ $14-

C.C. Beanies, Scarves & Gloves,

Holiday De-s t r e s s M a s s age

Specializing in sports massage and massage therapy, Simply Bliss will help you feel your best this holiday. Book your massage or purchase your gift certificate by 12/15/17 to receive an hour massage for $45, a hot stone h our massage for $55 or a couples

V ega n Bea r d Oil

Your bearded loved ones will keep appreciating this gift as their mane stays smelling fresh while remaining animal friendly. The mixture of 6 blended vegan oils comes in fragrances of melon & suede, sandalwood and lime, and tobacco and bourbon.

massage for $89.

Simply Bliss Massage Therapy 3705 W Memorial Rd Suite 304 www.simplyblissokc.com (405) 486-4860

Manscape & Massage Clinic 714 N Broadway Ave Unit 201 www.manscapemassageclinic.com (405) 388-5100

Pr e-ha rve s ted Noble Fir

Before buying gifts this year, buy a tree to put your gifts under! Choose that special tree from 15 varieties the day after Thanksgiving until Dec. 23rd; Mon. thru Fri. 1pm - 7pm and Sat. thru Sun. 10am - 7pm.

K haki Pilot by H amilton Wat ch Compa n y From Hamilton Watch Company, the automatic Khaki Pilot features the day and the date. Sporty with a touch of class, shown here in stainless steel with a black dial, priced at just $945. Exclusively at Naifeh Fine Jewelry.

Naifeh Fine Jewelry 9203 N Pennsylvania Ave naifehfinejewelry.com | (405) 607-4323

Sorghum Mill Christmas Tree Farm 7121 Midwest Lane Edmond, OK 73034 www.christmas-tree.com/real/ok/sorghum 405-340-5488

Shop.LushFashionLounge.com 14101 N. May Ave. Suite 114 405 936 0680 Mon-Sat 10am-7pm Open Sundays Nov. 26-Dec. 31 12-5 pm

Follow us on O kg a z e t t e . c o m | N OV E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7

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Buy This!

Bottoms! Up

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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Dapper Never Dies

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Manscape - Massage - Barber & Beard - Spa Book On-Line: ManscapeMassageClinic.com 714 N Broadway. Ave Suite 201

Los t Highway Gift Cer tificate s

Manscape & Massage Clinic

Give the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season, a gift certificate from the Lost Highway! Comes in any denomination. The perfect gift for all your friends!

revoluTionary GroominG CliniC proudly usinG veGan & orGaniC GroominG produCTs made in oklaHoma.

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Nov. 24-26 | 15-75% off free coffee & cookies

$5 mystery bag sale ! 2717 W Reno Ave, OKC Tues-Sat 10a-6p Sun 12p-5p 26

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Chelino’s Me x ica n Re s taur a n t

Everyone loves Chelino’s! This year, make them happy with a Chelino’s gift certificate in their stocking! Enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine at any of our 12 great locations.

Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant 12 Great Locations www.chelinos.net

Rus tic Sec tion al

Beauty, comfort and function! Update your home’s look with pieces that are not only beautiful but also provide comfort for family and guests. Choose from several of options and impress your guests this holiday!

K&N Interiors 3704 N Western Ave OKC 405.521.0012

Pick up your

Nation al Cowboy Museum Legacy Bla nket

HiLoDay

Created exclusively for the Museum’s 50th anniversary, this limited edition, numbered Pendleton Woolen Mills blanket revives an original design from 1914.

The Museum Store at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd St., store.nationalcowboymuseum.org (405) 478-2250 ext. 228

gifts & a cocktail

HOLIDAY STRESS?

Massage Therapy to the rescue!

Book your massage or purchase your gift certificate by 12/15/17 to enjoy these discounted rates!

$45 Hour Massage $55 Hot Stone Hour Massage

HiLo keychains $5 each

$89 Couples Hour Massage

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C.C. Bea nie s, Sca rve s a nd Glove s

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Staying warm has never been cuter! Shop today to find a wide selection of C.C. beanies, scarves and gloves. We offer a wide variety of colors, styles and sizes sure to please you and the ones on your holiday list!

Lush Fashion Lounge 14101 N. May Avenue #114 lushfashionlounge.com 405.936.0680

The Mini-Poesy Bracelets every sentiment perfectly expressed

Poinsettia Ba sket s

Make this holiday fabulous! Select from a wide assortment of arrangements for home, family and friends to deck the halls. Add a touch of color with poinsettias, garland, mini holiday trees and more! They’re sure to look great and add a special touch to every holiday gathering.

Financing Available WAC C a sady Square Nor th Penn & Brit ton · Ok lahoma Cit y 405.607.4323

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Tony Foss Flowers 7610 N May tonyfossflowers.com | (405) 302-8845

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designs that inspire custom buIlt headboards for a fresh New looK

T he Per fec t Person al or Cor por ate Gift Idea

K&N urbaN oN may 9460 N May | 405.748.8595

K&N INterIor fabrIcs 9470 N May | 405.749.1081

K&N INterIor coNsIgNmeNt 3704 N Western | 405.521.0012

locally owned and operated

Personalized or customized Stainless Steel Tumblers make memorable gifts. Create your own design or use your company logo. Several styles and colors availableor you can bring your own YETI. $20- $40 on average. Artwork and Design services are available stop in Mon-Friday 8-5.

Walker Companies 121 N W 6th. St. OKC 405-235-5319 | walkercompanies.com

Shop one of the largest selections of Native Americanmade jewelry and Pendleton Woolen Mills apparel and home décor in Oklahoma.

Hilo K eychain

store.nationalcowboymuseum.org Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Sunday noon-5:00 p.m.

(405) 478-2250 ext. 228 1700 Northeast 63rd Street Oklahoma City, OK 73111

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Looking for the perfect gift steeped in rich, Oklahoma history? Nothing says, “Come by my place” like a Hilo keychain! The Hilo Club is offering a variety of official items both in the club and on Etsy for the Hilo-lover in your life!

Hilo Club 1221 N W 50th www.hilookc.com | 405.843.1722

Bottoms Up! Person al Protec tion I tems

Visit Karen’s Flea Market for pocket knives and other personal protection items along with hundreds of other products ranging from Holiday decor, clothing, housewares, custom framing, records, clocks, video games and more!

Karen’s Flea Market 4700 S Bryant Avenue, Del City 405.550.2689

Re cycled V in tage T ie s H a ndcr afted Clut chbag

Created by Morales Object Design in Denton, TX, this clutch features elements of vintage ties and is available in several designs and colors. $64.95

405-601-5607 1613 N. May Ave M-SAT 2-2 | SUN 12-2

OKCMOA Museum Store 415 Couch Drive, OKC, OK 73102 (405) 278-8233 http://www.okcmoa.com/museum-storeholiday-gift-guide

Love Your Face ...W e Do

Offering Microdermabrasion, Peels, Facial Fillers, Botox and Skincare Products. Give a gift from our medical skincare spa, dedicated to providing the best care and products. Gift certificates available..

Schelly’s Aesthetics

Fa r mhouse Table

Shoppes at North Park 12028 N May Ave http://skincareokc.com | 405.751.8930

“10ft bowling alley wood farmhouse tables with a K base and 1 1/4” all thread. Great for family gatherings and outdoor get togethers”.

Old Plantation Antiques 2717 W. Reno Ave. Okc 405.435.0061 www.oldplantationantiques.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

Buy This! ShowcaSe your gift Selection in our

special holiday gift guide feature a unique and local gift in gazette’S holiday gift guide.

Purchase any size ad in these issues to receive your comPlimentary item in the Gift Guide.

puBlishing november 22 & 29 december 6, 13 & 20

Book your ad space today! call 405.528.6000 or email specialsections@okgazette.com 30

n ov e m b e r 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

t h e at e r

holiday Gift Guide

Unique gem

The kick line of tap-dancing Santas remains one of the highlights of OKC Phil’s The Christmas Show. | Photo Oklahoma City Philharmonic / provided

OKC Phil’s original production of The Christmas Show returns with Broadway star Elizabeth Stanley. By Jacob Threadgill

Since 1991, Oklahoma City Philharmonic has dazzled its fans with an original Christmas show that has grown so large that its coordinators hardly have time to relax after its closing. Music Director Joel Levine and director Lyn Cramer didn’t have much time to decompress after last year’s production of The Christmas Show because the bell toll to begin work on this year’s show, which runs Nov. 30-Dec. 2, had already begun to ring, said Susan Webb, OKC Phil’s marketing director. “[They] start putting their heads together immediately after the other show closes,” Webb said.

Touch of Broadway

The culmination of a year of planning pays off with a 2017 performance highlighted by Broadway star Elizabeth Stanley, who has Broadway starring credits in Million Dollar Quartet, Company and Cry-Baby and the first national tour of The Bridges of Madison County. “She’s quite the heavy hitter coming in from New York to grace our stages,” Webb said of Stanley, who will perform with the Philharmonic Pops chorale, the Mistletoes dancers and Santa K. Claus himself. A mixture of secular classics like “Jingle Bells” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” and sacred songs like “The Lord’s Prayer” and “Joy to the World” will regale the audience. The show opens with a big sleigh ride opening complete with Santa’s North Pole workshop. “Santa’s role is much bigger than in previous years,” Webb said. “We have a fantastic Santa who brings color and light to the stage. … If musical theater fans love ‘Hello, Dolly,’ just wait until they hear the rendition of ‘Hello, Santa.’” OKC Phil added the Letter to Santa segment to the program for the first time in a few years, thanks to popular demand. “People love stories from children and other people that really remind us what the essence of Christmas is

Santa Claus will have a larger role in this year’s OKC

really about,” Webb said. Of course, the crescendo of the entire performance — the kick line of tap-dancing Santas — will remain unchanged. “[It makes] everybody from 3-year-olds to all the way to my 86-year-old mother laugh and giggle with joy,” Webb said.

Community support

With more than 25 years in the community, The Christmas Show has become a staple for many fans in Oklahoma City. Webb noted that she sees people who grew up coming to the performance now bringing their own children. She said it is unique for Oklahoma City to put on an entirely new and original Christmas production every year and the organization draws inspiration from the Boston Pops orchestra’s holiday performance. “The Boston Pops had their holiday show, and the community loves it so much that it has grown to weeks of performances,” she said. “That’s the level of growth that we’re hoping for at our unique gem.”

Phil original performance of The Christmas Show. | Photo Oklahoma City Philharmonic / provided

Audience members will arrive at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., to find local church groups providing bell choir music in the lobby and free photos with Santa. “You walk into the civic center and brush off the hustle and bustle of the season so that you can be relaxed and absorb the environment. The music transports you back to your childhood or becomes an iconic moment in a child’s life,” Webb said. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30, 8 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 2. Tickets are $19-$68. Call 405-842-5387 or visit okcphil.org.

The Christmas Show Nov. 30-Dec. 2 Civic Center Music Hall | 201 N. Walker Ave. okcphil.org | 405-842-5387 $19-$68

NTREE E E N O EE, GET R T N E E BUY ON

f f O 50%

*

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offer expires 12/31/17 | can not be combined with other offers | good only at the Hefner and May location | half off will be taken on the least expensive entree option

10904 N May | Oklahoma City, OK 73120 | 405.286.3112

foodie

WONDERL AND THE OIL TREE HAS MOVED TO WILSHIRE VILL AGE AND OUR GRAND OPENING IS DECEMBER 1-3. PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR GRAND OPENING FESTIVITIES. WE’VE GOT TASTINGS, GIVEAWAYS AND LOTS OF FUN PLANNED ALL WEEKEND, AND THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. We are right in the middle of Oklahoma City’s gourmet food district, at a much more convenient location, and our shop has doubled in size, with a beautifully-designed interior with spaces for demonstrations, a reading area and lots of space for perusing and tasting our wonderful artisanal and small-batch wares.

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ARTS & CULTURE More than 160 dancers and 200 total personnel members are involved with this year’s OKC Ballet production of The Nutcracker. |

t h e at e r

Photo Diana Bittle | provided

Sweet storytelling

OKC Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker has grown into a regional attraction. By Ben Luschen

For Oklahoma City Ballet and ballet companies around the nation, there is no season like Nutcracker season. Robert Mills, now in his 10th year as artistic director of the dance company, has helped raise the annual production into one that draws crowds from across the region. OKC’s production of The Nutcracker is expected to draw guests from Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and other states. “It is definitely a busy time of year,” Mills said. “We get thousands of people into the civic center for these eight performances.” The Nutcracker runs Dec. 9-19 at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Admission is $15-$70. From the company’s principal dancers all the way down to the 80 or so children from the ballet’s Yvonne Chouteau School chosen to participate in the production, The Nutcracker includes around 160 total dancers. When one includes the backstage crew and Oklahoma City Philharmonic, which plays the classic Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky score for the program, more than 200 total people will take part in the show. “It’s an enormous production,” Mills said. “There’s a lot of moving parts. There’s a lot of big pieces of scenery, a lot of beautiful costumes. It’s quite an undertaking.” Oklahoma City Ballet opened in 1963 as Oklahoma City Civic Ballet. The Nutcracker, Mills said, was one of the first productions it ever put on, and it has had a presence in the city ever since. While the company’s production of 32

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The Nutcracker certainly qualifies as an OKC holiday tradition, there are numerous other ballet companies across the nation that have also made the show one of its biggest annual events. Over the years, United States audiences have grown particularly fond of the 19thcentury Russian ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. For many dance companies, The Nutcracker is their biggest moneymaker each year. Still, having an annual high-quality Nutcracker in one’s own city is not something that should be taken for granted. OKC, Mills said, is actually quite fortunate. “Not every major city has a ballet company,” he said. “There’s big cities that don’t: San Diego, Detroit, Indianapolis.” OKC Ballet is actually in its fourth year taking its production out of state to Colorado Springs to perform with its city’s philharmonic for a series of shows. The Nutcracker is often seen as an entryway to ballet — particularly for young children. Mills is cognizant of that and strives to pack each of the performances with the intoxicating power of childlike wonder. “I think how we succeed in that is directly judged by how many people are coming to see it,” he said. “And it’s quite a bit.”

Child’s eyes

The Nutcracker ballet is loosely adapted from German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” The story revolves around a

young girl, Clara, and a toy nutcracker gifted to her by her godfather on Christmas Eve. When the clock strikes midnight, something magical happens. The Nutcracker grows to life-size and takes on a life of its own. Clara watches as he leads an army of toy and gingerbread soldiers against an army of mice and their evil Mouse King. The story concludes in the idyllic Land of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy reigns in the Nutcracker’s absence. The ballet was not an initial box office success when it debuted in 1892, but it saw renewed success years later in the United States as a perfect complement to the Christmas season. Mills said part of the reason the ballet has gained so much popularity is because children love it. “Right away, you have a story that is centered around a child character,” he said, “so children identify with it more.”

It’s an enormous production. There’s a lot of moving parts. Robert Mills It is also no secret that the U.S. loves Christmas and the holiday season. American audiences have occasionally reattached themselves to Christmas stories even after their initial debuts. James Stewart’s 1946 classic It’s A Wonderful Life, now considered a holiday tradition by many, saw a disappointing box office sales only to gain popularity after it got regular play on television. Mills said it is hard to imagine a more ideal holiday stage production for families to enjoy than The Nutcracker. “Having a ballet with the central character as a child and it’s colorful and all wrapped around a story that takes place on Christmas Eve, it’s perfect for

families,” he said. “It’s no wonder that it has gained the enormous popularity that it has.” Mills has seen some productions of the show that have veered away from the ballet’s original adaptation, setting it in a different time or place. “That, in turn, affects what you do,” he said. “Is it still Clara traveling through the Land of Snow into the Kingdom of Sweets? That opens up so much fantasy.” Oklahoma City’s production sticks close to the original story. When working to develop costumes and set, Mills said it was important to them to approach the story through a child’s eyes. A good Nutcracker, he said, is one geared around creating a magical experience for a child. “It’s about being able to tie into the season and the spirit that puts kids in the wonder, the excitement,” he said.

Accessible art

Mills is well aware that ballet can be a scary thing for people. There is no talking, but many do not realize how effective dancers can be at storytelling using just their movements. “They’re afraid they’re going to come in and not be able to understand it,” he said, “but ballet is an art form that has been around for hundreds of years and has been developed over hundreds of years. It still exists because the human body speaks volumes — the face speaks volumes.” When guests come to enjoy The Nutcracker, there is nothing in particular that one needs to look for. Mills said everyone comes away from the production with their own thing that they like the best, and that is the way it should be. “With ballet in general, I try to make people understand that there is nothing they need to get,” he said. “You don’t need to know how to make a film to be able to enjoy sitting in a theater and watching a movie.” And just like no one can judge whether they like or hate all of cinema after watching just one movie, Mills said all of ballet cannot be judged based on how much one enjoys one production. He said anyone who has not seen OKC’s Nutcracker in the last several years will probably be surprised by how spectacular it has truly become. They just need to give it a chance. “Ballet is a classical art form, but boil it down to its essence,” he said. “This is entertainment, simple as that.” Visit okcballet.org.

The Nutcracker 2 p.m. Dec. 9-10, 7 p.m. Dec. 15, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 16, 2 p.m. Dec. 17 and 7 p.m. Dec. 18-19 Civic Center Music Hall | 201 N. Walker Ave. okcballet.org | 405-297-2584 $15-$70

t h e at e r

Intricate inspiration

Invite Gazette readers to your house of worship for holiday services in the Holiday Fellowship Directory.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma performs a classic that revives the Christmas spirit. By Jessica Williams

Despite common usage of his name, Ebenezer Scrooge isn’t simply a curmudgeon — he’s more complex, more nuanced than people give him credit for. Scrooge’s intricacy is one of many reasons Lyric Theatre’s producing artistic director Michael Baron never grows weary of putting on A Christmas Carol each holiday season in Oklahoma City. “No, Scrooge is not initially a nice man — but that doesn’t define his entire character,” Baron told Oklahoma Gazette. “If Scrooge only comes off as a mean old guy, then we haven’t done our job.” Charles Dickens’ Christmas staple enters its seventh year at Lyric Nov. 29-Dec. 24, continuing to inspire audiences with its message of hope and joy this holiday season. “Most of Scrooge’s arguments for not celebrating Christmas are legitimate,” said Baron. “Making money, building your wealth and spending time working are all values in this economic system. However, the people around him help him realize that there’s so much more to life than money.”

Stage aesthetics

The timeless story of one man’s change of heart is complemented with Lyric’s festive, detailed set design celebrating a joyful holiday aesthetic. “When audiences walk into the theater, they enter into a Victorian street scene straight out of Dickens,” he said. “The stage is full of buildings with beautiful brickwork, snow, carolers, holiday decorations and a large clock tower.”

No one is completely perfect, which makes it incredibly relatable. Jennifer Teel Baron changes Carol’s stage value every five years, with 2016 marking a completely new set. This year’s stage design incorporates much of last year’s décor, but with notable additions. “We’ve added a new Ghost of Christmas [Yet to Come] puppet made by artist Penny Benson from New Hampshire,” said Baron. “She’s a nationally renowned puppeteer, and we’re very excited to see the finished product.” Those with an eye for costume design should prepare for intricate Victorian gowns and suits with enough tulle, petticoats and hoop skirts to make

you forget what century you inhabit. Other stage design elements include a revolving stage piece that takes Scrooge seamlessly through the different eras in his life. According to Baron, the wide range of actors make Lyric’s production truly shine. This year’s group of child actors presents stellar talent in small packages. “Each child is typically new to the production each year, but you would think they’ve been acting for decades with their performances,” said Baron. “They make an integral part of the play because we often see life through the eyes of children in the narrative.” Among this year’s 14-character child cast, Reese Freund and Anthony Newmann play Tiny Tim and Brayden Tran and Ethan Wells play Boy Scrooge. Baron said the adult actors have created close bonds throughout the play’s seven-year stint at Lyric. “Our adult actors typically return every year,” he said. “The cast is like family, and everyone makes it a point to reunite each season.” Jennifer Teel, a returning Carol actor, shares Baron’s enthusiasm for reuniting with her castmates each year. “I basically have the play’s dialogue memorized at this point,” she said. “But the reason I return each year and the reason the story stays fresh is due to the wonderful people who have created and been involved in this show.” Some of this year’s returning cast includes Dirk Lumbard as Scrooge, Charlie Monnot as Bob Cratchit, Thomas E. Cunningham as Jacob Marley and Teel as Mrs. Fred/ Charwoman. New additions to the cast include Oklahoma City University student Natalya Ferch as Ghost of Christmas Past. “This year, both of my roles serve to contrast Scrooge,” Teel said. “Mrs. Fred thinks Scrooge is beyond help and learns about herself along the way as well. There’s a very vulnerable element to each character in the show. No one is completely perfect, which makes it incredibly relatable.”

Inspiring humanity

Dickens’ work has gained its pervasive status for its ability to remind people of their humanness. People don’t return to the same Lyric show each holiday season for the narrative. In short, they return for how it makes them feel. “The production stays very true to Dickens’ original story,” said Baron. “I

PUBLISHES

Dec. 6th, 13th, 20th center Anthony Newmann plays Tiny Tim and Dirk Lumbard plays Ebenezer Scrooge in Lyric Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. | Photo KO Rinearson | Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma / provided

have a decades-long history with this show, but it seems like every year, society needs a reminder of the morals it teaches, like being kind to your fellow man or giving to those in need. Its themes are always relevant, and they give us hope.” For those in the audience feeling inspired to act on the narrative’s charitable themes after the show ends, Lyric gives viewers the opportunity to donate to a real cause in our state. “After each show ends, we give audiences the opportunity to donate to Regional Food Bank [of Oklahoma],” said Baron. “Every year, we’ve received thousands of dollars from each audience. It’s a perfect time after the show to give people the chance to improve their own community.” Even after the pomp and circumstance of Carol’s stage design, music and costumes fade, but the show’s theme of compassion toward others should always be extended into reality. Next time you find yourself using the name Scrooge as a derogatory descriptor, consider some introspection. After all, we’re all human. “Everything in the show still absolutely rings true today,” said Baron. “We all know people like Scrooge, and sometimes we are like Scrooge before his enlightenment. Sometimes we need a little compassion from others too.”

A Christmas Carol Nov. 29-Dec. 24 Plaza Theatre | 1727 NW 16th St. lyrictheatreokc.com | 405-524-9312 $25-$71

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culture

ARTS & CULTURE

History in motion

Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame prepares for its move to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. By Jacob Threadgill

Since Nov. 4, curator Justin Lenhart has led the laborious process of meticulously packing up and securing nearly 4,000 pieces of memorabilia at Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) in preparation for the museum’s move to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark downtown. Lenhart helped move the Hall of Fame into its Lincoln Boulevard location nine years ago, and he’s excited for the future. “I’ve done it before, and now that I’m 40, it’s getting a little old hat,” Lenhart said. “[The move] is a positive thing for us. The location speaks for itself, and financially, what we were able to gain by selling this property was nice. With a little elbow grease here and there, it’ll be alright.” The museum closed its doors in early November, but the top floor of the building at 4040 N. Lincoln Blvd., where The Petroleum Club operates a banquet hall, will remain operational. Mike James took over as president of OSHOF Oct. 21 when his predecessor Eddie Griffin left to become the athletic director at the University of Central Oklahoma. James is a previous chairman of the hall of fame’s board of trustees.

Increased exposure

OSHOF is using a portion of the money it gained from selling its previous building to renovate the former Coach’s restaurant connected to the ballpark operated by the Oklahoma City Dodgers. “It’s been wonderful being on Lincoln [Boulevard], but you don’t get the kind of foot traffic that we will get in Bricktown,” James said from his current office in the basement of the building on Lincoln Boulevard. “We didn’t feel that the state of Oklahoma, residents and visitors were getting the exposure to us that they truly deserved, especially since we’re a free museum.” The tentative plan, depending on the construction schedule, is to coincide the opening of the new OSHOF with baseball’s opening day in April 2018. The new 10,000 square-foot facility will feature upgrades like interactive exhibits, and guests will be able to use an iPad to navigate a self-guided tour through years of Oklahoma sports history. “We believe this partnership provides a perfect fit for the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma City Dodgers,” OKC Dodgers President/

General Manager Michael Byrnes said in a press release. “Having the museum housed at the ballpark in the heart of Bricktown will add another great destination to visit in the Bricktown District.”

Sooner legacy

OSHOF includes 160 inductees, contemporary figures and 360 items of memorabilia belonging to Jim Thorpe, the first Native American gold medalist and multi-sport professional athlete. The OSHOF and the Jim Thorpe Association combined in 2013. A Jim Thorpe statue will stand outside the new hall of fame, which will overlook the baseball field. Thorpe, who was voted the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Associated Press, once hit home runs into three different states while playing a minor league baseball game in a field that bordered Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Thorpe played six seasons in Major League Baseball and was also the first president of the professional football league that would become the National Football League while playing running back for the Canton Bulldogs. The OSHOF and Jim Thorpe Association annually sponsor the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given annually to the best defensive back in college football. Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is renovating the space formerly occupied by Coach’s restaurant. | Photo Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame / provided

The new 10,000 square-foot facility will feature interactive displays. | Image Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame | provided

“It’s been 60 years since Jim Thorpe passed, and his sons are still active in everything that we do. That’s pretty darn amazing,” James said. The organization also sponsors the Bright Path Youth Program, taking its name from the translation of Thorpe’s Indian name, Wa-Tho-Huk. It holds a Jim Thorpe Arts Fest and a children’s challenge to promote physical fitness for fourth- and fifth-grade students. “We do more for the school systems than we do for the sports world. We have the largest drug-free initiative in the state with a red ribbon campaign,” James said, noting that more than 15,000 children have signed up for the campaign. OSHOF also sponsors the Warren Spahn Award, which is given annually to the top left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. It will induct a new class of athletes in early 2018, before the opening of the new museum. James said that he always heard from Lynne Draper, founder of the Jim Thorpe Association who died in 2016, that Oklahoma had more athletes in major sports halls of fame than any other state. “When a lot of people think of these heroes, they don’t associate them with Oklahoma because they didn’t have pro teams back then,” James said. “When you look at the roots or where their careers started, it’s Oklahoma.”

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Ooey, gooey

Oklahoma Autism Center students participate in music activities as part of the Early Foundations project. | Photo Oklahoma Autism Center / provided

Oklahoma Autism Center celebrates 10 years with a family-friendly grilled cheese fundraiser. By Jacob Threadgill

For the last 10 years, Oklahoma Autism Center has worked to improve the quality of life for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families by creating and supporting a network of services across the state. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the center’s early foundations program, one of three major projects that fall under its umbrella, the center hosts a gourmet grilled cheese fundraiser Nov. 30 at its facility at 3901 NW 63rd St. The fundraiser is divided into a lunchtime portion from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a family-focused evening event 4:30-6:30 p.m. Guests can build their perfect grilled cheese by selecting a variety of breads, cheese and additions like avocado spread, pesto, cured ham or caramelized onions. A $10 donation includes a custom sandwich, chips, cookie and drink. Dine-in customers have the option to add tomato soup for an additional $2. A delivery option is also available during lunch for orders over $100. “The services that we provide are free, and so the fundraiser helps to funds and continue our mission of building capacity across the state,” said Liz Moore, project coordinator with Early Foundations. The evening event is designed for the whole family. Characters from Frozen, Captain America and Spider-Man will be available for photos will children. A magician will provide entertainment while doing balloon art, and there will be an ice cream building station for kids and the young at heart.

The fundraiser is designed to get entire families involved and will raise anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000, Moore said. Other events, such as September’s An Evening by the River, raise more money but are adult-only. The fourth grilled cheese event is as much an outreach event as it is a fundraising occasion, Moore said, which ties into Autism Center’s mission. Multiple times a week, the center hosts families for play sessions between children who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum and those who have not, which Moore described as “the best anti-bullying campaign around by teaching awareness at an early age.”

Our goal and mission in general is to put a face and name on autism.

The center has three primary programs: Early Foundations, MESA Project and Early Access. Early Foundations, in collaboration with the state’s SoonerStart program, is an inclusive model that provides comprehensive intervention four days a week for the youngest kids at risk for autism. MESA Project provides training and consultative services to public schools, and Early Access works with communities to get children identified for being at-risk for autism by providing free screenings. Early Access also provides information on speech and occupational therapy and family support groups to families across the state, from the panhandle to the Ozarks. “A lot of families don’t know what to do or where to turn, and we’re here to help,” Moore said. “Twenty-five years ago, it probably was more taboo or people looked at autism only when someone was more severe, and that’s not the case anymore. It is a social disability, and as we get more knowledgeable, I’m hopeful that our community becomes more accepting of differences.”

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Moore said 1 percent of the population has been diagnosed with autism, which has only continued to rise as the rate and accuracy of diagnosis has increased in recent years. “Our goal and mission in general is to put a face and name on autism,” Moore said, “that there are misconceptions about what autism is and people that have autism can go on to have very successful lives, but they need proper support.”

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10th Anniversary Family Celebration and Grilled Cheese Fundraiser 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.and 4:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 Early Foundations | 3901 NW 63rd St. autismcenterok.org | 405-842-9995 $10

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CALENDAR light displays and beautiful plant exhibits with free admission on Sundays 6-9 p.m. Sundays Nov. 26-Dec. 17. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. SUN

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

Street Art in OKC: What’s Next?, a panel discussion on improving neighborhoods and communities through legal street art to beautify and energize a city, 6-8 p.m. Nov. 28. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 405-951-0001, oklahomacontemporary.org. TUE

BOOKS The Survivor Tree, children’s author Gaye Sanders reads and signs her debut picture book; a portion of sales will go to The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, noon-2 p.m. Nov. 25. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-3409202, bestofbooksok.com. SAT Skeleton Tree, a novel by Kim Ventrella about a 12-year-old who finds a bone growing in his backyard, 3-4 p.m. Nov. 25. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-340-9202, bestofbooksok.com. SAT Killing Albert Birch, a true crime, Oklahoma history and memoir written by Alan Hollingsworth about a white hotel owner who took a bullet for a black employee. Join the author for a signing, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-8422900, fullcirclebooks.com. TUE Reading Wednesdays, share your love for reading with your young children with seasonal, nature-themed books along with an interactive song and crafts, 10 a.m. Nov. 29. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. WED Read for Adventure, the OKC Zoo and Metropolitan Library Systems have partnered to publish the children’s book, Our Day at the Zoo and to create a community Read for Adventure program enabling readers to check out the new book from any of the 19 Metro Library locations, through March 31. Metropolitan Library System, 300 Park Ave., 405231-8650, metrolibrary.org. MON

HAPPENINGS Red Earth Tree Fest, features 25 Christmas trees decorated with handmade ornaments and art objects created by Oklahoma Native Tribes, 10-3 p.m. weekdays through Jan. 5. Red Earth Art Center, 6 Santa Fe Plaza, 405-427-5228, redearth.org. MON Forcing Paperwhites and Amaryllis for the Holidays, learn about the Amaryllis and the Paperwhite, a flower that can bloom for up to six weeks, 10:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 22. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. WED Tree Lighting Festival, serving as the kickoff to the holiday season, as Mayor Mick Cornett lights the Christmas Tree with Santa Claus. Enjoy a live band, food trucks, face painting and visits with Santa Clause, 5-7 p.m. Nov. 24. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 405-218-1000, downtownokc.com. FRI Winter Nights, immerse yourself in the smell, sights and sounds of Christmas with music, beautiful trees and a fire pit, 7-8:30, Nov. 24. Wells Family Christmas Tree Farm, 4091 E. Franklin Road, Norman, 405-473-3300, wellschristmastrees. com. FRI Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas , enjoy a parade along Oklahoma Avenue and culminates in the appointment of a territorial governor and

VISIONS Awards: A Celebration of Nonprofit Leadership, celebrate and honor visionary leaders in the nonprofit sector with the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, 6-9 p.m. Nov. 28. Skirvin Hilton Hotel, 1 Park Ave., 405-463-6886, oklahomacenterfornonprofits.org. TUE

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: An OKC StorySlam Compete in an open-mic storytelling performance with a seven-minute or less true story from your point of view. The audience will vote on a winner who receives a special trophy. The free event starts 7 p.m. Sunday at Saints, 1715 NW 16th St., and is geared toward an adult audience. Visit facebook.com/theokcstoryslam. SUNDAY Photo OKC StorySlam/provided

Local Spiritual Care Responder, this course is a prerequisite to other upcoming trainings covering how to respond to disasters, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 28. Oklahoma Disciples Center, 301 NW 36th St., 405525-6530, okdfdn.org. TUE OSU Leadership Development Certificate Series, includes two programs, ‘Put Your Team and Company First’and ‘Enhancing Employee Motivation through Coaching’designed to prepare, motivate and build business leaders, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 28. Chesapeake Energy Corporation, 6100 N. Western Ave., 405-744-5208, business.okstate. edu. TUE

Digitour, the world’s first social media tour and music festival features video creator Lauren Godwin, digital influencer Blake Gray and more, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 29. 89th Street OKC, 8911 N. Western Ave. 89thstreetokc.com. WED

Gardens Walking Tour, gain some knowledge on Oklahoma plants for your own yard and learn about caring for them through the seasons, 10-11 a.m. Nov. 25. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com.

Holiday Pop-Up Shops, with over 40 shops rotating weekly with unique goods, you can find something for everyone on your list, Nov. 24-Dec.23. OKC Pop-Ups, 399 NW 10th St., okcpopups.com.

Deluxe Winter Market, free to the public, this shopping experience curates makers, artists, service providers and other creatives offering a wide variety of items, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 25. Leadership Square Downtown OKC, 211 N. Robinson Ave., 405-816-2476, deluxeOK.net.

SAT

Small Business Saturday, support local businesses and receive special promotions with in-store special events at participating businesses, 9 a.m.11:30 p.m. Downtown OKC, 211 N. Robinson Ave., 405-235-3500, downtownokc.com. SAT LifeShare WinterFest, celebrate the holidays with snow tubing, Santa’s workshop and winter activities in a winter wonderland, weekends Nov. 25-Dec 1. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 405-218-1000, downtownokc. com. SAT Kingfisher Winter Nights, venture through over 200 lit trees and animated displays then visit Santa and enjoy music, food trucks, ice skating and more, Nov. 25-Dec. 25, 6-9:30 p.m. Kingfisher City Park, Highway 33 and Park Road, Kingfisher, 405-3753705, kingfisher.org. SAT OG&E Merry and Bright, enjoy charming holiday

Free Holiday Water Taxi Rides, rides are narrated and holiday-themed along Bricktown canal decorated with beautiful Christmas lights, 6-9 p.m. Thu-Sun Nov. 24-Dec. 31. Bricktown Canal, 115 E. California Ave., 405-234-8263, downtownindecember.com. Film Row Light Display, a location that once housed the offices of major Hollywood film studios is lit up this holiday season showcasing rich history and vibrance, Nov.24-Jan. 1. Film Row, 700 W. Sheridan Ave., filmrowokc.com. Parlor Car Tours, take a guided walk through Science Museum Oklahoma’s fully-restored Pullman Parlor Car and get a glimpse of how people traveled in style during the early 20th century. Normally closed to the public, parlor car tours are available only during the holiday season, Nov. 24-Jan 1. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org.

Thanksgiving Dinner at Mary Eddy’s, let Mary Eddy’s set the table for this year’s Thanksgiving feast with your friends and family for a threecourse meal, 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 23. Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge, 900 W. Main St., 405-982-6960, maryeddysokc.com. THU Wine Glass Painting Class, choose your glassware to decorate and enjoy a wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres with artists, 2-4 p.m. Nov. 25. Vada Boutique, 4327 N. Western Ave., 405-455-7004, wineandpalette.com. SAT Pints and Palette Date Night, bring your significant other for beer and painting; paint The Night Before Christmas characters Sandy or Jack on canvas, 6-9 p.m. Nov. 29. Anthem Brewing Company, 908 SW 4th St., 405-604-0446, anthembrewing.com. WED

YOUTH

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SMO Storytime Science, kids ages 6 and under read a story and follow it up with a fun, scientific activity that is included with general admission, 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org. SMO Early Explorers, toddlers and preschoolers explore science through hands-on activities that can be easily replicated at home during a comeand-go weekly event, 10-11 a.m. every Wednesday. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org. WED Photos with Santa, bring the kids for a photo with Santa and a chance to give him their Christmas wish list, through Dec. 24. Penn Square Mall, 1901 Northwest Expressway, 405-841-2696, simon.com/ mall/penn-square-mall. When the Earth Shakes, Learn all about the science

Christmas in the Park, a magical wonderland of visual entertainment. Drive, walk, or take the Yukon’s Best Express train through miles of illuminated fun in three inter-connected city parks, 6-11 p.m. Nov. 18-Dec. 31. Chisholm Trail Park, 500 W. Vandament Ave., Yukon, 405-350-8937, yukonok.gov.

FOOD

This Land Yoga Free Classes Gather Thanksgiving week for free yoga classes and shower each other with the power of community, love and yoga. Free classes include Holy Yoga, Bend and Brew, Restorative and more Wednesday-Sunday. This Land Yoga is also collecting new and gently used coats of all sizes through Sunday. Call 405-529-6428 or visit thislandyoga.com. WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY Photo This Land Yoga/provided

Bachata Dance 4 Teens, learn the Latin moves of Bachata dance from the Dominican Republic by preregistering, 2-3:30 p.m. Nov. 25. Southern Oaks Library, 6900 S. Walker Ave., 405-631-4468, metrolibary.org. SAT

Cards Against Humanity Tournament, good wine and dirty minds come together for the ultimate Cards Against Humanity tournament. Only two of the most horrible minds will win gift cards, 8 p.m. The Pritchard Wine Bar, 1749 NW 16th St., 405-6014067, pritchardokc.com. WED

Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the steps of Guthrie’s post office, 6 p.m. Nov. 25. Downtown Guthrie, 212 W. Oklahoma Ave., Guthrie, 405-2821947, guthrieok.com. SAT

SAT

by outdoor play; play games, create nature art and learn about wildlife while parents go out and shop the Black Friday deals. 5:15 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 24. Martin Park Nature Center, 5000 W. Memorial Ave., 405-755-0676, okc.gov/parks. FRI

YES, a radically inclusive LGBTQ+ youth group for ages 13-21 featuring movies, music, dinner, monthly fandom nights with positive, knowledgeable staff and peers, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Expressions Community Center, 2245 NW 39th St., 405-5701638, bethechange.org. THU Black-out Day Camp, enjoy nature films followed

Edmond Community Thanksgiving Feast This Thanksgiving, volunteers cook turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and more. The free feast is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday in the ballroom of Nigh University Center on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, 100 N. University Drive. Home deliveries are available, and pick-up is 1-3 p.m. Call 405-341-3602 or visit edmondthanksgivingdinner.org. THURSDAY Photo Edmond Community/provided

of earthquakes, tsunamis and tectonic plates while being immersed in interactive exhibits explaining the science behind earthquakes, through Jan. 2. Sam Noble Museum, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu. Explore Evolution, explore the evolution of life and learn about all of Earth’s organisms, from rapidly evolving viruses to whales that walked, through Dec. 31. Sam Noble Museum, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum. ou.edu.

PERFORMING ARTS Me and Jezebel, this comedy captures the challenges of trying to please the queen of Hollywood, 8 p.m. Nov. 24-25, Carpenter Square Theatre, 806 W. Main St., 405-232-6500, carpentersquare.com. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, see all of your favorite characters including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius and Rudolph as they come to life in an adventure that teaches us that what makes you different can be what makes you special, Nov. 26. Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E 2nd St.,Tulsa, 918-596-7122, tulsapac.com. SUN The Oklahoma Nutcracker, a beloved holiday tradition, combines the history and beauty of

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

Oklahoma with the artful expression of classical ballet, 3-6 p.m. Nov. 26. Nancy O’Brian Center for the Performing Arts, 1809 N. Stubbeman Ave., Norman, 405-364-0397, facebook.com/pages/ Nancy-OBrian-Center-for-the-Performing-Arts. SUN

Ray Chen, one of the world’s most prestigious young violinists, showcases a classical concert unlike any others, titled Journey Across Europe, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 28. Armstrong Auditorium, 14400 S. Bryant Road, Edmond, 405-285-1010, armstrongauditorium.org. TUE Plaid Tidings, the legendary Plaids; Francis, Jinx, Smudge, and Sparky; come back to Earth to spread yuletide fun with the greatest holiday hits of the ages, through Dec. 3. Jewel Box Theatre, 3700 N. Walker Ave., 405-521-1786, jewelboxtheatre.org. Junie B in Jingle Bells Batman Smells, in Junie B Jones,’ world things are very clear: Christmas means you get presents, elf costumes are awesome and May is a blabbermouth tattletale. Things are going well until she pulls May as her Secret Santa, Nov. 27-Dec. 17. Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave., 405-606-7003, oklahomachildrenstheatre.org.

ACTIVE Learn-to-Swim Program, giving residents of all ages and financial situations the opportunity to learn to swim with proper technique and basic water safety at their own pace offered by the King Marlin Swim Club, ongoing, Lighthouse Sports, Fitness and Health, 3333 W. Hefner Road, 405845-5672, marlinswimamerica.com. SAT Co-Ed Open Adult Volleyball, play volleyball with your friends in a competitive, but friendly, game. Lots of fun for couples and a great way to make new friends, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, ongoing. Jackie Cooper Gymnasium, 1024 E. Main St., Yukon, 405-354-1895, yukonok.gov. Devon Ice Rink, bundle up, grab your friends and family and enjoy a great day of fresh air and skating in the prettiest spot in town, through Jan. 28. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-200-1547, myriadgardens.com. Visual Arts Artist Talk: David Phelps, his work explores the relationship between figure and environment with a touch of his own personal history, 1-3 p.m. Nov. 25. JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 405-528-6336, jrbartgallery.com. SAT Body, curated to examine how the body has been used to address the themes of movement, fragmentation and mechanization, geometry and identity, June 23-Dec. 30. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. FRI Cartoons & Comics: The Early Art of Tom Ryan, the drawings of acclaimed Western artist Tom Ryan are displayed showcasing his creativity, talent, and humor from his teenage imagination, high school and coast guard years and his school paper’s sports page, through April 1, 2018. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. Ceramic Sale, get your holiday shopping done with these unique, hand-made pieces created

by local artists, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. through Dec 21. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 405-951-0002, oklahomacontemporary.org. Distinguished Visiting Artist: Robert Taylor, view the works of the Tulsa-based artist combining significant symbolism with traditional and contemporary Native American themes in his evocative paintings burrowing from multiple styles and genres such as surrealism and magic realism to create mystical and often enigmatic images of nature, tribal life and spiritual rituals, through Dec. 30. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. Exhibit and Holiday Sale, several members of the Cotton County Art Council display their works and display pieces for sale, 1-5 p.m. through Dec. 23. Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, 1000 Chisholm Trail Pkwy, Duncan, 580-252-6692, onthechisholmtrail.com. Heiroglyphics 2017: The Spirit of Our People, showcasing the works of Ginna Dowling on what she calls ‘contemporary community hieroglyphs’telling the unique stories of individual worth and empowerment in relation to creative thought, through Nov. 23. Oklahoma Contemporary Showroom, 1146 N. Broadway Drive, 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org.

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

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Hidden Messages, the art of Hidden Messages investigates identity and place through ceramics and mixed media featuring artists Marilyn Artus and Amy Sanders, through Nov. 25. Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Gaylord-Pickens Museum, 1400 Classen Drive, 405-235-4458, oklahomahof.com. Life and Legacy: The Art of Jerome Tiger, one of Oklahoma’s most celebrated artists, Jerome Tiger, produced hundreds of works of art and won numerous awards throughout the country. Celebrate the life and legacy of this remarkable painter, through May 13, 2018. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. Master Strokes: Dutch and Flemish Drawings from the Golden Age, showcasing 93 works from the 16th-20th centuries including masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt and Sir Anthony van Dyck. Works by lesser-known artists are also included as well as designs of architecture and the applied arts, through Jan. 21. 2018. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. Not For Sale: Graffiti Culture in Oklahoma, an exhibition promoting the positive impact of public street art and its dynamic urban history. A one-of-a-kind show including 10 artists who have been integral to the Oklahoma graffiti scene, through Nov. 30. Cox Pavilion State Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org. Oklahoma Day Dreams, Contemporary Art Gallery in Paseo presents photographer Linda Guenther who uses digital enhancement techniques to create unique art, like landscapes with antique window frames, through Nov. 26. Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 405-601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com. Ray Harryhausen: Mythical Menagerie, Mythical monsters, skeleton warriors and Greek

continued on page 38

Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Surprise Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig are back with a performance for the whole family. Peppa Pig’s Surprise is jampacked with life-size puppets, costumed characters, songs, games, surprises and more 5 p.m. Nov. 30 at Hudson Performance Hall, 2820 N. May Ave. Visit etix.com. Nov. 30 Photo DCF Concerts/provided O kg a z e t t e . c o m | N OV E M b e r 2 2 , 2 0 1 7

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CALENDAR

Festive Fridays: Santa Paws Bring your dog and take the perfect photo with Santa for your Christmas card, mingle with other dogs and make a paw print stocking for your mantle. Santa Paws features cookies for dogs and goodie bags for all of the attendees. The event sponsored by Midtown Vets starts at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Tickets are $5-$10. Call 405-445-7080 or visit myriadgardens.com. Dec. 8 Photo Myriad Botanical Gardens/provided

calendar

continued from page 37 gods have invaded Science Museum Oklahoma’s smART Space art galleries in a comprehensive exhibition of the original models, prototypes, bronzes, sketches and storyboards of the fantasy films of stop-motion animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen, through Dec. 3. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org.

Reclamation Re-Creation, an exhibition celebrating 20 years of [Artspace] showing a timeline of major exhibitions and milestones, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Dec. 30. [Artspace] at Untitled, 1 NE Third St., 405-8156665, artspaceatuntitled.org. Small Works VII, enjoy an exhibit showcasing regional and local artists with works ranging from landscapes to abstracts, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 1-4 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 22. The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., Norman, 405-307-9320, pasnorman.org. Small Works, Great Wonders, featuring a fusion of traditional and contemporary paintings and sculptures at affordable prices with an opening night featuring cocktails with more than 100

Music for Messages: A Celebration of Hope Hear from the children Oklahoma Messages Project has helped and view video messages from families they formed. The event includes a raffle, appetizers and dessert 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at DC on Film Row, 609 W. Sheridan Ave. Visit facebook.com/okmessages. Nov. 30

of the nation’s finest artists including many from the prestigious Prix de West, door prizes, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and live music paired with beautiful works, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Nov. 26. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. The Art of Oklahoma, celebrate the 110th anniversary of Oklahoma statehood with a diverse collection of art created by or about Oklahomans and the cities and landscapes they call home. Enjoy works by John Steuart Curry, Oscar Brousse Jacobson, Nellie Shepherd, David Fitzgerald and Woody Big Bow, through Sept. 2, 2018. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-2363100, okcmoa.com. The New Art: A Controversial Collection Fifty Years Later, the 150-piece permanent collection purchased from the Washington Gallery of Modern Art is dedicated to the collection of contemporary art and features abstract expressionism, post-painterly abstraction, color field painting and pop art, through May 13. 2018. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. The Sculptural Works of William Cannings, featuring the unique sculptures of acclaimed British-born artist William Cannings who is currently chair of the sculpture department at Texas Tech University, 7:30 p.m. through Dec. 1. Nesbitt Gallery, 1727 W. Alabama Ave., Chickasha, 405-416-3524, usao.edu/gallery/ about.

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

For okg live music

see page 41

Photo Oklahoma Messages Project/provided

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N OV E M b e r 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

MUSIC himself as a sad person, just more of a thoughtful one who is open with his emotions. As for whether Big Bad Luv should be called resilient, Moreland said it is not up to him to say. “I honestly don’t think about that stuff too much,” he said. “I just write stuff and keep whatever feels good.”

F E AT U R E

Formative years

Deft defiance

Tulsa’s John Moreland plays his 2017 finale Dec. 2 at Tower Theatre.

There’s a neon sign that says “Big Bad Luv” — literally, it turns out. John Moreland, the Tulsa-based hardcore punk rocker turned folk-country crooner whose songwriting chops have wooed the nation, uses a description of the sign to add a layer of realism over the raucous bar that acts as the setting for his song “Sallisaw Blue.” The sign in the song is also the namesake for Moreland’s album Big Bad Luv, released in May on the star-studded indie label 4AD (its current acts include artists like Ariel Pink, Grimes, The National, Purity Ring and Tune-Yards). Moreland is set to perform Dec. 2 at Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St. The date comes less than three weeks before Steve Earle & The Dukes, whom Moreland often cites as one of his earliest country influences, is set to play his own gig at the newly renovated venue in the Uptown 23rd District. On “Sallisaw Blue,” which is the opening tune to Big Bad Luv, the songwriter presents listeners with a rockier and edgier sound than is found on the more reflective later tracklist. It’s a fun and energetic song — so fun that one can’t help but wonder if such a bar as Moreland describes really exists somewhere. Moreland, in a recent interview with Oklahoma Gazette, said he did not write the song with any particular place in mind. He was not inspired by an actual neon sign somewhere, but after the record came out, he did order a replica

By Ben Luschen

sign from a neon company based in Austin, Texas. It can be seen in the music video to “Sallisaw Blue.” “It’s in my garage right now,” he said. The album’s title and sign verbiage were actually inspired by the book Big Bad Love by Larry Brown. “It was sitting on my coffee table when I wrote that song,” Moreland said. Though he is glad he had it made, Moreland is not sure what will ultimately become of his custom sign. “We haven’t really done anything with it yet because it came mounted on this plastic backing that’s kind of fragile, as it turns out,” he said. “We’re kind of figuring out what to do with it and if we need to get it remounted with some stronger backing. But we’ll figure it out.”

Sneaky good

Bearded and tattooed Moreland regularly defies what one would expect from one of country music’s greatest songwriters. Did Townes van Zandt, for example, ever collect sneakers? Probably not (but, to be fair, he was born three or four decades before shoe subculture would become the engrossing pop culture force it is today). Moreland has collected sneakers on and off for many years. As of now, he’s off. The singer goes through phases where he collects obsessively for a while then stops himself cold. “It sort of makes me feel gross, like the rabid consumerism of it,” he said.

John Moreland | Photo Matt White / provided

“So I end up getting rid of a bunch of them, and then I start all over again.” Moreland also sees how it is healthy to indulge in an obsession every once in awhile. Sneaker culture is fun, and it is a good way to express yourself. Moreland is also a big fan of basketball, cheering for the Oklahoma City Thunder and following the National Basketball Association (NBA) in general. But it can be hard for a prodigious songwriter to make room for more than one passion. Moreland said he often uses sneakers as a distraction, one that must occasionally be blocked.

I honestly don’t think about that stuff too much. I just write stuff and keep whatever feels good. John Moreland “It’s hard to focus on writing songs and everything else when I can’t stop reading sneaker websites all day,” he said. “So I have to make myself pull back from it at times.” Moreland is often labeled as altcountry’s king of the melancholy. It is true that a lot of his songs are about heartbreak and pain. But it would be an unfair oversimplification of Big Bad Luv to call it a sad album. In a way, it shows resiliency, or at least an acceptance of life’s inevitable strife. The songwriter says it best on “Sallisaw Blue,” singing, “It’s no use. God bless these blues. Let’s get wrecked and bruised and battered.” Moreland said he agrees that he is too often labeled as sad. He does not see

Moreland might owe part of his career as a musician to a move his family made when he was a child. The songwriter was born in Texas but moved to Kentucky when he was just 1 year old. Moreland spent his earliest years there, but his family moved to Tulsa when he was 10. “I was bummed out that I was losing all my friends — pretty normal thing for when you got to move when you’re a kid,” he said. “But when we moved is when I started playing guitar, too. Probably because I didn’t have any of my friends anymore. So it turned out to be a good thing.” Moreland started writing his first original songs around the same time. But he was doing it less as a young music prodigy and more as a workaround for his lack of polish. “I wasn’t a very good guitar player yet, and I wasn’t good enough to figure out how to play other songs,” he said. “So, I’d kind of make up my own, because you don’t really have to know how to play it. You can’t really play it wrong.” Obviously, Moreland is now skilled enough to cover plenty of existing tunes — including hits from his all-time favorite Tom Petty. But, thankfully for us all, he still finds the time to write and perform those songs of his own.

Coming ’Homa

Moreland has lost count of how many tattoos he has now. He got inked for the first time in his early 20s, getting the letters spelling “Oklahoma” scrawled across his knuckles. “I knew what I was doing,” he said. “It was time to go ahead and get that whole ‘ruin your life shit’ over with.” Even following national tours and television appearances, Moreland has never stopped showing his love for Oklahoma. His Tower Theatre show will be his last gig of the year before breaking for the holidays. “The last few years, I haven’t really played Oklahoma much, and when I have, it’s like at the end of the year,” he said. “So it’s always a nice windingdown of the schedule and a homecoming-type thing.”

John Moreland 8 p.m. Dec. 2 Tower Theatre 425 NW 23rd St. towertheatreokc.com | 405-708-6937 $20-$24

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Unspoken truth

Local jazz-fusion quintet Tacit impresses on a new self-titled CD release. By Ben Luschen

There is a strong tendency to think about jazz only in the past tense, which is a shame because the genre is still churning out its fair share of new visionaries. Honestly, who can really blame a music fan for dwelling only on the music that was made decades ago, especially when transcendentally great albums like Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters exist. A resurgent love for vinyl records and the atmospheric nature of jazz music have given younger audiences an appreciation for the greats. Purchasing one’s first copy of Davis’ Kind of Blue has nearly become a hipster rite of passage in some circles. But while the originally American music style no longer carries the commercial marketability it once did (at least not in its pure form), jazz is not dead. Two of this country’s most popular genres — hip-hop and R&B/ neo-soul — both emerged from jazz’s influence. So it is interesting to see many of today’s young composers working aspects of those new styles back into their music. (See saxophone genius Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin and his band The Pollyseeds and New York’s Onyx Collective.) There are signs of life in Oklahoma City’s jazz community as well. Tacit, a jazz and rock fusion group formed about three years ago in Edmond, certainly comes from a proper realm of influence. It lists Davis, Hancock, Return to Forever, Weather Report and other greats as inspirations. The quintet — with a roster including guitarist/synth guitarist Jared Lowery, drummer Paul Hollas, saxophonist Alexis Lewis, bassist Joe Richard and keyboardist Carl Victor Moore — released its selftitled CD at a show earlier this month at The Root. The group is scheduled to play Friday at Lefty’s on Greenwood in Tulsa. Tacit is a very good live band specializing in mood music that pairs perfect-

Tacit | Photo provided

ly with a night out with friends. That talent comes across on the six-track, 39-minute album release as well. This is a project that is great for an evening of content focus at home. While the music can occasionally slip into the background, there are more than a few moments that demand a close listen. The album’s best song is likely “Rails,” which might also be the most accessible tune. It is a brief moment of music compared to the lengthier soundscapes found later on the album, but it commands the listener’s attention from start to finish. It is upbeat and lively with strong synths that set up the perfect backdrop for Lewis’ sax to take on a life of its own. The band is often its best when it allows Lewis to take the lead, but credit has to go to the surrounding musicians for putting her in a position to succeed. The CD is mostly instrumental, but “Mud in the Water” is Tacit’s intriguing foray into vocal sounds. The song opens with weirdly distorted vocals that give way to a soulful funk rendition. “Say what you mean; talk is cheap,” the lyrics — perhaps improvised — go. “What kind of person throws mud in the water?” There are a few politicians who should probably give this song a listen. Each member of Tacit is given their own chance to shine on the album. Everyone gets their own solo on “Feathers,” a jam that shows off the talents of its key figures. Tacit is clearly a band geared primarily toward its live show, which is great. Jazz is best enjoyed live, after all. But this release shows the group can be just as good in the studio. It would be interesting to see Tacit release a thematic, cohesive project in the future because it would likely knock it out of the park. Tacit’s CD is available to stream free at soundcloud.com/jaredlowery.

live MUSIC Old Bulldog Band, UCO Jazz Lab. ROCK

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

Red Dirt Rangers, The Bottle Cap Barn. COUNTRY Red Grass String Band, Hollywood Corners Station, Norman. COUNTRY Tank/Leela James, The Criterion. R&B The Crystal Method, Tower Theatre. ELECTRONIC

WEDNESDAY, 11.22

The Romantics, Riverwind Casino, Norman. R&B

Born in November, Rockford Cocktail Den. POP Coldfront/Hot Mulligan, 89th Street OKC. POP DJ Tonny Tsunami, La Brasa. DJ Hank Woji/Susan Herndon/Terry ‘Buffalo’ Ware, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER IMAGO, Classics Bar & Grill. ROCK Johnny Dango, Blue Bonnet Bar, Norman. ROCK Peter Markes, Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge. INSTRUMENTAL Scott Collins, Red Brick Bar, Norman. FOLK Tyler Lee, Hollywood Corners Station, Norman. BLUES Willie Nelson, The Jones Assembly. COUNTRY

THURSDAY, 11.23 BHosty, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. BLUES The Royal Jelly, The Deli, Norman. BLUES

FRIDAY, 11.24 A2Z, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. COVER Brian Lynn Jones/The Misfit Cowboys, Remington Park. COUNTRY Caleb McGee/Chris Blevins, Blue Bonnet Bar, Norman. BLUES Cody and Jess, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ACOUSTIC

Black Friday Record Store Day Independent record store owners and employees created Record Store Day in 2007 and Black Friday Record Store Day in 2010 to celebrate the unique culture of record stores and the role they play in their communities. Many stores — including Guestroom Records in Oklahoma City, 3701 N. Western Ave., and Norman, 125 E. Main St., and 3 Dachshunds Record & Collectables Store, 2508 Edmond Road, in Edmond — are participating with promotions, releases and goodies. This year’s event starts when the shops open Friday. Visit recordstoreday.com. FRIDAY Photo Guestroom Records/provided

Cro-Bone/Turbo Wizard/Plastic Smile, The Drunken Fry. ROCK J French, Blue Note Lounge. SINGER/SONGWRITER Kestral and Kite, Full Circle Bookstore. INDIE Lip Service, OKC Limits. ROCK Mike McClure Band, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COUNTRY

Tony Aco/DatatroniX/WeatherPeople, Sauced on Paseo. DJ

SATURDAY, 11.25 Amante, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. JAZZ Big G, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. BLUES Cameron Neal/Matthew Logan Vasquez/Kelsey Wilson and more, Opolis, Norman. INDIE Classic Rewind, OKC Limits. ROCK Don’t Make Ghosts/Sex Snobs/Filaments, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK Erick Taylor, Anthem Brewing Company. ACOUSTIC

MONDAY, 11.27 Lauryn Hardiman, The Deli, Norman. POP Nick Nace, Red Brick Bar, Norman. SINGER/ SONGWRITER Trip G/D Wright/Worm and more, Saints. HIP-HOP

TUESDAY, 11.28 Brian Gorrell, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. JAZZ Dude York/Poolboy, Opolis, Norman. POP Total Abuse/Breathing Problem/Blackwatch and more, 89th Street - OKC. PUNK Unsane, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

WEDNESDAY, 11.29 Amarillo Junction, JJ’s Alley. COUNTRY Moth Wings, Warehouse B. INDIE Whisky Priest, Blue Bonnet Bar, Norman. ROCK

Jason Eady, The Blue Door. COUNTRY Melissa Hembree/Whiskey Union, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COUNTRY My So Called Band, Tower Theatre. ROCK Social Creatures/Paxton Pennington/Lhotse and more, The Root. INDIE SquadLive, Riverwind Casino, Norman. ROCK The Deer, Blue Bonnet Bar, Norman. FOLK

SUNDAY, 11.26 Honeywise/Jason Surratt/Sophia Landis, Red Brick Bar, Norman. FOLK

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

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

free will astrology Homework: What’s the most important question you’d like to find an answer for in the next five years? Tell all: Freewillastrology.com

Give up your attachment to the negative emotions that arose in response to past frustrations and failures. Focus on the future.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) In alignment with the

CANCER (June 21-July 22) So begins the “I Love

current astrological omens, I have prepared your horoscope using five hand-plucked aphorisms by Aries poet Charles Bernstein. 1. “You never know what invention will look like or else it wouldn’t be invention.” 2. “So much depends on what you are expecting.” 3. “What’s missing from the bird’s eye view is plain to see on the ground.” 4. “The questioning of the beautiful is always at least as important as the establishment of the beautiful.” 5. “Show me a man with two feet planted firmly on the ground and I’ll show you a man who can’t get his pants on.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) It may seem absurd

for a dreamy oracle like me to give economic advice to Tauruses, who are renowned as being among the zodiac’s top cash attractors. Is there anything I can reveal to you that you don’t already know? Well, maybe you’re not aware that the next four weeks will be prime time to revise and refine your long-term financial plans. It’s possible you haven’t guessed the time is right to plant seeds that will produce lucrative yields by 2019. And maybe you don’t realize that you can now lay the foundation for bringing more wealth into your life by raising your generosity levels.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) I used to have a

girlfriend whose mother hated Christmas. The poor woman had been raised in a fanatical fundamentalist Christian sect, and she drew profound solace and pleasure from rebelling against that religion’s main holiday. One of her annual traditions was to buy a small Christmas tree and hang it upside-down from the ceiling. She decorated it with ornamental dildos she had made out of clay. While I understood her drive for revenge and appreciated the entertaining way she did it, I felt pity for the enduring ferocity of her rage. Rather than mocking the old ways, wouldn’t her energy have been much better spent inventing new ways? If there is any comparable situation in your own life, Gemini, now would be a perfect time to heed my tip.

To Worry” season for you Cancerians. Even now, bewildering self-doubts are working their way up toward your conscious awareness from your unconscious depths. You may already be overreacting in anticipation of the anxiety-provoking fantasies that are coalescing. But wait! It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m here to tell you that the bewildering selfdoubts and anxiety-provoking fantasies are at most ten percent accurate. They’re not even close to being half-true! Here’s my advice: Do NOT go with the flow, because the flow will drag you down into ignominious habit. Resist all tendencies towards superstition, moodiness, and melodramatic descents into hell. One thing you can do to help accomplish this brave uprising is to sing beloved songs with maximum feeling.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Your lucky numbers are 55

and 88. By tapping into the uncanny powers of 55 and 88, you can escape the temptation of a hexed fiction and break the spell of a mediocre addiction. These catalytic codes could wake you up to a useful secret you’ve been blind to. They might help you catch the attention of familiar strangers or shrink one of your dangerous angers. When you call on 55 or 88 for inspiration, you may be motivated to seek a more dynamic accomplishment beyond your comfortable success. You could reactivate an important desire that has been dormant.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) What exactly is the epic,

overarching goal that you live for? What is the higher purpose that lies beneath every one of your daily activities? What is the heroic identity you were born to create but have not yet fully embodied? You may not be close to knowing the answers to those questions right now, Virgo. In fact, I’m guessing your fear of meaninglessness might be at a peak. Luckily, a big bolt of meaningfulness is right around the corner. Be alert for it. In a metaphorical sense, it will arrive from the depths. It will strengthen your center of gravity as it

reveals lucid answers to the questions I posed in the beginning of this horoscope.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) We all need teachers. We

all need guides and instructors and sources of inspiration from the day we’re born until the day we die. In a perfect world, each of us would always have a personal mentor who’d help us fill the gaps in our learning and keep us focused on the potentials that are crying out to be nurtured in us. But since most of us don’t have that personal mentor, we have to fend for ourselves. We’ve got to be proactive as we push on to the next educational frontier. The next four weeks will be an excellent time for you to do just that, Libra.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) This is your last warning!

If you don’t stop fending off the happiness and freedom that are trying to worm their way into your life, I’m going to lose my cool. Damn it! Why can’t you just accept good luck and sweet strokes of fate at face value?! Why do you have to be so suspicious and mistrustful?! Listen to me: The abundance that’s lurking in your vicinity is not the set-up for a cruel cosmic joke. It’s not some wicked game designed to raise your expectations and then dash them to pieces. Please, Scorpio, give in and let the good times wash over you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Journalist James

A. Fussell defined “thrashing” as “the act of tapping helter-skelter over a computer keyboard in an attempt to find ‘hidden’ keys that trigger previously undiscovered actions in a computer program.” I suggest we use this as a metaphor for your life in the next two weeks. Without becoming rude or irresponsible, thrash around to see what interesting surprises you can drum up. Play with various possibilities in a lighthearted effort to stimulate options you have not been able to discover through logic and reason.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Let’s observe a

moment of silence for the illusion that is in the process of disintegrating. It has been a pretty illusion, hasn’t it? Filled with hope and gusto, it has fueled you with motivation. But then again -- on second thought -- its

prettiness was more the result of clever packaging than inner beauty. The hope was somewhat misleading, the gusto contained more than a little bluster, and the fuel was an inefficient source of motivation. Still, let’s observe a moment of silence anyway. Even dysfunctional mirages deserve to be mourned. Besides, its demise will fertilize a truer and healthier and prettier dream that will contain a far smaller portion of illusion.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Judging from the

astrological omens, I conclude that the upcoming weeks will be a favorable time for you to engage in experiments befitting a mad scientist. You can achieve interesting results as you commune with powerful forces that are usually beyond your ability to command. You could have fun and maybe also attract good luck as you dream and scheme to override the rules. What pleasures have you considered to be beyond your capacity to enjoy? It wouldn’t be crazy for you to flirt with them. You have license to be saucy, sassy, and extra sly.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) A snail can slowly crawl over the edge of a razor blade without hurting itself. A few highly trained experts, specialists in the art of mind over matter, are able to walk barefoot over beds of hot coals without getting burned. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Pisces, you now have the metaphorical equivalent of powers like these. To ensure they’ll operate at peak efficiency, you must believe in yourself more than you ever have before. Luckily, life is now conspiring to help you do just that.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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puzzles New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle ‘S-Q’S ME!’ By Ed Sessa | Edited by Will Shortz | 1112 ACROSS 1 Philbin’s onetime morning co-host 8 Equality-promoting org. 12 Those who believe everything has a spirit 20 Off base 21 Small songbird 22 Patronized a restaurant 23 Prodigality? 25 Emmy-winning actor on The West Wing 26 Spinny pool shot 27 Direct (toward) 29 Part of many German names 30 “Ready?” response 33 Hog seller? 38 Chefs’ hats 40 Corp. budget item 41 1969 self-titled jazz album 42 Salad alternative 43 Trouble maker 46 Depend (on) 48 Letters of warning on internet sites 52 Radiologist’s tool, for short 53 Cigar City, so-called on account of a former major industry 54 A part of Life? 55 Irritate 56 Suffix with market 57 Mr. Magoo biopic? 62 Actress Thurman 63 NYC subway letters 65 High school sweethearts 66 “____ said …” 68 Birthplace of Emily Dickinson 71 Sloppy sort 72 Roadblock 73 Canadian coin, informally 74 Like rebate coupons, typically 78 “How cool!” 79 Actor Kilmer 80 Cuckoo or dodo? 83 Locale for a flock 86 Nonreactive 88 Abbr. in a military title 89 Dark times, informally 90 Trickster 91 Mariner’s org. 92 Small 93 Resembling down 95 General ____ chicken 96 Buccaneer’s quaff 98 Was on a crowded bus, say

100 Soprano Renata 102 Prepares cube steak? 107 Altar sites 108 A/C stat 109 Gay who wrote “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” 110 “I ____ talking to you!” 112 The “E” of E.D. 114 All-day gripe sessions? 121 Like a rope in tug of war 122 Northern Iraqi 123 Alter ego on The Simpsons 124 Tightwads’ opposites 125 Hungers 126 Questionable DOWN 1 Ones in a mess, informally 2 Question: Abbr. 3 Pot-au-____ (French stew) 4 Basis of the plot of Gone Girl 5 Like Corinthian columns 6 Bacilli shapes 7 Habiliments 8 Cobbler’s tool 9 Vineyard designation 10 ____ Cayes (Haitian port) 11 Not related? 12 Gilbert who wrote Love and Death on Long Island 13 Rosetta Stone discovery site 14 In a senseless way 15 Deranged, in slang 16 Polish movie named Best Foreign Language Film of 2014 17 Work out 18 Henry VII’s house 19 Lee who co-created the Avengers 24 Not an elective: Abbr. 28 Flower colored by Aphrodite’s blood, in myth 30 “You know who this is” 31 “A Visit From St. Nicholas” poet 32 Ways out of embarrassing situations? 34 Polished 35 It may have a ring to it 36 Enero a diciembre 37 Civil rights activist Guinier 39 Laker legend with a size 22 sneaker, informally 44 Something absolutely necessary 45 Fast-paced two-player card game 47 Munchies, say

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

Sudoku easy | n°30924 Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3-by-3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. www.printmysudoku.com

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New York Times Crossword Puzzle answers Puzzle No. 1105, which appeared in the November 15 issue.

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3701 N. Shartel Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73118-7102 Phone (405) 528-6000 Fax (405) 528-4600 www.okgazette.com Copyright © 2017 Tierra Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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HC Employees, LLC, dba Home Creations, is seeking a Construction Manager to be based out of Moore, Oklahoma. Work sites will vary throughout the Oklahoma City metro area including Oklahoma County, Canadian County, Cleveland County, Grady County, Lincoln County, Logan County, and McClain County. This position requires a bachelor’s degree in construction or building-related field and 6 months experience in a related occupation. Duties to include: Managing construction work sites and personnel; To create and edit CAD drawings for construction documents; Working closely with architects and engineers to go over plans and blueprints; Commercial construction project management; Determining material and labor costs; Responsible for the coordination of all construction activities in assigned area; Oversee on-site construction observations and document progress; Present recommendations to Construction Director; Attend construction manager meetings; Approval of bills and variances weekly. Applicants should send résumés to: hr@homecreations.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER If creative makes your heart beat faster, help us design ads and content for Central Oklahoma’s innovative newspaper and digital media company. Copy-writing skills are a plus. Please send your cover letter and resume to Marian Harrison via email to mharrison@okgazette.com

Founded in 1979, the Gazette is metro Oklahoma City’s fiercely local arts and entertainment authority.

okgazette.com *The Gazette earned Society of Professional Journalists Oklahoma Professional Chapter’s 2017 Best of the Best award in the large market category, which includes news publications with circulation over 25,000.

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