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free every wednesday | Metro OKCâ€™s Independent Weekly | DECEMBER 27, 2017

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NEWS

2018 ALL THE NEWS THAT'S FIT TO PREDICT pages 7-11

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12/19/17 1:26 PM

inside COVER P.7 Had enough of 2017? Chicken-Fried News has the perfect remedy with its annual tongue-in-cheek predictions for the year to come. NEWS 4

Metro Kirk Humphreys to resign from OU Board of Regents 6 City prescription drug disposal 7 Cover Chicken-Fried News predictions for 2018

EAT & DRINK 13 Review Savory Bites

14 Feature Ponyboy opens 15 Feature Esca Vitae

16 Gazedibles winter cocktails

ARTS & CULTURE 21 Film 2017 film roundup

24 Art 24 Works on Paper at

Gaylord-Pickens Museum

26 Fashion Stone + Harper

27 Theater The Color Purple at

Civic Center Music Hall

28 Books Full Circle Bookstore 29 Calendar

MUSIC 31 Event Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

at Tower Theatre

32 Feature 2017 album review 33 Live music

FUN 34 Puzzles sudoku | crossword 35 Astrology

OKG Classifieds 35

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NEWS Kirk Humphreys stood at a podium and read a prepared statement apologizing for the remarks he made about gay men on Flashpoint. | Photo Laura Eastes

cheering on the school’s football team in Monday’s Rose Bowl game played in Pasadena, California.

METRO

Concerns remain

Stepping down Kirk Humphreys will resign from OU Board of Regents in January because his presence is ‘a problem.’ By Laura Eastes

In less than three weeks, Kirk Humphreys will no longer serve as a member of the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, a position he has held since his appointment by Gov. Mary Fallin in 2012. The former mayor of Oklahoma City announced his intent to resign during a specially called regents meeting Dec. 21 after his fellow regents shared his presence was “a problem.” “These are good days for the University of Oklahoma,” Humphreys told reporters after the meeting. “I am happy to have contributed to the extent that I have. I am saddened that I have made life difficult for a number of people. I fully support the actions the regents have asked me to take. I feel good about it. I look forward to working with everyone at OU to help move OU forward.” The board of regents meeting and its two-hour executive session to discuss the vice chair’s leadership came in the wake of concerns raised by students, alumni, faculty and staff and the community after homophobic remarks made by Humphreys on a local public affairs show were broadcasted. In the Dec. 10 episode of Flashpoint, Humphreys made a reference equating gay men to pedophiles, which is a myth with no backing. Despite Humphreys issuing an apology days later, he faced calls for his resignation from the board of regents and other positions. Two days before the regents meeting, Humphreys appeared before the press offering a public apology. His “argument went off the rails,” he said while standing beside Troy Stevenson, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma. The state’s LGBT rights advocacy organization was the first to call upon Humphreys for an apology 4

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and later his resignation from OU, the John Rex Charter Elementary School Board and the board of OGE Energy Corp. “I think this was the right move for the University of Oklahoma, especially as they are going into choosing the next president,” Stevenson said moments after the meeting. OU President David Boren is retiring at the end of the school year on June 30. “We had people come together to make adult decisions and to set an example for the next generation of Oklahomans,” he said. “You can have civil discourse. We can get to the right resolution without anger and hatred.” Humphreys said he plans to submit his resignation prior to the start of the spring semester, which is slated to begin Jan. 16. The resignation is not immediate, as Humphreys will join Boren, university administration and other regents as a member of the official party

Kirk Humphreys announced his intent to resign from the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents after a specially called meeting to discuss his leadership in executive session for two hours. Photo Laura Eastes

Humphreys’ resignation from the board of regents was just one of the calls made by concerned members of the public. At the Dec. 12 rally, Homophobia Has No Place on OUr Campus: Protest Kirk Humphreys, speakers cited a need for the university to expand its nondiscrimination policy to regents, who are currently exempt. “The harm that was done cannot be retracted,” said Kay Holladay, a Norman resident and regional director of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) National. Holladay attended the Dec. 21 regents meeting. “I have spent lots of time reading the University of Oklahoma’s nondiscrimination policy as well as its ethics policy,” she said. “I think every single regent should square up with those policies. If one does not, that person should resign.” J.D. Baker, OU Student Government Association president, said he appreciated the apology made by Humphreys and believed it to be vital for the university community. Students want university leaders, including regents, who are inclusive and understand the unique needs of students, he said. Humphreys serves as one of two OU representatives on the board of John Rex, which is a public charter school in downtown Oklahoma City authorized by OU and serving Oklahoma City Public School (OKCPS) students. Humphreys’ comments were met with calls from parents for his resignation from the school board. Parents stated his words had harmed the school’s LGBT families and their allies and were not in line with the character lessons taught to students. OU, OKCPS and Oklahoma City Quality Schools appoint John Rex board members, who select three additional board members. Humphreys serves as chair.

Humphreys, who served as mayor from 1998 through 2003, led OKC through approval of MAPS for Kids, the $700 million school program funded by the MAPS tax. John Rex was constructed through MAPS for Kids funding as well as other city funding streams and private donations. Humphreys stated he serves on the John Rex board at the “pleasure of OU.” “OU is not my only path onto that board,” Humphreys said.

Lessons learned

As the Flashpoint episode aired, Humphreys was away from Oklahoma City on an out-of-the-country vacation. Following his return to Oklahoma City, Humphreys said he phoned regent chair Clayton Bennett, who had issued a statement disagreeing with the comments made by Humphreys on Flashpoint. According to Humphreys, during the phone conversation, he shared his willingness to step aside as the next chairman. Further, he stated that if his presence on the board was “a problem,” he would resign. Ultimately, the regents indicated that Humphreys should resign from the board, which also governs Rogers State University and Cameron University. “Be careful what you say,” Humphreys said when asked what message he had for students. “The OU student body is large and diverse. I would say be gracious in what you say. Find the value in people no matter who they are and what they are. …I think we’ve all had times where we’ve thought, ‘I wished I wouldn’t have said that.’ Mine just happened to be on local television.” Prior to the announcement of his intent to resign, Humphreys agreed to participate in an open forum Jan. 18 at OU. The forum would serve as a time for university students and the greater community to hear from Humphreys and ask him questions. It was unclear whether the forum will continue given Humphreys’ plans to resign. “We want to make it clear that horrible things are said sometimes but we have to find a way to move forward as a community,” Stevenson said after Humphrey’s apology before the media. “We have to find a way to heal wounds. We have to find a way we can all work together and get past all the vitriol in society.”

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NEWS

Safe way

In Oklahoma, where the misuse and abuse of opioids is an escalating crisis, safe disposal is key to prevention. By Laura Eastes

Pharmacists like Phong Hoang take pride in being drug experts, knowing everything about medications and answering their patients’ questions. When patients asked where to dispose of unwanted prescription medications, including controlled substances, Hoang’s response wasn’t always what his patients were looking for. For years, police departments across the country, including ones in Oklahoma, have accepted old prescription drugs so they can be disposed of safely. Drop boxes placed in police station lobbies kept medications out of landfills and waterways, but also away from potential abusers. “What I’ve learned from patients is that they are hesitant to do that,” Hoang said from inside Edmond’s Creative Care Pharmacy, where he serves as co-owner and manager. “They have medications, but bringing them to a police station is kind of scary, especially if they have narcotics.”

Sometimes all it takes is one pill that can lead to a fatal overdose. Mark Woodward About two months ago, Hoang answered questions on safe disposal by pointing to a MedSafe collection receptacle placed near the entrance of his pharmacy. Resembling a mailbox, the blue receptacle can be used to dispose of unused or expired controlled substances, non-controlled substances and over-the-counter medications. It even accepts liquid medication at 4 oz. or less. It didn’t take long for patients to begin unloading unwanted medicine into the receptacle. Some patients even arrived at the pharmacy with large bags full of outdated prescriptions. After the pharmacy posted about the receptacle on its social media platforms, locals arrived utilizing the service made possible by a federal and state grant. “There seemed to be a trend of people just not knowing what to do,” Hoang said. “They weren’t throwing them in the trash. They were holding on to them, but they wanted to find a way to safely dispose.”

One pill

Safe disposal of prescription medicines, including opioids, has long been a drug abuse prevention tool pushed by law enforcement, medical professionals and organizations focused on the prevention of substance abuse. In the past, people often disposed of their unused medicine by throwing it 6

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in the garbage or flushing it down the toilet. Those methods of disposal can enter local waterways and harm the environment. Another key aspect of prescription drug drop boxes is preventing youth and addicts from getting their hands on those medications. “A very common place where addicts feed their addiction is stealing it out of home medicine cabinets of someone they know,” explained Mark Woodward, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drug Control (OBN) spokesman. “It is critical that we don’t leave it laying around. Sometimes all it takes is one pill that can lead to a fatal overdose. We know that lives are saved just through these small efforts by individuals and communities to get rid of that medicine they no longer need.” When it comes to overdose deaths, more than four out of five involve prescription painkillers in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In July, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ranked Oklahoma No. 1 nationally for nonmedical use of painkillers for all age groups 12 and older during 2012 to 2014. More than six years ago, OBN launched the nation’s first statewide, year-round drug disposal program, called Safe Trips for Scripts, in which law enforcement agencies — from police departments to county sheriff’s offices — provided a safe place to dispose of

Locals can bring their unwanted prescriptions to seven pharmacies, including Edmond’s Creative Care Pharmacy, for safe disposal. | Photo Laura Eastes

unwanted prescription drugs with “no questions asked,” explained Woodward. Since its inception, Woodward said, around 165,000 pounds of medications have been collected from the OBN takeback containers and taken to Tulsa’s Covanta Renewable Energy where it was converted into clean energy.

Barriers existed

Substance Use Prevention Alliance, the local coalition dedicated to addressing the epidemic of abuse and misuse of legal and illegal substances, has long encouraged the public to dispose of unwanted drugs through drop boxes at police stations and on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day happening twice a year. At community events, health fairs and schools, coalition members heard the pub-

Oklahoma County Pharmacies with MedSafe Receptacles Edmond 35

Bethany

3 40

Nichols Hills

OKC 5

Spencer

35 235

Nicoma Park

Choctaw

Harrah

1 240

Del City 35

Midwest City 240

1. Prime Rx Pharmacy 1024 SW 44th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73109 2. Westminster Family Drug 10911 NE 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73141 3. Don Coody Pharmacy 7530 NW 23rd St, Bethany, OK 73008 4. Creative Care Pharmacy 14101 N Eastern Ave, Edmond, OK 73013

5. Exchange Pharmacy 2300 Exchange, Ave, OKC, OK 73108 6. BestYet HealthMart Pharmacy 19671 NE 23rd St, Harrah, OK 73045 7. Valu-Med Pharmacy 1212 S Douglas Blvd, Midwest City, OK 73130

lic’s obstacles to safe disposal. While some shared hesitation to enter a police station, others explained their medications changed often and left them with unwanted medications piling up in their cabinets. The public’s feedback fueled the coalition’s perusal of a federal Partnerships for Success grant through the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS). “We saw a lot of barriers the more we talked to community members,” said Karin Leimbach, a prevention coordinator for Oklahoma City nonprofit DCCCA and coalition member. “We wanted to reduce those barriers for people.” This fall, through the grant, seven MedSafe receptacles were placed in seven pharmacies located in various communities in Oklahoma County. These boxes are not unusual to pharmacies. Some Walgreens locations provide safe medication disposal kiosks. There is a convenience benefit for those with prescriptions who often visit a pharmacy frequently, said Leimbach. The public’s reaction to the MedSafe so far has been positive, Leimbach said. At Bethany’s Don Coody Pharmacy, 34 pounds were collected from the MedSafe receptacle in its first month of use. “That says to me that the community wanted this and they are using it,” Leimbach said. The same is true for patients and visitors at Creative Care Pharmacy, Hoang said. He is a pharmacist with a goal to serve patients and the community, and the MedSafe receptacle serves both while also fighting the opioid epidemic. On the pharmacy’s front counter sits a stack of Take As Prescribed cards, an educational resource produced by ODMHSAS. “Independent pharmacists like myself, I feel like we are more openminded to try new things,” Hoang said. “We want to be a service to the community as much as possible.”

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So predictable

You’ve nearly escaped 2017. Just wait ’til next year. By Gazette staff

game 41-3 and Mayfield threw for three touchdowns. The game’s biggest moment did not occur on the field, however, but on the sidelines. Television cameras caught a fired-up Mayfield clapping back against Kansas’ best trolling efforts as he shouted clear obscenities and made a gesture at his jock strap. (Those never end well.) The action stole all the headlines in what was otherwise a snoozer of a game, and Mayfield was suspended for one offensive series in the next game against West Virginia. Mayfield isn’t all bad, but he certainly has not exemplified the Oklahoma standard at every opportunity this season. Did we mention he was raised in Austin, Texas? Yeah, maybe that has something to do with it.

Musical chairs

Timeless gesture

Walk outside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman and you’ll come across Heisman Park, a family of larger-than-life statues honoring the University of Oklahoma players who took home college football’s most prestigious individual honor. Five statues, including the likenesses of Billy Vessels (the 1952 winner), Steve Owens (’69), Billy Sims (’78), Jason White (’03) and Sam Bradford (’08) can currently be found there, but with the recent win by quarterback Baker Mayfield, the school will soon need to find a spot for one more. So in what timeless pose will the lucky sculptor put OU’s chief ball tosser for decades to come? Many fans online have clamored for the immortalization of the famous flag-planting scene against Ohio State. But Chicken-Fried News predicts the artist will find that another memorable moment captures Mayfield’s 2017 campaign just as well: the Kansas crotch grab. Mayfield took his biggest sack of the season before any games had even been played when a police officer in Fayetteville, Arkansas, tackled the publicly intoxicated and belligerent quarterback. Several national pundits also voiced disapproval for Mayfield’s lessthan-sporty OU flag-planting display at midfield of Ohio State’s home stadium. But the reality show that was Mayfield’s 2017 season reached its dramatic peak Nov. 18 in a game against the University of Kansas. OU won the

The stage tour is coming! The stage tour is coming! Oklahoma Citians excited to see Hamilton — the smash Broadway musical whose national tour is set to make its highly anticipated city debut at a to-beannounced point in OKC Broadway’s 2018-19 season — should light one candle if they hope to order a ticket by telephone, two if by web and then be prepared to furiously stomp all existing candles after they realize just how impossible these tickets will be to access. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hopflavored musical about the life of Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father who became the United States’ first Secretary of the Treasury, dominated the 2016 Tony Awards, winning in 11 of the 16 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Musical. That success means high demand to see the nationally touring version, but opportunity to get into Civic Center Music Hall for a show will be limited right out of the gate. Those who purchased 2017-18 season passes and renew them for the 2018-19 season guarantee their Hamilton spots before tickets go on sale to the general public. Season ticket renewals are expected to be near full capacity.

With t h at in mind, the race to grab one of the few coveted Hamilton spots will be intense, and those with the deepest pockets and most influence are clearly at an advantage. Chicken-Fried News peers into its truth-telling crystal ball to try to divine just who will make their way into the theater. First coming into view is the very front row. CFN sees Harold Hamm and Clay Bennett laughing and sharing a bottle of 2005 Château Margaux with the Green and Love families, though the Greens will probably stick with sparkling apple cider. They look happy, but we notice they’re clapping along exclusively on the one and three beats. Now coming clearer is the figure of Carmelo Anthony. The native New Yorker looks to be soothing the unpleasantness of this year’s Thunder season with some down-home Broadway comforts. Behind him is Carrie Underwood, rapidly scribbling down notes as she prepares for her yet-unannounced role as Princess Elsa in NBC’s live television production of Frozen: The Musical. And now we’re seeing State Rep. John Bennett, who must have scored his ticket from an overachieving oil lobbyist. He’s making a scene as he stomps out of the theater, apparently shocked to see the play has a pro-immigration message. Shortly after he slams the door, a mob of people on the waiting list fight over his empty seat.

Thunder rolls over

Oh, how the tables have turned. Remember in August when we were proverbially patting Thunder general manager Sam Presti on the back for a series of offseason trades for stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony? Basketball media hailed Presti for bringing in the all-NBA talent of Anthony and George to bolster a roster that was background noise during Russell Westbrook’s Most Valuable Player season. Instead, the Thunder has struggled to even maintain a .500 record. The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers — the two teams Presti was accused of

fleecing in t h e offseason — have a better record than the Thunder as pieces Oklahoma City jettisoned (Victor Oladipo with the Pacers and Enes Kanter with the Knicks) flourished away from the ball-dominating Westbrook. The New Year brings decisions for Presti and Thunder management. Many Thunder fans want to see head coach Billy Donovan return to the college game. Do they trade free-agent-to-be George to a team that thinks he can help them challenge for a title? Do they trade Anthony for a gift certificate to Neptune Sub Sandwiches? We have a bold prediction for 2018: The Thunder stay put. The memory of Nov. 23’s 108-91 victory over Golden State Warriors is enough for the organization to chase that feeling, like a good date night in the middle of a bad relationship. It’s a risky decision considering George and Anthony can become free agents this upcoming offseason, but perhaps their departure wouldn’t be the worst thing. It would allow Westbrook to recruit teammates that would be more amiable, like Universal’s Minions. Forget Kevin Durant and bring in Kevin the Minion.

Governor’s dilemma

This is something every mature adult fears in the current economy: reaching your 64th birthday and, just a little over a month later, losing your job. To compound the problem, you get evicted from your house and it’s possible your adult child might need to move back in with you or needs a place to park her trailer. Except for dalliances in careers like hotel management and commercial real estate, you’ve spent your adult life in government jobs. The cold, cruel world of senior living in the private sector beckons, and what in the world will you do? Well, if you are outgoing Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and have experience thwarting constitutional law by installing religious monuments on state property, you could team with former Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore. ChickenFried News suggests the two of you pitch a reality show for TLC or Trinity Broadcasting Network called Your Wish is Our Commandments, in which you drive a big rig across these United States, quietly installing monuments to the Ten Commandments in front of state supreme courts, capitol buildings and health departments. You might want to steer clear of public schools, though, for Ol’ Roy’s sake. If that doesn’t work out and President Donald Trump doesn’t appoint you as

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an economic advisor after your stellar state budget work, perhaps some consulting will do. Once you no longer have to deal with that nastiness surrounding the gross production tax, you can sell your services directly to the petroleum industry without prompting an ethics investigation. You can visit sites from Duncan to Dubai, joining hands with frack equipment operators and saltwater haulers to “thank God for the blessing created by the oil and natural gas industry and to seek His wisdom and ask for protection.” That’s right; take that Oilfield Prayer Day on the road. Go from site to site in a tricked-out motor coach, burning 5 miles per gallon to keep the industry afloat. The president might even use his connections to get you a lucrative deal praying for Gazprom and Rosneft. Good luck, Gov. Fallin, and do svidaniya!

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Star, man

The past year was one in which The Flaming Lips released Oczy Mlody, its fifteenth studio album (and its first since 2013’s The Terror). Thick with descending bass and drum machines, points on the album legitimately knock as hard in the car as any Gucci Mane or Big K . R . I .T. album. But Oczy Mlody was not the only release put out by the OKC psych-rock band. On Record Store Day (April 22 this year), the band put out a little-discussed, high-concept “live” vinyl album made to resemble what it would sound like if the band played live from the International Space Station. Onboard the International Space Station Concert for Peace runs through the tracklist of Oczy Mlody with added spacey effects and live-show ambiance. An anonymous master of ceremonies introduces Miley Cyrus, who sings a duet with frontman Wayne Coyne on the closing song “We a Family,” as “the future president of the United States.” The Lips’ fascination with space is nothing new, and Chicken-Fried News predicts that 2017 was just the beginning of the band’s conquering of the final frontier. In 2018, Coyne will produce an onlocation remake of The Martian. Yes, we know the film starring Matt Damon came out just two years ago, but this

movie will have a few key differences. For one, instead of growing potatoes, Coyne will find a way to produce a large crop of hydroponic weed on the Red Planet. At least he has his priorities straight. Also, it won’t be Earth that has to save Coyne, but Coyne who is out to save us. In the vast expanse of nothingness, the rocker is successful in growing enough cannabis to meet literally every single basic human need. He creates a distant utopia off our home planet — called The Womb Part Deux — and must weave together enough hemp to build his own rocket ship that can retrieve the human population from an everwarming Earth and bring them to Mars, in the process saving Coyne from the one thing cannabis can’t cure: mortal loneliness.

Restoration gentrification

Who says political organizing is dead? 2017 became the year of political outrage as angry millennials put their senators’ office numbers on their speed dial. It made itself known with large protests organized f o r women’s rights in Ja nua r y and a march for science in April. On the local level, Oklahoma chain Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Stores earned the ire of protestors for its proposed razing of the Donnay Building. Signs were made. Passionate speeches at city planning meetings pleaded to save the nearly 70-year-old building. Braum’s has ended its bid to lease the property, and a local developer is in the finishing touches on a deal to renovate the building without displacing tenants Classen Grill, Charlie’s Jazz-Rhythm & Blues Records, Drunken Fry and HiLo Club. What exactly does a renovation of the dark and dingy HiLo Club actually look like? Don’t turn up the lights too much because you might not want to see the person sitting across the table after three or four drinks. The building is in need of facelift, but it doesn’t need to become so glitzy that it becomes worthy of a place in gentr if ied neig hborhoods of Automobile Alley or Deep Deuce. The last thing we need is for Charlie’s Records to be outfitted with a bunch of Crosley record players or for Classen Grill to add a farm-to-table

Bloody Mary bar. Let ’s hope the Donnay Building will re-open in late 2018 w ith taps for spiked sparkling water and an oxygen bar in the corner of the Dr unken Fr y. That brings us to …

Ice creamed

The Donnay Building is now sa fe f rom Br au m’s a mbitious sprawl, but which local landmarks will the restaurant chain hope to capture in 2018? Chicken-Fried News imagines a day in 2018 with reporters gathered at the surprise unveiling of new work at the state Capitol. The state’s newly elected governor — whomever that turns out to be — snips a ribbon and behind the small assemblage of dignitaries drops the giant tarp that has long shielded the Capitol’s north end. Photographers snap wildly at the large, freshly revealed Braum’s logo and drive-thru window on the state lawn. Drew Braum shakes hands with the governor-elect and steps forward to the mic, making his first public comments as the state’s newly appointed overlord. The state’s Supreme Court has ruled that a monument of the Ten Commandments cannot be erected outside the Capitol, but nothing is there to stop Braum’s from putting up a 2-ton stone marker with the new and improved protein counts of its milkshakes. And did you think all that construction downtown was for some kind of streetcar? Guess again! Our inventive Braum’s rulers are introducing the first rail restaurant, which brings the convenience of highcalorie (but high protein!) hamburgers to Bricktown’s hungry pedestrians. Anyone who has ever stopped at the large and famous McDonald’s over Interstate 44 near Vinita will also be thrilled to hear Braum’s is duplicating the concept over downtown’s Interstate 40 bridge.

Sure, they’ll have to knock over that pesky scissortail framework to make room for the mother of all regional hamburger joints. But hey, at least you get to keep the Donnay Building.

Hottest trend

Anyone who doubts how quickly food trends move throughout the world needs to notice there are five restaurants in the Oklahoma City metro area serving Thai-inspired rolled ice cream. In a few short years, it’s a trend that has gone from Southeast Asia to landlocked Oklahoma. Also, charcoal became one of 2017’s hottest food trends as Instagrammers couldn’t wait to choose a filter to highlight how charcoal turned everything from ice cream cones to hamburger buns gray-black. In small amounts, charcoal aids digestion and removes toxins from food, but use too much and it strips good nutrients along with the bad. While we don’t expect a food truck with charcoal-tinged items to pull into Delmar Gardens Food Truck Park or The Bleu Garten in 2018, an enterprising Oklahoman would be wise to take advantage of the state’s affinity for “black gold.” Use charcoal to turn things black, like ice cream. Set up a food truck outside Devon Tower and watch the coffers fill. You might even get a tax cut out of it!

Voter surprise

Whether it was a robust turnout at 2017’s Women’s March in January or the boisterous March for Science in April, Oklahomans surprised many around the country who expected the deep red state to stay silent. 2018 presents another chance for Oklahomans to surprise with a vote on medical marijuana — if the governor would just set a date. As of late December, Gov. Mary Fallin had yet to add State Question 788, the legalization of medical marijuana, to either the June primary or the November general election. Fallin has until March to decide. Pro-medical marijuana groups are confident the vote will pass regardless, but some have wondered if it will be added in June in order to not increase voter turnout for the more pivotal general election. Since Oklahoma’s neighbors Colorado (fully legal) and A rkansas ( passed medical in 2017) have embraced marijuana, it only makes sense that Oklahoma will too. Arkansas’ medical marijuana sales are estimated to bring in $67 million by 2025. As a special session to fix the budget spills into the 2018 regular term, we predict Oklahomans will embrace the additional tax revenue [and continued on page 10

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healing properties] of medical marijuana come election season, whether it’s June or November.

Narrowly broadcasting

Oklahoma City television and radio could look and sound radically different in 2018, depending on the vicissitudes of national media conglomerates that are either clamoring for more outlets or desperate to play “Despacito” for one more day. Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., owners of Fox affiliate KOKH and CW station KOCB, announced this summer a plan to purchase Tribune Media Co., which owns KFOR and KAUT. In poker terms, that’s four of a kind, which is the second-best hand you can have, but the whole deal could be headed for a straight flush — and not the winning kind. Now four states’ attorneys general, including Sinclair’s home field Maryland AG Brian Frosh, have joined in opposition to the merger. Furthermore, this month, Bloomberg News reported the Federal Communications Commission voted to issue a $13.3 million fine against Sinclair for not identifying a program touting Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute as advertising. When even FCC chairman/in-

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ternet slayer Ajit Pai thinks you’re not acting in the public interest, it might be time to schedule a remedial ethics class. This could spell trouble for the merger. It could also mean that KFOR and KAUT might avoid scheduling up to nine segments of Sinclair’s “must-run” Bottom Line with Boris commentaries per week. Chicken-Fried News would hate it if Freedom 43’s happy-time morning show, Rise and Shine, had to run awkward buzzkill Boris Epshteyn’s Putinist diatribes every day, or perhaps even new segments called Free to Be You and Me with Kirk Humphreys and John Bennett’s Minority Deport. It’s not just local TV stations that are in flux. In November, Cumulus Media, owner of six OKC stations, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. According to

Billboard, Cumulus’ chief competitor, iHeartMedia, owns seven OKC stations and is shouldering more than $20 billion in debt, proving that ClearChannel’s warmer, cuddlier rebranding didn’t solve everything. If either of those broadcasting titans were to fall, who would buy all those frequencies in 2018? Clay Bennett? Larry Nichols? A consortium of Ogles? Darci Lynne Farmer? If no one steps up, we can all just listen to The Spy. Otherwise, we might be stuck with the 30 million songs on our cellphones.

Do you remember?

Remember this past February when lawmakers were faced with an $868 million budget deficit and had until May to come up with a deal? Remember how the budget bill approved in May included a cigarette fee, which was later ruled unconstitutional? Remember how lawmakers returned in September to fix the budget hole but ended up making the budget situation worse? Remember how Gov. Mary Fallin called the lawmakers back for a second special session in late December?

At this point, it is easier to recall that Oklahoma has a recurring revenue problem and fails repeatedly to come together and sort through the budget disarray. Chicken-Fried News predicts the 2018 regular session of the Oklahoma Legislature begins with lawmakers debating legislation that would outlaw teachers from removing Ten Commandment pamphlets and flyers that students bring to school, will declare global warming a hoax and make it illegal for Oklahoma mayors to adopt the Paris Accords. They will ban landlords from renting to immigrants both legal and illegal and expand the definition of citizens of the state to include human embryos. Those bills keep lawmakers busy until early May when it’s really time to fix the structural issues of the budget and talk revenue increases. To get a budget bill passed before adjourning, lawmakers opt to hold committee meetings at midnight, when the budget is posted online for public viewing 10 minutes before the meetings.

New county jail

Oklahoma County voters hired Republican P.D. Taylor for the job of sheriff, promoting the longtime law enforcement of-

ficial to the top position in the county and handing him the task of running the state’s largest jail. For years, the public called for reforms at the overcrowded and deteriorating county jail. Taylor, among the two other candidates, named reforms as a top priority. Reforms require cash, according to Taylor. Also in 2017, the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council was formed to “put real focus on revamping the criminal justice system in Oklahoma County,” Roy Williams, CEO/ president of the Greater OKC Chamber, told Oklahoma Gazette. The advisory council will learn from a highly compensated consultant that it is much cheaper to build a new jail facility than a top-tobottom remodel. Before a funding source can be identified, the council goes land shopping, finding an open lot on a quiet road n e a r Luther, only a 30-minute drive from downtown Oklahoma

NEW!

City. Council members promote a proposal for a new county jail facility where inmates enjoy farm fresh eggs and vegetables from a local grower daily. In their cells, rustic materials like distressed wood and wire give each cell a unique homespun look. Jail activities include basket weaving, churning butter, fly fishing, clay bird shooting and off-road vehicles. The jail facility, a first of its kind in the nation, will also double as a vacation spot attracting agro-tourists to support the jail’s operations budget.

Hugo Beach, Oklahoma

Now that winter is upon us, ’tis the season for anti-science Oklahoma lawmakers to walk out of government buildings into the bleak and icy outdoors, tighten their coat collars and intone their sacred mantra, “Global warming, my ass.” They say it so often, it almost sounds like a round that’s being sung in gruff voices around a campfire fueled by meteorology textbooks. In February 2015, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe set the gold standard for seasonal climate change denial when he began an argument against global warming by tossing a snowball made of ice crystals and bitter grievances on the Senate floor. Allegedly, Environmental “Protection” Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has

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a freezer full of them, except they are laced with PCBs, lead and sulfur dioxide. In fact, Oklahoma’s entire congressional delegation is on record as either denying climate change or pushing legislation that thwarts efforts to control corporate polluting. They could all sing “Global warming, my ass” as a barbershop septet. Nevertheless, 2017 was one of the worst hurricane years on record, the Arctic Ocean is becoming a giant hot tub for harbor seals and nobody in Los Angeles wants to hear Albert Hammond’s “It Never Rains in Southern California” or “The Air That I Breathe” ever again. Last July, an iceberg frequently described as the size of

Delaware broke off from Antarctica, which could prompt Delaware’s tourism office to describe the state as “the size of that iceberg you’ve been hearing about.” Things are bad, but maybe Oklahoma’s flat-earth gang is just looking out for the state’s real estate interests. Imagine if things continue apace, Jimmy Buffett has to start singing about the Florida Keys in the past tense and the Dallas World Aquarium becomes an indoor-outdoor sea habitat. Then those specious claims Chicken-Fried News has heard for years about Oklahoma having the most shoreline of any state won’t be just hot gas, pardon the expression. Think how cool it could be if our T-shirt companies could start printing Surf Lawton designs, or the obvious appeal of WinStar World Casino & Beach Resort. The OKC Boathouse District could offer deep-sea fishing expeditions. Furthermore, things will be so great for Oklahoma’s new seaside economy that the 28 million displaced Texans living in refugee camps in our state will find plenty of work at Devon Energy’s new offshore drilling platforms near Hugo Beach. Nothing but blue skies, right Senator Inhofe? Read more CFN predictions at okgazette.com.

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EAT & DRINK Kotlet, a traditional Persian sandwich | Photo Jacob Threadgill

Bites’ menu, which showcases Persian food from Iranian native and owner Mehtr Zaand, who dutifully runs the kitchen alongside his wife. In the spirit of full disclosure, I had some difficulty fully communicating with Zaand, something I found noted in a few other Yelp comments, but his passion for providing family recipes transcends any barrier. I told him that I’m interested in trying Persian food because its something I’ve seen in the area and haven’t eaten since I was a child, growing up next to Iranian neighbors. Zaand directed me to the kotlet ($6.99) and kuku sabzi ($5.99).

REVIEW

Kuku sabzi will make you forget every sad, overpriced frittata you’ve ordered.

Menu adventure

Cafe Savory Bites in Moore offers a taste of Persian classics. By Jacob Threadgill

Cafe Savory Bites 101 NE 23rd St., Moore | 405-838-2192 What works: Kuku sabzi will make you forget any frittata you’ve had. What needs work: The language barrier can lead to miscommunication. Tip: Enjoy the complimentary tea while food is prepared.

lot and noticed a sign hanging above the door that described it as serving “Meditraian,” I knew I was in the right spot. Savory Bites’ gyro is very good. I’d place it alongside Baba G’s and Let’s Do Greek as one of the best I’ve had in the city. The warm pita is topped with over a pound of meat and slathered in tzatziki with hints of fresh lemon and cucumber. I’m interested in the rest of Savory

The kotlet, also referred to as a Persian cutlet, is a mixture of beef, potato, onion and turmeric held together with egg as a binder and then fried on a flattop grill. At Savory Bites, the kotlet is served on freshly baked baguette with tomatoes, red onion and sliced dill pickles with sides of mayonnaise and mustard. At first, I was somewhat perplexed by the presentation on a baguette and the addition of mayonnaise, thinking it was an attempt to acquiesce to U.S. customs (adding mayo to everything). Upon further research, the kotlet is traditionally served on a baguette, and many recipes I found online in both English and Persian called for the addition of mayo. I added a little mayo to the sandwich mixed with a few dabs of off-brand Sriracha sitting at the table and found it a good complement to the sandwich. I still had the fond memory with me days later. The flavor of the kotlet isn’t overpowering; instead, it’s a platform

for the other ingredients to do their work. The vinegar from the fresh pickles accented the kotlet, which was equal parts meat and potato. Do you like to order frittatas but often find them bland beyond the eggs? Kuku sabzi will make you forget every sad, overpriced frittata you’ve ordered while hung over at brunch. The egg mixture gets a heavy dose of fresh parsley, cilantro and dill — so much so that the dish is nearly all green. The addition of other spices like cardamom and cumin and nuts for a contrast make for an enjoyable dish that can either be a side or entrée. That’s the thing with Savory Bites: The portions are huge for the price point. I ate the kuku sabzi and finished the sandwich later. Zaand and his wife work as swiftly as possible in the kitchen, and he delivers food in silence, perhaps not to exacerbate the language barrier, but it’s very endearing. I couldn’t imagine opening a restaurant in a new country, and I commend the Zaands for providing a taste of their home country. In other Persian dishes, Savory Bites also offers zaban (beef tongue) and olivieh (a salad mixture typically filled with chicken, potato, carrots and peas). Each meal comes with a complimentary cup of warm black tea, which is freshly brewed loose-leaf and sweetened with sugar and lemon. I gave up consistently drinking sweet tea many moons ago because I often find it more cloying than refreshing, but Savory Bites’ tea is making me reconsider. Savory Bites also doubles as a market stand with Sadaf brand spices and soups in the corner. I saw a few takeout orders for gyros come during my most recent visit, but otherwise, I was the sole diner at lunchtime. It’s clear that their bountiful gyros are good business for them, but I’d recommend going out on a limb and venturing further down the menu to get a taste of delicacies you can’t find elsewhere in the metro.

It’s not hard to find a good gyro in the Oklahoma City area. Cattle country has embraced the Mediterranean concept of beef and lamb mixture thinly sliced in a warm pita bread and tzatziki sauce. Gyros have become so ubiquitous in American culture that it has become a marketing catch-all to incorporate other cultural versions of a similar product, like shawarma from the Middle East or Turkey’s döner kebabs. Such is the case for Cafe Savory Bites, 101 NE 23rd St., the highest-rated restaurant in Moore, according to Yelp. A large sign advertising $5.99 gyros entices customers along N. Broadway Avenue, but as I pulled into the parking Cafe Savory Bites also doubles as a market for Persian spices. | Photo Jacob Threadgill

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EAT & DRINK who attended the screening. “It was so cool because he came in and saw the picture of Ponyboy on the back wall,” Cope said of Frederickson’s visit. “A movie that he made happen is now part of this hip new bar, and it’s just got to be interesting to see things that you’ve been a part of becoming something completely new 30 years later.”

Phase one A quote from The Shawshank Redemption

f eat u re

lines the bar’s back wall. | Photo provided

Pony, up

A new bar puts an emphasis on Oklahoma and pairs with Tower Theatre. By Jacob Threadgill

The last thing 84 Hospitality restaurant group CEO Rachel Cope thought the end of 2017 was going to bring was the opening of another concept. Cope and team opened three restaurants within the span of 12 months: Gorō Ramen in July 2016, Revolución Taqueria & Cantina in Nov. 2016 and Easy E Slice Shop, a standalone service for Empire Slice House. Tired as she might be, when development company Pivot Project approached Cope to see if she had a concept for the space on 23rd Street next to Tower Theatre for the former Savings & Loan Bar space, she perked up. “I didn’t think I was going to do anything else,” Cope said. “I always wanted a bar. It was something we didn’t have in the group.”

Oklahoma emphasis

When it came to developing a concept for the bar, the Tulsa native kept coming back to her Oklahoma roots and the main character from The Outsiders, written by Tulsa native S.E. Hinton, became the inspiration. Ponyboy opened its first phase in early December at 423 NW 23rd St. “We have people [in 84 Hospitality]

D E C E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

from every part of the state, but our common link is that we’re proud to be here,” Cope said. “We didn’t go anywhere; we don’t want to leave and we want to show people that we’re proud of where we live.” There is not much Outsiders memorabilia in the bar other than a photo of actor C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboy in director Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film version. Instead, Cope decided to pay homage to another former Oklahoma City neighborhood hang, Grandad’s. Behind the bar, many vintage family photos hang alongside antique Oklahoma memorabilia. The family photos, donated from random members of the community through social media posts, are an homage to the setup at Grandad’s. “We want the neighborhood to feel like this is their bar or coffee shop,” Cope said. “Once Grandad’s went away, I missed the concept of the family photos on the wall. It was such a fun thing and smart because it made people feel like it was their bar.” Ponyboy had a soft opening Dec. 5, just in time for a Tower Theatre screening of The Outsiders, which was produced by Oklahoma City native Gray Frederickson,

Ponyboy is in the initial phase of operation — only the bottom 1,000-squarefoot level is open for business, and a second floor will feature 2,000 square feet, a second bar and a stage for live music. It will open in early 2018. Cope said she envisioned the second floor as a space that can be used to book smaller touring acts from Texas and the Midwest, as well as working with Tower Theatre to have artists that are too small for their main stage and too big for the 50-seat studio. Ponyboy already provides Tower’s alcohol service. Cope, whose sister Chelsey is a working Oklahoma City musician, booked bands at The Blue Note for years and wants to be deliberate about booking the second-floor space. “I want to do stuff that we believe in and people want to see so that we’re not just pulling an open mic, because there is already plenty of that in the city,” she said. The bar menu at Ponyboy includes five specialty cocktails, seven rotating Ponyboy provides coffee from local roaster KLLR Coffee, specialty drinks and snacks. | Photo provided

beers on tap and five “boilermaker” combinations — a shot of liquor and beer either mixed together or taken individually. The boilermakers each have a corresponding character name from The Outsiders, like the Sodapop ($6) a shot of Wild Turkey and Mountain Dew. Currently, Ponyboy only serves snacks, all of which are provided by Oklahoma companies. OKC’s longstanding Woody Candy Company provides peanut brittle and Oklahomabased Jerky.com is the retailer for two types of beef jerky. Ponyboy also sells a large dill pickle in honor of Cope’s brother Dylan, who had the nickname growing up. With no kitchen inside Ponyboy, Cope said that they might put to use a food truck the hospitality group bought earlier this year. Cope said Ponyboy might include the option to buy a whole pizza from Empire Slice and have it be delivered to the bar, but they are still working through permitting issues. Cope said that Ponyboy is different from other bars in the city because of its 11 a.m. opening and because it sells coffee from local roaster KLLR Coffee. After a busy couple of years, Cope said that she’s proud to work with Tower Theatre to help the continued revitalization of 23rd Street. “Before we start a project, we always ask ourselves, ‘Is this something I’m passionate about it? Will this benefit community and we fit?’” Cope said. “I think so on all accounts.”

Croissants are made fresh every morning.

F E AT U R E

Photo Jacob Threadgill

Rising dough

Midtown’s Esca Vitae fills city’s artisan bakery void left by Prairie Thunder Baking Company. By Jacob Threadgill

The hole left in the Oklahoma City market when Prairie Thunder Baking Company closed its doors in late 2016 didn’t last long with Esca Vitae opening in the same Midtown location in February 2017. Using old Prairie Thunder equipment, including a three-deck oven imported from France, Esca Vitae (Latin for “food for life”) is focused on providing a European-style artisan bakery for customers and area restaurants. The term “artisan” in breadmaking might sound like a meaningless buzzword, but it’s the embrace of baking techniques that use long fermentation processes. In this regard, Esca Vitae is the only bakery in the city using this method, said general manager Mitchell Dunzy. Head baker Cameron Campbell is one of the few holdovers at Esca Vitae from Prairie Thunder. The life of a baker begins when most of us are asleep. Campbell arrives at work at 10 p.m. and works until 6 a.m. to have bread ready for sale in the store and shipment to area restaurants. “I get home, kiss my wife and go to sleep until about 4 or 5 p.m.,” Campbell said. Campbell first got the itch to pursue baking about five or six years ago. While others might shy away from the scientific aspect of baking, especially breadmaking, Campbell embraced it. “I find the fermentation process of bread fascinating,” Campbell said. “People can be scared of breadmaking because they think it’s too scientific, but it’s not as difficult as they think. As the bread goes through fermentation, it’s developing flavor, and there is a chemical process going on before it even goes into the oven.” For instance, the steps from starter dough to finished sourdough bread takes three days, Campbell said. He oversees the bakery’s bread while pastry chef Katy Reddick organizes Baker Cameron Campbell shows off Esca Vitae’s three-deck oven imported from France. Photo Jacob Threadgill

daily specials like tarts and cakes. Tim Schneider, a native of France, handles a bevy of croissants every morning. “No one in town has pastries as good as us,” Dunzy said confidently.

Growing pains

Esca Vitae’s first year, like most restaurants, hasn’t been a smooth transition. Dunzy came on as general manager in September from MMR Prime Steakhouse to help with the kitchen and expand marketing.

No one in town has pastries as good as us. Mitchell Dunzy The store originally opened with a market selling imported meats and cheeses, which has been scrapped for additional dining space. The restaurant has dabbled in dinner service at certain times, but Dunzy said the focus going forward will be on special events, like dinner parties. Esca Vitae offers a wide variety of pastries, but Dunzy said its restaurant is most busy at lunchtime. Utilizing Campbell’s freshly baked bread, the bakery serves a variety of sandwiches including a turkey club with inhouse smoked turkey, an Italian on tomato

bread and a reuben with braised red cabbage and in-house smoked corned beef. Owner Dr. Steve Lantier founded Esca Vitae and modeled it after the bakeries of Germany, something that is apparent with its offering of three different types of pretzel. A lifeline for a bakery is wholesale service for area restaurants and local farmers markets. Dunzy said wholesale accounts for about a third of its sales. Esca Vitae supplies bread for some of the city’s fine dining establishments: Stella Modern Italian Cuisine, Rococo, and Ludivine. Elemental Coffee Roasters also uses some of its pastry. “We’re trying to push and expand things on the wholesale side of things because it can carry you,” Dunzy said. “We want to utilize this space as more than just a bakery, especially since we have all this dining area.” Esca Vitae is in early talks to have its bread sold at local grocery chains, like Homeland. Dunzy said a deal is imminent in early 2018. In addition to wholesale, Esca Vitae hosts baking classes with Reddick as teacher. A two-part class in November and December focused on dough and cakes and cost $50 per person. Esca Vitae is also a rotating gallery space for local artists. The current featured artist is Eric M. Spaeth, and his work will be on display and for sale into early 2018.

Fresh dough

The new year brings unfettered access to Esca Vitae and its building neighbors, as construction for the upcoming streetcar has rolled through the area. As Esca Vitae nears its one-year anniversary, Dunzy is focused on continued wholesale expansion, while Campbell experiments with new bread recipes. “I’ve matured a lot as a baker and learned more of the ‘why’ behind stuff,” Campbell said. Campbell said he recently debuted stollen, a German Christmas bread, and said 2018 will bring experimentation with sprouted grains, like spelt, which the body processes like a vegetable when sprouted. “I’m looking forward to getting more creative in how I make bread in the future,” he said. Visit escavitae.com.

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eat & DRINK

Ring it in

Whether your flute is filled with champagne on New Year’s Eve or it’s included with a splash of orange juice the morning after, the bubbly libation is the pin that holds celebrating the New Year together. Whether you’re looking for a good place to grab a drink before the New Year or searching for the hair of the dog after a late night, OKC is full of possibilities. By Jacob Threadgill | Photos Gazette / file and provided

Bossa Nova Caipirinha Lounge

440 NW 11th St. cafedobrazilokc.com | 405-525-9779

The bar located above Café Do Brasil offers a splendid view of downtown from its Midtown patio, and the drink service includes lime-infused cocktails like the Caipirinha, a Brazilian drink based with cachaca. Enjoy other specialty drinks like fruit-infused martinis or walk downstairs during weekend brunch service to try one of three champagne cocktails.

Cheever’s Café

Hatch

One of Oklahoma City’s most beloved restaurants earns its place on the list because of its terrific food, but it’s also one of the best places in town to get a mimosa. Surrounded by the warm wood of the interior or out on the patio on a nice day, a $5 mimosa is a steal compared to other restaurants and bars in the city. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the brunch punch, which changes every weekend, for an extra dollar.

Every New Year’s morning, my mother would fry beignets from a mix packaged by New Orleans’ famous Café Du Monde. Tradition tops the fried doughnut with powdered sugar, but the Hatch version serves up orange glaze, peanut butter bacon and Nutella cream as garnishes. Choose from three mimosa varieties, including two with a liquor kick.

2409 N. Hudson Ave. cheeverscafe.com | 405-525-7007

1101 N. Broadway Ave. hatchokc.com | 405-609-8936

Ring in the new year with ME. NEW YEAR’S EVE | 12.31.17 // Special table d’hôte menu // Two seatings available // 5 courses for $59-$75/person // Chef add-ons available Reservations // 405.982.6960 Menu // MaryEddysOKC.com

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900 W Main Street, Oklahoma City MaryEddysOKC

Located at

OKLAHOMA CITY

Hefner Grill

9201 Lake Hefner Parkway hefnergrill.com | 405-748-6113

What better way to ring in 2018 than looking over the water of Lake Hefner while you dine? Not only is Hefner Grill one of the city’s better spots for seafood, it’s also a serene spot to let the rippling water and alcohol from a massive wine and cocktail selection put your mind at ease. Choose one of four brunch cocktails, including the peach Bellini, which is rum, peach schnapps, peach nectar and champagne.

Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge

900 W. Main St. maryeddysokc.com | 405-982-6960

Under the guidance of chef Jason Campbell, Mary Eddy’s has made a tradition out of hosting holiday dinners, and New Year’s is no different. Campbell has prepared a five-course New Year’s Eve dinner, and all have the choice of adding black winter truffles. The bar staff also prepared a selection of winter cocktails that will be available into January.

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O Bar

1200 N. Walker Ave. obarokc.com | 405-898-8170

Located on the seventh floor of Ambassador Hotel Oklahoma City, O Bar offers a great view of downtown Oklahoma City. If you plan to attend on New Year’s Eve, a $20 cover will include complimentary sparkling wine and access to the dance floor. A VIP table includes champagne bottle service and chocolate-covered strawberries. If you attend before the holiday, the bar’s extensive drink menu features a wide selection of wine, cocktails, beer and liquor.

The R&J Lounge and Supper Club

320 NW 10th St. rjsupperclub.com | 405-602-5066

The R&J Lounge and Supper Club’s talented bar staff takes kitsch and plays it up for a new generation as classic cocktails like a 7 and 7 or Singapore Sling get updated recipes. Each season produces an inventive selection of cocktails like You’re Killing Me Smalls, a Scotchbased drink topped with a toasted marshmallow. R&J hosts a New Year’s Eve surf and turf dinner for two for $80.

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This issue is all about getting right with your body, mind and spirit as we explore the best places in

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film

ARTS & CULTURE

The year in film

housed in the government lab where she works. The cast boasts reliably superb Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon and Octavia Spencer, but the star is director Guillermo del Toro, whose filmmaking is as ravishing as any interspecies love story could ever hope to be.

By Phil Bacharach and Ben Luschen

It has been a strange year. The sexual predations of Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein sent shockwaves nationwide and launched the #MeToo movement, but the scandal’s impact on mass entertainment has been colossal. Once-storied careers now look kaput. For just-released All the Money in the World, director Ridley Scott chopped out scenes with disgraced Kevin Spacey and hurriedly recast 88-year-old Christopher Plummer as billionaire J. Paul Getty. Louis C.K.’s masturbatory excursions halted release of his dubiously titled picture I Love You, Daddy. Allegations around Emmy-winning actor Jeffrey Tambor forced his departure from the Amazon series Transparent. Dustin Hoffman, Sylvester Stallone and more are paying the price for past misdeeds as reputa-

tions crash faster than December temps. Through the tumult, the movie biz trudged ahead with requisite remakes, sequels and superhero franchises. Given the post-Weinstein reckoning and its subsequent empowerment of women, it was only fitting that Wonder Woman emerged as one of the best comic-book flicks in recent years. The work of director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot resonated with audiences and critics alike. That film was hardly alone. Amid social upheaval, political polarization and a radically changing entertainment industry, 2017 actually proved to be an outstanding year for movies. The following ones were my Top 10, but there were many great ones to choose from.

Leonard proud. Frances McDormand is a vigilante mom who publicly shame the town police chief ( Woody Harrelson) for her daughter’s unsolved murder. Someone who throws as many punches as writer-director McDonagh is bound to miss a few times, but when he does connect, the guy draws blood. Brad’s Status | Photo provided

10. Brad’s Status

Writer-director Mike White doesn’t shy away from people who might be unlikable but are all too relatable. His approach is a perfect fit for an actor like Ben Stiller, whose perpetual agitation is put to good use as the title character in Brad’s Status. White mines cringeworthy humor and quietly devastating pathos from midlife crises, parenthood and Facebook.

The Disaster Artist | Photo provided

8. The Disaster Artist

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri | Photo provided

9. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Overheated, occasionally overwrought and with the subtlety of a kick in the scrotum, this effort by playwright Martin McDonagh has become a loveit-or-hate-it flashpoint among critics. I’m in the love-it camp. Three Billboards is ferocious, funny and populated with characters that would’ve made Elmore

Failed art is a difficult thing to celebrate, at least if you hope to laugh at it without looking like a smug jackass. James Franco navigates that tricky tightrope and does a magnificent job of it in The Disaster Artist. He is hilarious as Tommy Wiseau, the heavily accented mystery man who wrote, directed, produced and starred in 2003’s The Room, arguably the worst movie ever made. Franco, who also directed The Disaster Artist, has obvious affection for the subject matter, elevating the movie beyond what otherwise could have been an exercise in cruelty.

I, Tonya | Photo provided

7. I, Tonya

Nothing adds perspective like the passage of time. Consider the saga of former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding. In 1994, she was widely reviled and barred from the sport for life following her involvement in an attack on teammate Nancy Kerrigan. In I, Tonya, a witheringly funny and surprisingly poignant biopic, we see a heretofore-overlooked side to the sordid drama. Margot Robbie is extraordinary as Harding, a working-class redneck whipsawed between vicious mom Allison Janney and sleazy husband Sebastian Stan. I, Tonya proves the old adage that comedy is tragedy plus time.

Good Time | Photo provided

4. Good Time

The spirit of 1970s crime thrillers is alive and well, and a bit drug-addled, in this gritty thrill ride. As a lowlife crook with high aspirations, Robert Pattinson is remarkable and again demonstrates that Twilight is long behind him. The directing team of brothers Benny and Josh Safdie keeps Good Time crackling and unpredictable as a bank robbery goes from bad to worse to really worse.

Mudbound | Photo provided

6. Mudbound

Netflix produced some of the year’s finest films with tales ranging from modern-day angst (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.) to a girl and her genetically modified super-pig (Okja). The best of the lot was Mudbound. Based on the Hillary Jordan novel and featuring a terrific ensemble that includes Carey Mulligan, Jason Mitchell and Garrett Hedlund, the movie explores familial dynamics and racism in the Mississippi Delta circa 1946. This richly told melodrama from director Dee Reese remains with you long after the closing credits.

The Florida Project | Photo provided

3. The Florida Project

Filmmaker Sean Baker tells the stories of those in the margins of society. The Florida Project, his follow-up to 2015‘s acclaimed Tangerine, uses the comingof-age template to delve into characters living in crumbling motels in the shadow of Disneyworld. His style is loose and shambling, all the better for his actors, especially newcomer Brooklynn Prince as a feisty 6-year-old. Of particular note is Willem Dafoe as a beacon of decency managing the Magic Castle motel.

The Shape of Water | Photo provided

5. The Shape of Water

Bathed in bright colors and rife with sumptuous imagery, The Shape of Water is a valentine to lonely hearts in the Cold War era, with Sally Hawkins wonderful as a mute cleaning woman who falls head over gills for an amphibious man-fish (Doug Jones, not to be confused with Alabama’s U.S. senator-elect) being

Dunkirk | Photo provided

2. Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan’s foray into historical continued on page 22

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ARTS & CULTURE continued from page 21

FILM

drama is arguably his best work to date. Dunkirk chronicles the daring May 1940 evacuation of some 300,000 British troops stranded on the beaches of northern France. The result is an immersive experience of spectacular imagery and sound. Eschewing linear narrative in favor of cross-cutting between different times (it’s easier to follow than it sounds), Nolan illustrates the connections of how the Battle of Dunkirk unfolded on the ground, on the sea and in the air. The cast is impressive, especially Mark Rylance as a civilian who answers Prime Minister Churchill’s call to action, but this is squarely Nolan’s movie. And it’s a masterpiece at that.

courses. in e b o e t oesn’t havbites instead. d l a e m A try a few

This issue features some of OKC’s best restaurants and gourmet shops to eat your light meal in public or pick up something to take home.

Publishing February 7

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Get Out | Photo provided

1. Get Out

Get Out marks the directorial debut of Jordan Peele, half of the Key & Peele comedy duo, and he reveals a cool selfassuredness that eludes most veteran moviemakers. Each scene, camera shot and line of dialogue (Peele also scripted) are woven together brilliantly for a horror-comedy that recalls the paranoia-drenched suspense of 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby and 1975’s The Stepford Wives while simultaneously offering a social critique very much of the moment. The setup is familiar enough — a young white woman (Allison Williams) brings home her black boyfriend (Daniel Kaluuya) to meet her parents — but the subsequent satire is urgent and biting. In this skewering of race relations in post-Obama America, no one gets out unscathed. — Phil Bacharach

Oklahoma films

While there were several wonderfully made blockbusters and widely distributed awards-seekers released in the last calendar year, 2017 was also a banner year for local and local-centric filmmaking. From tense and poignant documentaries to ambitiously bizarre period pieces, Oklahoma film has seen it all in the past 12 months. Oklahoma Gazette’s Ben Luschen breaks down some of the most memorable local features from this year.

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

Oklahoma City | Photo provided

Oklahoma City

No one who lived in this state at the time of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing in 1995 will ever forget the event, but it is easy to forget or gloss over the things that actually motivated the attack. Barak Goodman’s PBS documentary is not technically an Oklahomamade film, but it was the most important local story told this year. There have been several films made about the ’95 bombing by Timothy McVeigh, but none of them dig as deep into his motivations, which Goodman argues go beyond payback for the burning of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. In today’s political climate, Oklahoma City serves as an important reminder for just how dangerous white supremacist and conspiratorial views can be when left unchecked.

Te Ata | Photo provided

Te Ata

The tale of 20th-century Native American storyteller Mary Thompson Fisher, who performed under the name Te Ata, is not one that is widely known by audiences. Though Fisher was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in the 1950s, this terrifically made film financed by the Chickasaw Nation hopefully made many Oklahomans aware of this brave state figure. Actress Q’orianka Kilcher, perhaps most known as Pocahontas in Terrence Malick’s 2005 film The New World, stars in the period piece as the Chickasaw storyteller who dared to share and spread her cultural traditions and legends in a time when Native people were being forced into assimilation and punished for demonstrating their heritage.

01/19 Painted Woman | Photo provided

Painted Woman

Painted Woman is a dramatic Western throwback that takes its inspiration from the Dusty Richards novel The Mustanger and The Lady. Stef Dawson, recognized by many for her role as Annie Creston in The Hunger Games series, stars as Julie Richards, a young Wild West prostitute who a local powerbroker makes a prize of his own. Unsurprisingly, the overbearing rich old man mistreats Julie, who escapes his grasp and must choose between two new love interests as she also tries to heal her broken soul. The Oklahomafilmed story capitalizes on the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate program and shows off some gorgeous scenery in the process.

Gremlin | Photo provided

Gremlin

Ryan Bellgardt, writer and director of 2013’s Army of Frankensteins, returns with another superb monster flick. Gremlin presents its characters and the audience itself with a perplexing dilemma. The story is about a cursed box that must be continually passed from the current holder to a person that he or she loves. Inside the box is a tiny demon that will viciously murder anyone nearby at certain time intervals. The only way one can rid themselves of the horrible burden is by pushing it onto someone they care about before time runs out. Bellgardt’s monster, though in its diminutive form for most of the film, is a simultaneously beautiful and terrifying beast made with commendable special effects.

Don’t miss this event! Celebrate and support Oklahoma’s diverse art scene at the party with a purpose on Jan. 19.

Tickets sold out in 2016 and 2017: Get yours today!

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Mickey Reece’s Alien | Photo provided

Mickey Reece’s Alien

Step aside, Ridley Scott. The film voted Best Oklahoma Feature at the 2017 deadCenter Film Festival is a prime example of some of the unique filmmaking local fans have come to expect from director Mickey Reece. The black-and-white surreal period piece on Elvis Presley (played by actor Jacob Ryan Snovel) and wife Priscilla (Cate Jones) plays out as a surprisingly straightforward telling of Elvis’ life before his 1968 television comeback. But when Alien strays from the truth, things get captivatingly weird. Though not as widely heralded as some of the other performances in the film, comedian and first-time actor Alex Sanchez offers perhaps the best local acting job of the year as Elvis’ best friend and confidant. His performance gives off strong shades of Jonah Hill in any of his best supporting roles.

The Scent of Rain & Lightning | Photo provided

The Scent of Rain & Lightning

Maggie Grace, the actress known for roles in Taken, Twilight and the television series Lost, stars in the story adapted for screen from the 2011 Nancy Pickard novel of the same name. Early in the film, Grace’s character Jody learns from her uncles that the man she believes murdered her parents has been released from prison. Jody sets out to confront the murderer, but in the process, she begins to unravel some unspoken truths about what happened that night several years before. In a movie that plays out like a classic whodunit, family secrets are revealed and things get unexpectedly violent. The movie features a strong local pedigree with writers Casey Twenter and Jeff Robison, whose writing chops shined in the 2014 William H. Macy-directed film Rudderless. — Ben Luschen

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ARTS & CULTURE

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Paper product

OVAC’s 24 Works on Paper continues its mission to bring art to Oklahomans across the state. By Jeremy Martin

In printer’s terminology, two dozen sheets of paper don’t quite make a quire, but in Oklahoma, they might make a brief introduction to contemporary local art. Established in 1985 by Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC), 24 Works on Paper is a biennial exhibition traveling across the state and featuring living local artists. The latest iteration, which began in August of 2016 at Guymon Public Library, made its final stop at Gaylord-Pickens Museum, 1400 Classen Drive, where the works will be displayed until Jan. 13. Krystle Brewer, executive director of OVAC, said the nature of 24 Works makes the exhibit easier to transport across the state and allows smaller galleries that might not be able to accommodate larger works to be included. New stops on the current tour included venues in Guymon, Altus, Pawhuska and Alva. “This is probably one of the more conservative of our programs in the fact that it is kind of limited to a very traditional material and display — works on paper

that are mounted in frames — in contrast to some of our other programs that are less object-based and more processbased,” Brewer said. “It does make it very simple to put together a traveling exhibition. There are only two frame sizes — large and small — and so by having the works on paper, it does make it very easy to move around from place to place, and also by not needing to have specific pedestal dimensions for 3-D works. ... Whereas some of our other programs focus more on larger works that are maybe installations or projects that take months or years to complete, this is kind of the other end of that spectrum.”

Changing views

By making the works of contemporary Oklahoma artists accessible to people in different locations, Brewer said the exhibition allows for statewide cultural cross-pollination. “I think it connects audiences to artists and their works that they may not have otherwise seen in their com-

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munity,” Brewer said. “For someone in Guymon that’s really far away, they may not travel to see the work of a Tulsa artist that’s being displayed in Tulsa. … It’s also kind of nice to see a very quick survey of 24 artists working across the state together in one place. I’m not sure that there’s any other exhibitions quite like this.” Even previous iterations of 24 Works are significantly different from one another, Brewer said, because works for each exhibition are selected by different curators with their own sets of criteria. “One approach to curating is simply picking the best of the best, and there may or may not be connections among the work,” Brewer said, “but I think other curators maybe look at the work that’s presented, and obviously quality is a big part of that, but also looking at the natural trends that emerge from the pieces that are submitted. So then I think that some common themes just kind of organically come out of that.” The current exhibit’s curator, W. Jackson Rushing III, is the Mary Lou Milner Carver Chair in Native American Art and Adkins Presidential Professor of Art History at the University of Oklahoma. In his curator’s statement, Rushing wrote, “Although I was hoping for diversity, my only agenda, frankly, was my own visual pleasure, and yet I hope viewers will agree that the exhibition has an internal integrity. Like Oklahoma, the works are iconoclastic and offbeat; tough and yet sweet and tender; magical and real; and both surreal and sensual.” One of humankind’s older artistic media, paper can be extremely versatile, Brewer said, and the pieces in 24 Works reflect many of its possibilities. “I think that this exhibition is great because there’s such a variety,” Brewer said. “So you have someone like Katelynn Noel Knick that’s doing drawing on paper, but then next to it, you have someone like Molly MurphyAdams, who’s a Native artist who’s actually doing beadwork on the paper, and then, of course, you also have someone like Cathleen Faubert who’s doing photography ... or like Ginnie Baer, hers has glitter and an unusual material, Oklahoma snow, she has listed as one of the materials she used to make her piece.” In more abstract terms, Rushing describes “fish-headed flowers that

play with outsiderness from the inside; the soaring, fragile beauty of transcendent birds … paeans to the lush beauty and destructive force of nature (erosion and cyclones); and the oneiric fluidity of Freudian dreamscapes.” Brewer, who first began working with OVAC as a volunteer intern in 2011, became the coalition’s executive director this year after the current exhibit began, but she said she is already planning next year’s exhibit, hoping to map a new, more inclusive route. “Each year, we try to include more communities so that more people around the state have the opportunity to see the exhibition,” she said. “We’re always constantly doing something.” The OVAC website offers an educational guide for teachers and students viewing the exhibition. It includes a glossary of basic visual art terminology and a list of suggested discussion questions. Paper is famously thin, but the depth on display is limited only by the eye of the beholder. “How could so much life be compressed or called out in 24 modestly scaled works on paper?” Rushing wrote. “Like Oklahoma, the exhibition is surprising in both what it reveals and thinly veils from view.” “Fish Head Flower” by Bryan Dahlvang Image Bryan Dahlvang / Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition / provided

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ALL YOUR

Historical habit

A local fashion line honors historical women by creating sustainable clothing. By Hannah Meeske

In a time when the importance of arts cannot be more emphasized, activist Sarah Nsikak, a first-generation American from Nigeria, makes strides to support arts and music programs in Oklahoma. As the owner of Stone + Harper, she addresses environmental concerns by making products out of sustainable materials and donates 5 percent of every purchase to programs such as El Sistema, a free orchestral music program. Stone + Harper is named after two influential women activists, Lucy Stone, a white woman, and Frances Harper, a black woman. Both lived in a time of racism and discrimination. Stone was one of the first women to earn a college degree in 1847. She became an activist for abolitionism and suffrage and later formed American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). Harper, born free in 1825, shared this fire to fight societal injustices and joined AWSA. “Stone and Harper, in a time so immersed in racism and discrimination, found solidarity in something bigger than themselves,” Nsikak said. She said we still have a long way to go in achieving social justice.

Creative recycling

While in graduate school, Nsikak felt restless and desired to find a creative outlet. In her opinion, creativity is an opportunity for an individual to find their niche and thrive. Nsikak revealed that she learned to sew from her Nigerian grandmother, “a very talented seamstress in her village.” She was raised around traditional attire and described it as handmade, regal and elegant. “I’ve always loved the craft and wanted to grow in what my grandmother gave me to keep that alive,” she said. For kids growing up today, creativity is often stifled. Nsikak experienced Stone + Harper features a line of sustainable fashion. | Photo Sarah Roberts and It’s Us / provided

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

this when she changed school districts that prioritized sports over arts. “This is why I feel strongly about the arts and wanted to give to programs that offer that resource to children that otherwise wouldn’t have it,” she said. In an interview with Oklahoma Gazette, Nsikak used the words “sustainable” and “ethical” to describe her brand — something the fashion industry is not. Lately, the industry has received a lot of backlash regarding environmental and moral concerns. “The fashion industry is one of the very top sources of waste in the world,” Nsikak said.

This is why I feel strongly about the arts. Sarah Nsikak The materials used in clothing take a long time to degrade and can be toxic. Synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon and acrylic take years to degrade. Even when natural fibers like cotton, linen and silk are used, seemingly better since they emit methane during degradation similar to food waste, these products go through many doses of chemicals — bleach, dye, etc. — to make clothing, and the toxins can reach groundwater and cause environmental problems. “I use mostly denim, linen and canvas, but I also have a collection of remnant fabric that I add to the mix of recycled materials,” Nsikak said. She seeks also to reach harmony with people of every gender, race and culture. Her first fashion show represented men and women of color. A portion of the ticket sales was donated to support mental health in the state of Oklahoma. Nsikak works to bring a new attitude about the clothes we wear — to re-wear them for years. “It’s important to think about who

Sarah Nsikak named Stone + Harper after influential women activists Lucy Stone and Frances Harper. | Photo Sarah Roberts and It’s Us / provided

was affected in the process of creating a seemingly inexpensive garment,” Nsikak said. Stone + Harper sells “upcycled or reworked vintage garments that were very specific to the color scheme and texture of the brand” with a focus on comfort and functionality. “[Creating a line of sustainable fashion] really humanizes the process and exploits the corrupt fast-fashion industry,” Nsikak said. The fast-fashion industry urges customers to participate in a cycle of consistently buying clothes as styles change and throwing away what’s in their closets.

Nu lifestyle

Stone + Harper introduces a subscription opportunity called Nu Form Club, a play on “uniform.” By going online to stoneandharper.com, you can choose how many pieces you want and select your size, lifestyle and preference in textures as well as anything you dislike, and Nsikak curates an outfit for you. To get to know you better, the form also asks what your ideal outfit is and what your style identity is, such as what designers or labels fit you best. There are text boxes for you to write what your personal style is from using fictional characters, celebrities and cultures, and you can share any extra details that come to mind to best explain your style personality. “It is also very affordable, so my hope is to give busy people the opportunity to have clothes that fit practically into their lifestyle with no time or effort on their end,” Nsikak said. Price options start at $35 for two vintage pieces to $75 for one handmade and three vintage pieces, including one upcycled piece. Upcycling is a creative process to transform byproducts, waste materials or unwanted materials into products of quality. “I’m hopeful that there will be a boost of awareness about the disparities in the fashion industry, and I wanted to be a part of that here in Oklahoma City,” Nsikak said. Nsikak embodies the spirit of Stone and Harper, making strides in supporting arts and the environment through her ethical and sustainable fashion. Visit stoneandharper.com.

t h e ater

in all of my interviews. She’s a playwright, and she has her own company in Chicago, which is where I’m from. It’s a Christian-based, faith-based performing arts thing. I was going to sing background for her and be one of her pit singers, and she had other plans. She said, “I really see something in you, and I would really love it if you read these sides for me.” I said, “Oh, I don’t think so; I don’t do that.” We went back and forth a lot, and she was like, “Here’s the thing: Either you read these sides, or you can have a nice day.” So quickly I turned over to the sides and said, “Oh, so these are the sides; I’m going to start at ‘start;’ that’s great. Let’s do this.” And that’s how it all began.

Healing palette

The national tour of The Color Purple musical arrives Tuesday at Civic Center Music Hall. By Ben Luschen

The national tour of the Tony Awardwinning Broadway revival of The Color Purple is set to kick off 2018 for OKC Broadway. The musical, inspired by Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, runs Tuesday-Jan. 7 at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Most people know The Color Purple through the star-studded 1985 film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and included star actors Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery. The stage show follows a similar story, of course, but those seeing the theater version for the first time will notice that it more closely follows the book. Still, the premise is the same. Celie battles double oppression as a black woman in rural Georgia and must grapple with rape, violence, racism and sexism against herself and others. The musical version of The Color Purple made its Broadway premiere in 2005. The show was revived on Broadway in 2015, winning a 2016 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Carla Stewart, who plays blues-singing Shug Avery in the current touring production, was cast in the ensemble of the Broadway revival. The Chicago native was offered the Shug role shortly after the Broadway revival run ended. The role has a legacy for being played by talented singers — including Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child and Jennifer Hudson. Stewart recently spoke with

Oklahoma Gazette about the differences between the stage musical and the film, her start in theater and how she perceives Shug. Oklahoma Gazette: What was your first introduction to The Color Purple? Was it the movie version? Carla Stewart: It was the movie. And then when I went to college — I went to AMDA, American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York — we had to present a song that we would sing in musical theater. This was when I really sat down with the movie because I sang “I’m Here” in school. I wanted to go through it and really have some connection to the story, so I went back and really watched the movie. And then when I joined the company to do the stage version of it, I read the book, which has so much more insight. The book is really where we grab all of our information from for the stage performance. They’re slightly different — the movie, the book and then the stage version. But I think we kind of grab from it all. OKG: What are the major differences between the film version and the book and stage versions? Stewart: Well, there are certain songs in the movie that they want to hear in the stage version. I had the honor of meeting Steven Spielberg, who directed the film, and he said to us that he wished he had kept the moment of reconciliation between Celie and Mister at the end. Somehow, it was there, but at the

Carla Stewart (Shug Avery) sings with other members of The Color Purple cast during a production on the show’s national tour. | Photo Matthew Murphy / provided

end, it got taken out. He said that was such a powerful moment because you get to see a moment of true power when she forgives him of all the terrible things he’s done, which you would think is unforgivable. It happens right before you, and you can see the power that you have when you decide to forgive someone and let that go. She was completely healed and transformed, and I think it’s just a beautiful moment that’s different from

They’re slightly different — the movie, the book and then the stage version. But I think we kind of grab from it all. Carla Stewart the movie. OKG: So Steven Spielberg actually came through to talk to you all? Stewart: Yeah! He came. OKG: So what was that like? Stewart: It was amazing. I mean, we got to meet his wife, and he came and spoke with us and stood onstage with us. It was just a beautiful moment. We had plenty of stars come, like Whoopi Goldberg came. This was all with the Broadway company. I’m looking forward to some people coming to see us out on the road. OKG: What about you? Have you always wanted to be up on stage? Was that a life goal of yours? Stewart: Well, I wouldn’t say a goal. I always wanted to sing, but I didn’t always know that I would be a performer in this regard. But I met this woman named June McClain — I always mention her

OKG: It’s cool that you say you wanted to be a singer. In the Shug role, you’re following some pretty great singers who have played that role: Michelle Williams, Jennifer Hudson. What’s it like following their footsteps? Stewart: Of course it’s an honor. Both of those ladies that you just mentioned are Chicago, Chi-Town girls. And then Miss Heather Headley, while she’s not from Chicago, she lives there now. So I’m very honored to even be put into a category with those ladies. I’m also very confident in the gifts and talent that God has given me to add what I bring to Shug Avery. OKG: How do you approach that character? Stewart: Shug is very sassy and very bossy and kind of mannish, but she knows who she is. She knows the sex appeal that she has. She’s very gritty, but then there’s a very soft side to her that she usually doesn’t let people get to because that would involve letting her wall down. But in a subtle way, Celie is able to get to her, but it’s truly by being who she is. OKG: And a lot of people have a very emotional connection to that story in general. Do you hear from fans who tell you that? Stewart: All the time, we hear from people who say, “You really don’t know; this story changed my life. I talked to people I haven’t talked to in years. I’ve talked about things I’ve never spoken out about.” They would talk about this insecurity and how they’re now able to look at themselves and say, “I am beautiful.” We look out in the audience and we see people of different race and gender. We see strangers hugging and crying together and really making a connection. And I think that’s what our country needs now, to make a human connection.

The Color Purple 7:30 p.m. Jan. 2-4; 8 p.m. Jan. 5; 2 and 8 p.m. Jan. 6; 2 and 7 p.m. Jan. 7 Civic Center Music Hall | 201 N. Walker Ave. okcbroadway.com | 877-737-2929 $27.09-$92.12

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

books

ARTS & CULTURE

Storm-weathered

In its 40th year, Full Circle Bookstore is thriving in the ever-changing book industry. By Jacob Threadgill

Since Jim Tolbert founded Full Circle Bookstore in 1977, the book industry has been in some sort of turmoil or another, but 40 years later, Oklahoma City’s largest independent book dealer is thriving as its national competitors shrink. Tolbert opened Full Circle as the result of what he termed a midlife crisis after years of helping reconstruct public companies in trouble, a background that would come in handy in the book industry. When Tolbert opened Full Circle at the corner of 42nd Street and Western Avenue, next to VZD’s Restaurant & Bar, the B. Dalton Bookseller and Waldenbooks chains were driving business away from independents to indoor malls. A fire at VZD’s forced Full Circle to move to the third floor of 50 Penn Place in 1980, and by the time Full Circle moved downstairs to its current location at the turn of the century, big-box retailers like Borders and Barnes & Noble were coming to town. At its peak, Tolbert said two Borders locations and three Barnes & Nobles in the metro area took a third of his business. Borders has since shuttered its national operation and the three Barnes & Nobles remain. “Borders was the best competition we had against us,” Tolbert said, noting that it was founded in Michigan by true fans of literature. “There was culture in Borders that respected what they were selling. I’ve never felt the same at Barnes & Noble. Borders got heavy into music, and then the music industry completely turned over and they were stuck with all this empty real estate.”

Market research

The rise of the big-box retailers forced

innovation on Tolbert’s part. He engaged in what he described as “sophisticated work for a little bookstore” and did a series of customer focus groups and surveys. “We discovered that we had a loyal base that wanted to be recognized,” he said. Full Circle implemented a loyalty program called the third floor club. He also began to place an emphasis on customer service, deliberately hiring staff that are avid readers and passionate about literary history. “The chains didn’t worry too much about hiring people that were readers or not, just those willing to come to work,” Tolbert said.

The chains didn’t worry too much about hiring people that were readers or not. Jim Tolbert The move downstairs also led to the addition of the Garden Café, which doubles as an event stage. Tolbert said Full Circle hosts an average of five events per week —book signings, musical performances and even groups like a Spanish meet-up club where strangers can speak in their native tongue or get practice in a new language. A monthly “new ink” book signing combines 5-10 local authors to increase the reach of burgeoning writers. Tolbert said events have been key in helping draw people to the store that otherwise would’ve never stepped foot in it, like the 400 to 500 people who

Jim Tolbert founded Full Circle Bookstore in 1977. | Photo Jacob Threadgill

showed up for actor Bruce Campbell’s book signing in September. It’s a new generation of supporters who have helped Full Circle weather the disruptive storm that is electronic books. “When they began to become a major factor, I thought it was going to put us out of business,” Tolbert said. “It has peaked in number of titles and market share nationally and even declined in the last two years.” As Amazon continues its horizontal integration to seemingly affect every aspect of commerce, it’s easy to forget that it started solely as an online book dealer. “[Amazon is] not as aggressive in [book] pricing now,” Tolbert said. “They see it more as a profit center, not a market builder.”

Lasting legacy

Tolbert said membership in the American Booksellers Association has increased in each of the last three years, and Full Circle indirectly fostered Midtown’s Commonplace Books.

Pearl the Buffalo has become the symbol for Full Circle’s commitment to Oklahoma. | Photo Jacob Threadgill

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

Commonplace Books owner Ben Nockels came to work at Full Circle with the intention of owning a bookstore, Tolbert said. “Well, he wasn’t going to own this one, so we gave him council and advice, a nd event u a l ly, he opened Commonplace earlier this year,” he said. “He’s filling a niche, and that’s what happening in the growth in the business — it’s niche-based.” Tolbert said that he hasn’t given any thought to a line of succession for Full Circle, only that he’s focused on making it as great as it can be in the immediate future. A new three-year lease on its location begins in January. In addition to Full Circle, Tolbert has been heavily involved in develoment in Bricktown since the 1980s and was one of the leaders of the Myriad Botanical Gardens project, which continues today with upcoming Scissortail Park. Tolbert’s civic leadership led to an unsuccessful run for mayor in 2004, losing to Mick Cornett. He credited Cornett with the vision that primed Oklahoma City to host the New Orleans Hornets post-Hurricane Katrina, which laid the groundwork for the arrival of the Oklahoma City Thunder. “I don’t think I could’ve done those things because I didn’t have that insight and those contacts,” Tolbert said of Cornett. “It was the first time I realized that Mick was doing a better job than I would have, and there have been a few other times since then too.” Just as the artist-designed fiberglass Buffalo named Pearl stands guard outside Full Circle, Tolbert is proud his bookstore has provided a place for Oklahomans to take self-effacing pride while also showing that Oklahoma City is more than cowboy hats and rodeos. “She is the symbol of our interest in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma,” Tolbert said. “Having a bookstore and role in the community has been very special for me.”

calendar Ave., Midwest City, 405-739-1293, midwestcityok.org. 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 through Dec. 31. Bricktown Canal, 115 E. California Ave., 405-234-8263, downtownindecember.com.

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

Bricktown Canal Lights, enjoy festive Bricktown with holiday lights along the canal with dining and shopping, through Jan. 1. Bricktown Canal, 115 E. California Ave., 405-234-8263, downtownindecember.com.

BOOKS Storytime with Miss Julie, Bring the kids for storytime with books Miss Julie picked herself. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT

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, through Jan. 1. Film Row, 700 W. Sheridan Ave., filmrowokc.com.

Bodacious BoB Book Drive, customers will receive 20 percent off a book for themselves if they buy a book for Emerson South, also at a 20 percent discount, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. through Dec. 31. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-3409202, bestofbooksok.com. 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., 405-231-8650, metrolibrary.org.

FILM The Shawshank Redemption, (USA, 1994, Frank Darabont) convicted for the murders of his wife and her lover, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) experiences the brutality of prison life, 7 p.m. Dec. 27. Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St., 405-708-6937, towertheatreokc.com. WED Eyes Wide Shut, (1999, USA, Stanley Kubrick), when William Harford (Tom Cruise) finds out his wife almost cheated on him once, he embarks on a reckless nocturnal odyssey, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa. com. THU No Country for Old Men, (2007, USA, Ethan and Joel Coen), Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal and takes the cash left behind, 7 p.m. Dec. 29. Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St., 405-708-6937, towertheatreokc. com. FRI My Night At Maud’s, (1969, France, Éric Rohmer), the rigid principles of a devout Catholic man are challenged during a one-night stay with Maud, a divorced woman with an outsize personality, 8 p.m. Dec. 29. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. FRI

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, through Jan 1. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org.

Opening Night 2018 Arts Council Oklahoma City presents eight stages of music with headliner The Wise Guys and food trucks at 7 p.m.-midnight Sunday at Bicentennial Park, 500 Couch Drive. The day begins with a festive Finale 5K run at 3 p.m. and concludes with fireworks. Call 405-270-4848 or visit artscouncilokc. com. Wristbands are $8-$10. sundaY Photo Art Council Oklahoma City/provided

HAPPENINGS Women’s Empowerment Conference, addresses topics of depression, joy and how to thrive in our best selves with a keynote speaker, panel discussion, facials, massages and more, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 30. Ralph Ellison Library, 2000 NE 23rd St, 405-424-1437, metrolibrary.org. SAT New Years Dance, Oklahoma City Pow Wow Club and Tulsa Indian Club presents an evening of commemorating the old to celebrate the new year, 3 p.m. Dec. 31. University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, 405-974-2000, uco. edu. SUN Ludivine’s Countdown to 2018, a decadent evening with a four-course dinner, wine pairings and more, 4 p.m. Dec. 31. Ludivine, 805 N. Hudson Ave, 405-778-6800, ludivineokc.com. SUN New Year’s Eve Dinner, class up the New Year by perusing galleries and listening to jazz music by The Music Makers with fireworks and champagne toasting, 5 p.m. Dec. 31. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa. com. SUN Speakeasy 90s-00s Dancy Party, get your groove on with a dance party, champagne and adult capri suns and buffet-style free food, 7 p.m. Dec. 31. 51st Street Speakeasy, 1114 NW 51st St., 405-463-0470, 51stspeakeasy.com. SUN Wallstone’s 2018 Sober New Year’s Party, an evening of music, comedy acts and a countdown to New Year’s. Teens Not Trouble will read Why 2017 Has to Die, 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 31. OCARTA, 2808 NW 31st Street, 405-848-7555, ocarta.org. SUN

thejonesassembly.com. SUN New Year’s Eve at Brewsky’s Bar & Grill, party with self-styled ’80s heavy metal tribute mashup band Shocker Boys to celebrate the New Year, 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Brewskeys, 2600 S. Meridian Ave., 405-601-1155, facebook.com/brewskeysbar. andgrill. SUN Okie Tonk Cafe NYE Bash, jam with Life of the Party covering hip-hop, country, disco, rock and more then satisfy your appetite with Southernfried and pub favorites, 8 p.m. Dec. 31. Okie Tonk Cafe, 1003 SW 19th St., Moore, 405-603-8665, okietonk.com. SUN Uptown Get Down, dance and drink in historic Uptown 23rd district with this New Year’s Eve party featuring music nearly nonstop, 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St., 405-708-6937, towertheatreokc.com. SUN

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. Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness, explores the interconnectedness of wellness, illness and cultural life for Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Jan. 17. Sam Noble Museum, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu. 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. Monday-Thursday 3pm-9pm, Friday 3pm-11pm, Saturday 11am-11pm Sunday 11am-7pm. (405-2001547) Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com.

FOOD Plaza Beer Walk, with Stonecloud Brewing Company, bring a heavy coat, socks, gloves and more to donate to help out fellow citizens, 5-10 p.m. Dec. 27. Stonecloud Brewing Company, 1012 NW 1st St., 405-602-3966, stonecloudbrewing. com. WED

Chixs and Styxs NYE Bash, enjoy a DJ New Year’s Eve and a champagne toast at midnight, 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Chixs & Styxs, 529 Buchanan Ave, 405679-2642, facebook.com/chixsandstyxs. SUN

Elevate Your Party Favorites!, create healthy party snacks with your favorite foods that are nutritious and easy to prepare, 3-4 p.m. Dec. 31. Natural Grocers, 7013 N. May Ave., 405-840-0300, natruralgrocers.com. SUN

New Year’s Eve Healing Service, Bishop Charles Martin presents a celebration of the New Year with communion, healing, praise and worship, 10 p.m. Dec. 31. All Nations Church of Nazarene, 1121 N. Pennsylvania Ave., 405-491-5700, championschurch.faith. SUN

New Year’s Day Brunch, enjoy yummy brunch food and a preview of new exhibit Past, Present and Future, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Jan. 1. JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 405-528-6336, jrbartgallery.com. MON

Holiday Lights Spectacular, enjoy an amazing 118foot Christmas tree, tunnel lights, Santa fly fishing in a waterfall, elves baking in the candy factory and more, Sun-Thu 6- 10 p.m. Fri-Sat 6-11 p.m. through Dec. 30. Joe B. Barnes Regional Park, 8700 E. Reno

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Masquerade, put your mask on and enjoy music by cover band Wild Heart while taking a hit of bubbly from a champagne bong, 7 p.m. Dec. 31. The Jungle, 121 W. Harrison Ave., Guthrie, 000-0000000, facebook.com/inguthrieok. SUN New Year’s Eve in Midtown, a swinging shindig featuring a DJ-equipped dance floor, party favors and a dinner, wine and cocktail menu, 8 p.m. Dec. 31. Ambassador Hotel, 1200 N. Walker Avenue, 405-600-6200, ambassadorokc.com. SUN Laugh in the New Year, wring a few more laughs out of the old year with headliner Chris Porter and Matt Golightly with party hats, noisemakers and snacks, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Dec. 31. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 405-239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. SUN

The Dirty Dozen During World War II, Major Reisman (Lee Marvin) recruits and trains murderers, rapists and criminals on death row to assassinate German personnel in The Dirty Dozen. The show starts 7 p.m. Tuesday at Harkins Theatres Bricktown 16, 150 E. Reno Ave. Tickets are $5. Call 405-2314747 or visit harkins.com. TUESDAY Photo / provided

New Year’s Eve at NOIR Bistro & Bar, bring your friends for karaoke, dancing, drinks and appetizers to ring in the New Year, 8 p.m. Dec. 31. Noir Bistro & Bar, 701 W. Sheridan Ave, 405-208-4233, theparamountokc.com. SUN Disco Fever New Year’s Eve Party, what better way to make 2018 feel mighty real than by stayin’ alive, shaking your groove thing and getting your ‘Le Freak’ on, 8 p.m. Dec. 31. Riverwind Casino, 1544 State Highway 9, Norman, 405-322-6000, riverwind.com. SUN The Drop NYE, enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a champagne toast at midnight with music by My So Called Band, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31. The Jones Assembly, 901 W. Sheridan Ave., 405-212-2378,

Adèle Wolf’s Burlesque & Variety Show Celebrate burlesque through the decades with the art of the striptease and amazing variety acts at Adèle Wolf’s Burlesque & Variety Show. Wear your costume and enjoy door prizes, a photo booth and games 10 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. Tickets are $25$40. Call 405-673-6162 or visit adelewolf.com. sundaY Photo Adèle Wolf/provided

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O kg a z e t t e . c o m | D E C E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 7

calendar Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

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YOUTH

We fight for those whooice. need a v 1 in 4

Oklahoma children lives in

POVERTY.

We surround our community’s most critical problems, and find every dollar we can to address them. Help Central Oklahoma win this fight for Central Oklahoma. Give today at

StandUnitedOKC.com

Winter Break Science Camp, kids can chill with SMO at winter break camp while learning some cool science, Dec. 20-29. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.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.

Kids Free Over Winter Break, free admission for kids age 17 and under to visit special exhibitions and enjoy hands-on activities, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 26-31. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

Nihilostalgia, Steve Breerwood focuses his art on compromise between the perception of objective reality and the inner processing of its meaning, MonFri 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Jan. 15. IAO Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave., 405-232-6060, iaogallery.org.

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 interconnected city parks, 6-11 p.m. through Dec. 31. Chisholm Trail Park, 500 W. Vandament, Yukon, 405-350-8937, yukonok.gov.

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., 405-815-6665, 1ne3.org.

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.

SHIFT, Factory Obscura presents a fully-immersive, experiential art installation that challenges the participant to physically explore the full-sensory environment, Thu-Sun noon-6 p.m. through Feb. 25. Current Studio, 1218 N. Pennsylvania Ave., 405-673-1218, currentstudio.org.

STEAM Team, build, create and problem solve with fun hands-on activities exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM), 4:30-5:30 p.m. Jan. 2. Mustang Public Library, 1201 N. Mustang Road, Mustang, 405-376-2226, cityofmustang.org. TUE When the Earth Shakes, Learn all about the science 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. 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. (405-570-1638 bethechange.org) Expressions Community Center, 2245 NW 39th St., 405-778-6384, eccokc.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

PERFORMING ARTS The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, brings the Zelda franchise to life with a 66-piece orchestra, 24-person choir, and a reimagined score that includes new movements from more recently released Zelda games. 8 p.m. Dec. 29. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 405-297-2264, okcciviccenter.com. FRI

December 31 NYE - upTOWN gET dOWN January 6 dAvid BOWiE TRiBuTE January 7 BONE THugs-N-HARMONY January 11 uNCLE LuCius January 21 MARTY sTuART January 25 dK THE dRuMMER January 26 KELLER WiLLiAMs January 27 RECKLEss KELLY

ACTIVE New Year’s Eve 90’s Hip Hop Yoga, a free hourlong yoga class with classic ’90s hip-hop to prepare you for the celebration later in the evening, noon-1 p.m. Dec. 31. Hidden Dragon Yoga, 26 NE 10th St., 405-215-9642, hiddendragonyoga.com. SUN First Day Hike, an easy two-mile hike for all ages, is stroller-friendly, welcomes leashed pets and a great chance to take photos, 1 p.m. Jan. 1. Lake Thunderbird State Park, 1201 Clear Bay Ave., Norman, 405-360-3572, thunderbirdok.com. MON New Year’s Day 108 Sun Salutations, this practice has short meditations, breathing exercises and resting/restorative poses for every yogi to embrace the new year, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 1. This Land Yoga, 600 NW 23rd St., 405-529-6428, thislandyoga.com. MON

January 30 pROpAgANdA

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.

Tickets and Info TOWERTHEATREOKC.COM @towertheaterokc

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, Yukon, 405354-1895, yukonok.gov. WED

405-70-TOWER | 425 NW 23rd St. OKC 30

Rodeo Opry, Oklahoma’s Official Country Music Show providing quality, family-friendly entertainment every Saturday night since 1977; support live music and the best performers representing country, folk, blues, gospel, rock, bluegrass and more, 7:30-10 p.m., every Saturday Oct.-Dec. Centennial Rodeo Opry, 2221 Exchange Ave., 405-297-9773, ohfo.org. SAT

D E C E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

Turkish Brunch Enjoy a meal of delicious Turkish baked goods and tea at Raindrop Turkish House, 4444 N. Classen Blvd., 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Jan. 7. All proceeds support Turkish refugee families. Admission is $5-$20. Call 405-702-0222 or visit facebook. com/raindropokc. JAN. 7 Photo Bigstock

VISUAL ARTS Art After 5, enjoy a late-night art gallery experience with an opportunity to view the galleries and museum store, 5-8 p.m. Dec. 28. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. THU Body, curated to examine how the body has been used to address the themes of movement, fragmentation and mechanization, geometry and identity, through Dec. 30. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. 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., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. Christmas at the Elms, free to the public, features artists Denise Duong and Karam along with Marilyn Artus, Douglas Elder, Richard McKown and more, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tue-Sat, 1-5 p.m. Sundays through Jan. 15. JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave., 405-528-6336, jrbartgallery.com. Cowboy Crossings, showcases the best of saddlemaking, bit and spur making, silversmithing as well as Western paintings, drawings and sculptures, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Jan. 7. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.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. Heterogeneity, Salvador Jasso presents his collection of art focusing on being diverse in character and content: people are allowed to have multiplicity, Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Jan. 15. IAO Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave, 405-232-6060, individualartists.org. Inside/Out, explores the inspiration and development of public art works while making connections to pieces in the galleries, through Dec. 30. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. Janne Höltermann, features her work in video and photography examining the human perception and conception of space, through Dec. 30. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma.

State of Oklahoma Art: ArtNow 2018, features 25 artists artwork with tours, artist talks and a chance for guests to learn about the artists’ creative process, through Jan. 19. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.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 Bright Side, native Oklahoman Sarah Clough brings her immersive, solo exhibition with a gallery-wide mural and a series of paintings, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue-Sat through Jan. 12. Mainsite Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St., Norman, 405360-1162, mainsite-art.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. We the People: A Portrait of Early Oklahoma, enjoy a selection of Henry Wantland’s photography from his family’s arrival to Stillwater in 1891. Images documented over a twodecade span can be viewed during a temporary exhibition, through January 2018. Will Rogers World Airport, 7100 Terminal Dr., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. Winter Break Printers’ Workshop, learn about printmaking, experiment with techniques with artist Erin Latham and members of the [Artspace] team and take your own print home, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 27-30. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

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.

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 &

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For okg live music

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MUSIC Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

EVENT

Photo Travis Shinn / provided

Digging Bone

How Bone Thugs-N-Harmony beat the odds and changed the future of rap music. By Ben Luschen

With little more than the clothes on their back, the four founding members of the group that would be Bone Thugs-NHarmony stepped off a Greyhound Lines bus from their native Cleveland, Ohio, and onto the Los Angeles streets with one sole mission: to find N.W.A. founder and Ruthless Records mastermind Eazy-E. The group — which includes cousin duo Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone, Bizzy Bone, Layzie Bone and his brother Flesh-NBone, who would not be named a contractually official member until later — had “auditioned” for Eric “Eazy-E” Wright over the phone months earlier. The rap mogul promised he would call them back, probably with the same level of sincerity he gave to the hundreds of other rappers begging for a moment of time with the man behind what was once one of hip-hop’s most popular record labels. Bone never got a call back. The group that would eventually become the first and only act to record with Eazy-E, The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur somehow failed to make an impression on Wright. But in his defense, the group’s unique blend of double-time rap delivery and singsong melody loses a bit of its nuance over early-’90s phone lines. Fans can hear Bone Thugs-NHarmony perform in pristine live audio quality 8 p.m. Jan. 7 at Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St. The Thugs never did locate Eazy during their time in L.A., but they did eventually hear from someone that the rapper was on his way to do a show in their hometown (this was a time before the convenience of Facebook, Pollstar or Bandsintown). They quickly found a bus ticket back to Cleveland and somehow met with Eazy after the show, this time auditioning for him in person. Eazy had never seen anything like it and signed the group on the spot. Less than a year later, in 1994, Ruthless Records put out the group’s debut EP Creepin’ on ah Come Up, which

peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard chart. And less than a year after that, Eazy E was dead, succumbing to a harsh battle with the AIDS virus. The death of their mentor and chief financier could have been enough to derail the group then and there, but Ruthless kept operating, and the public appetite for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was undeniable. The group’s debut fulllength on the label, 1995’s E. 1999 Eternal (the members grew up on the corner of Cleveland’s East 1999 Street and St. Claire Avenue) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Its melancholy single “Tha Crossroads” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.

The contemporary hip-hop landscape is filled with big-name acts that claim Bone as a major influence. The Bone Thugs-N-Harmony origin story is one that just plain wouldn’t happen today. Face-to-face meetings with music’s biggest power players are hard to come by, and it takes more than original talent to find a major record deal. Plus, the internet has leveled the playing field to a point where a truly original act can independently build a large following on YouTube or Soundcloud. No future rap group may rise to prominence in the exact same way that Bone Thugs did, but the contemporary hip-hop landscape is filled with big-name acts that claim Bone as a major influence.

Rap progeny

In a video posted to Bizzy Bone’s official YouTube channel, Kendrick Lamar enthusiastically gives his props to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony for the impression the

group left on him growing up in the shadow of Ruthless Records. “I could talk all day about how I thought they were from Compton when Eazy brought them out,” Lamar says in the video. “I thought they were my older cousins. I had my big hair and stuff.” In terms of pure rap mechanics, there are not a lot of parallels to draw between arguably all of music’s artist du jour and the group known for wearing long Afros or straightened hair back in the early- to mid-90s. But thematically, Bone often ventured into the realms of spirituality and mysticism that Lamar brings up today. Bone Thugs makes unapologetic references to Ouija boards, souls and heaven on E. 99, and Lamar has repeatedly referenced how he feels compelled to make music by the ghost of Tupac. Drake, who is far and away hip-hop’s best-selling rapper, has repeatedly stated has love for Bone Thugs. The stylistic similarities between the two, in specific regard to his rap-sung flow, are clear. “His manager already told my homeboy he used to listen to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony before he wrote his music,” Bizzy Bone said in a recent interview with TMZ. Even more than singing, the Bone Thugs style is most associated with the fast, double-time flows that were perfected by its members and other rappers from the Midwest, including Twista, Eminem, Do or Die and Tech N9ne. The lyrical gymnastics displayed in these lightning-fast flows are a spectacle, but it can make the lyrics hard to follow. Similarly, the slower-paced, loosely enunciated flows used by many of mainstream rap’s youngest artists (often dubbed “mumble rap”) can be a challenge for those trying to follow along at home. Krayzie and Bizzy Bone acknowledged the similarity on a recent interview for VladTV. Krayzie also added that while many young artists today might not acknowledge how Bone Thugs influenced them or even be aware of the group’s existence, many of their styles can be traced through hip-hop’s generations back to the Cleveland five. “It’s crazy, because when we were first trying to get into the game, it was the opposite,” he said. “It was strange because we called ourselves rappers, but we were singing. Now, today, it’s unheard of not to have a [melodic] hook. It’s unheard of for a rapper to not try to sing in their songs, and if they can’t sing, they use Auto-Tune to make themselves sound like they can sing.”

Wed, Dec 27

Brent nere & Juliet Farrell Thurs, Dec 28

Clint Hardesty Fri, Dec 29

david lawson & MiCHe’la Creel Sat, Dec 30

Jarvix / xora Sun, Dec 31

nye w/ CaleB MCGee & tHe underdoGs Wed, Jan 3

Blake lankFord Thurs, Jan 4

stepHen Baker Fri, Jan 5

CaMille Harp & JoHn Calvin Sat, Jan 6

andy adaMs Wed, Jan 10

Felipita & kelly steadwell Thurs, Jan 11

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O kg a z e t t e . c o m | D E C E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 7

REVIEW

MUSIC

Year in review Oklahoma Gazette’s Ben Luschen recaps the best albums of 2017. By Ben Luschen

This was expected to be a year for politically charged music, and there was certainly no shortage of that. But many of 2017’s best listens were deeply personal, bravely diving into aspects of human emotion that some artists dare not approach. From cheery summer tunes to the most devastating tearjerkers, Oklahoma Gazette recaps the year that was in local and national music.

Up Ahead

Travis Linville

Genre: folk, alt-country Release date: Feb. 3

The year began with expert-level song craftsmanship from Okla homa folk and roots music mainstay Travis Linville. Take “Flowers in Your Hair,” which offers vivid storytelling to go along with a song that manages to be both upbeat and somber. Linville relied on longtime associate Trent Bell for the mixing, and the finished product is a great musical reflection for those staring down the future with a crossroads in front of them.

Eastside Delicacy Grand National

Genre: rap Release date: Feb. 10

Just like the fa mous strawberrybanana cake at L e o ’s BBQ, rapper Grand Na t i o n a l serves list ener s a slice of his northeast Oklahoma City community. The album features sophisticated production enhanced by live instrumentation. Odes to the ’hood are common in hip-hop, but through careful planning and quiet observation, Grand National orchestrates an album as beautifully understated as the area itself.

D E C E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood Sun Kil Moon

Genre: indie folk rock, experimental Release date: Feb. 17

No one will ever accuse Mark Ko zelek of over-editing. The 16song, 129minute album is, at times, a stream-of-consciousness exercise for the indie folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. Common as Light balances timely politics and current events with seemingly mundane life experiences and passing thoughts. It is a challenging listen, but a very rewarding one for anyone who calls themselves a fan of Kozelek’s blunt delivery.

The Order of Time

Elevrum wrote this emotionally crushing album (and the gut-punch opener “Death Is Real”) in the near immediate aftermath of losing his wife Geneviève Castrée to cancer. Few artists dare to so fully grapple with grief, and it is hard for listeners to leave the project without a better understanding of how death can eclipse art itself.

You Had Me at Goodbye Samantha Crain

Genre: singer-songwriter, alternative Release date: March 24 Crain fo c u ses i n w ith a sharper rock edge and more tra ditional pop song struc ture for one of her best releases yet. Bona fide earworms like “Antiseptic Greeting” and “Oh Dear Louis” are both infectious and eerie. “Red Sky, Blue Mountain,” an original Choctaw-language hymn, is also hauntingly beautiful. She has been in the local music scene for so long that it is easy to forget that Crain is still a young talent. If You Had Me at Goodbye is a glimpse at her future, sign us up.

Valerie June Genre: Americana, singersongwriter Release date: March 10 June’s beautif u l a nd unique folk d e l i v e r y seems resistant to the sterilization that occurs between live performance and the studio. The Order of Time is one of the most fun albums of 2017, in large part due to songs like “Man Done Wrong” and “Shakedown,” which are both rhythmic and gritty. This is June’s first studio album since her equally stunning Pushin’ Against a Stone in 2013, and it appears the Tennessee singer-songwriter can do not wrong.

DAMN.

A Crow Looked at Me

Big Bad Luv

Genre: indie rock, lo-fi Release date: March 24 “Death is real. S o m e o n e ’s there and then they’re not. And it’s not for singing about. It’s not for turni ng into a r t .” Ph i l

Genre: country, folk rock Release date: May 5 Nationa l critics can call it sad or somber, but in Okla h o m a , Moreland’s brand of melancholy

Mount Eerie

Kendrick Lamar

Genre: rap Release date: April 14

Stay humble, sit down and listen to the most complete album of any genre this year. Faced with the impossible task of living up to the once-in-a-generation masterpiece that was To Pimp a Butterfly, Lamar turns his focus away from jazz and funk sounds and toward contemporary hip-hop trends, but with the kind of heady twist that only K.Dot could put on the radio sound. Amazingly, every single song on DAMN. charted on the Billboard Hot 100, even the opening skit.

John Moreland

is known as homegrown resilience. Moreland is recognized across the altcountry world as a masterful songwriter, and his latest album borrows its name from the short story collection by novelist Larry Brown. The songwriter’s wails on “It Don’t Suit Me (Like Before)” stick with the listener long after the first few spins.

Ctrl SZA

Genre: R&B, pop Release date: June 9

Ctrl is not the first R&B album to take on the complexities of sex and relationships for a young woman, but it is hard to recall an LP that addresses the themes so honestly or fully. Reminiscent of an artist like Frank Ocean, SZA manages to preserve wide radio appeal without sacrificing songwriting or an artful aesthetic.

Bedouine Bedouine

Genre: folk, singer-songwriter Release date: June 23 Syrian-born singer-songwriter Azniv Korkejian is stunning on the debut s t u d i o album from her new str ippedback folk project. It’s simple and straightforward but never takes a wrong turn. Songs like “Back to You” and “One of These Days” are pleasant and ethereal, while the truthful writing and emotion found on a song like “Solitary Daughter” is nothing short of immaculate.

Sitting With Sounds and Listening to Ghosts Sun Riah

Genre: singer-songwriter, experimental Release date: July 21 Oklahomaborn harp ist Sun Riah wrote this album as both an end to a life chapter and an immortal testament to what she thought could be lost forever. The singer-songwriter (born M. Bailey Stephenson) grew up with a strong attachment to her grandmother and her old home. Sitting With Sounds is not only a touching tribute to family,

but a stirring reminder that while we move on from the past, the past never totally leaves us.

Who Told You to Think??!!?!?!?!

Our Love Is Real

Wisconsin emcee Milo is really not op er at i n g on the same plane of existence as even hiphop’s most renow ned lyrical rappers. Taking his influence from literature and his genre’s most leftfield artists, Milo has established a distinct perspective in rap. Listeners can spend hours and days unpacking songs like “Embroidering Machine” but should not overlook the subtle beauty on songs like “Note to Mrs.”

American Hate

Genre: hardcore punk, rock Release date: July 28 The DI Y (do-it-yourself) heavyweights make a high-octane return with guitar riffs that take few prisoners. Longtime musician and local artist Roz Adams delivers not only brutal, piercing and time-perfected vocals, but moments of lyrical resonance. “I promise I’ll be okay, just maybe not today. I promise I’ll explain, just maybe not today.”

Milo

Genre: jazz rap Release date: Aug. 11

The Lamps The Lamps

Genre: garage pop, lo-fi Release date: Aug. 26 A short but unmistakably great debut from the new band consisting of guitarist/vocalist Lenora LaVictoire, bassist/ vocalist Audrey Oden and drummer/ percussionist Drake Yeager. The 11minute EP is a quintessential warm

summer listen that should rack up play after play in local cata logues. Songs like op ener “Woke Up” are wonderfully rooted and relatable while maintaining a sunny aesthetic.

Masseduction St. Vincent

Genre: pop, indie rock Release date: Oct. 13

Tulsa-born Annie Clark demonstrates her version of pop music a n d achieves marvelous success. The sound on Masseduction is varied, but it does not matter whether Clark is giving the listener energetic anthems like “Los Ageless” and the title track or stripped-down, heart-wrenching numbers “Smoking Section” and “Slow Disco,” there are no misfires. Producer

Jack Antonoff shows why he’s one of pop’s best.

Nova

Power Pyramid

Genre: shoegaze, dream pop Release date: Dec. 14 The sonic artists in Power Pyr a mid a re back to paint more soundscape m a st e r pieces. A last-minute entry into 2017’s musical arena, Nova is a delightfully arranged mesh of guitars begging for a cup of coffee and a rainy day. But feel free to play this album in any weather. There are no prerequisites for getting caught in electric jams like “Never Again” and “Akina.”

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

WEDNESDAY, 12.27

KiNKY SLiNKY, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. ROCK Summerland/Janice Francis-Smith/ Tango Posse, Sauced on Paseo. VARIOUS

FRIDAY, 12.29 36 Inches, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK Brennin, Chesapeake Arena. COUNTRY Chebon Tiger, The Deli. BLUES Greg Northwood, Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge. ACOUSTIC Jamie Bramble, Full Circle Bookstore. ACOUSTIC Jason Young Band, Riverwind Casino, Norman. COUNTRY Kyle Rainer and Runnin’ Hot, Hollywood Corners Station, Norman. COUNTRY Oberon/Sunlander/The Kept, The Blue Note. ROCK

Jared Deck, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COUNTRY

Jose Hernandez/Stephen Salewon/Erik the Viking, [Artspace] at Untitled. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. ROCK

My Old School, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. POP Next/Halen, Brewskeys. COVER

THURSDAY, 12.28

Dan Martin, JJ’s Alley. FOLK

Jarvix/Xora, Blue Bonnet Bar, Norman. POP

Miss Brown To You, The Lobby Bar. FOLK

Lee Rucker Duo, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. ACOUSTIC

Clint Hardesty, Blue Bonnet Bar. ROCK

Events Center. ROCK

MF Ruckus/Blind Staggers/Your Mom, HiLo Club. METAL

Amarillo Junction, JJ’s Alley. COUNTRY

Brent Kruger/Jon Murchison, Chisholm’s Saloon. ACOUSTIC

From Parts Unknown, The Blue Note. PUNK

Scott Miles, Oklahoma City Limits. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Adam & Kizzie Finishing third in the international $1 million Megastar competition, Oklahoma couple Adam & Kizzie play neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop music in an evening of fun for the whole family during Arts Council Oklahoma City’s Opening Night 7-9 p.m. Sunday in Civic Center Music Hall’s Meinder’s Hall of Mirrors, 201 N. Walker Ave. Opening Night wristbands are $8-$10. Visit artscouncilokc.com. SUNDAY Photo Ben Winters Photography/provided

Scott Miles, Oklahoma City Limits. SINGER/SONGWRITER The Chad Todd Band, Okie Tonk Café, Moore. COUNTRY

SATURDAY, 12.30

Sun Riah/Anvil Salute, Opolis, Norman. INSTRUMENTAL The 411 Band, Riverwind Casino, Norman. R&B The Blend, Remington Park. COVER The Lunar Laugh, The Root. POP Urban Pioneers/Brad Fielder, Red Brick Bar, Norman. FOLK

SUNDAY, 12.31 Brandi Reloaded, Whiskey Barrel Saloon. COVER Brothers Griin/Poolboy/Cherry Death and more, Opolis, Norman. ROCK Crueligans/Guns of Texas, Oklahoma City Limits. COVER Drive, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. POP Geoff Scott Band, Fuel Bar & Grill. ROCK Good Question Band, Riverwind Casino, Norman. COVER Hinder/Part-Time Savants, Chevy Bricktown

Kyle Rainer and Runnin’ Hot, The Landing Zone, Midwest City. COUNTRY Saint Loretto, Tower Theatre. POP SquadLive, Riverwind Casino, Norman. ROCK

MONDAY, 1.1 Negative Scanner/Cyber Pink, Warehouse B. PUNK

TUESDAY, 1.2 Hosty, JJ’s Alley. BLUES

WEDNESDAY, 1.3 Community Theatre/The Cavves, Warehouse B. INDIE Elizabeth Speegle Band, The Root. JAZZ Salsa, The Deli, Norman. ROCK

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.

Collin Holloway, Full Circle Bookstore. ACOUSTIC

go to okgazette.com for full listings! O kg a z e t t e . c o m | D E C E M B E R 2 7, 2 0 1 7

puzzles New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle OH, ONE LAST THING By Andrew J. Ries | Puzzles Edited by Will Shortz | 1217 ACROSS 1 Neighbor of Sudan 5 Queen in the Star Wars movies 12 Basics 16 Things that people like to have ripped? 19 First sentence of a news story 20 Party animal 21 Comedian who was a regular on The Steve Allen Show 23 Sources of lean meat 24 Comparatively strong, like some French wine? 26 Grime 28 “Yo!” 29 Went by 30 Fearful 32 1998 De Niro thriller 34 Highway noise barriers 38 One who’s in it but doesn’t win it 40 Egyptian leader obsessed with his appearance? 43 Certain Lincoln Center soprano? 45 It may pop on a plane 46 Dietary std. 47 China’s Chiang ____-shek 48 Yes or no follower 49 Light on one’s feet 51 Submissive 52 Fleet 56 “Totally awesome!” 57 Bit of food … or feud? 58 Part of a house 59 Peach ____ 61 ____-frutti 62 Buttonhole, e.g. 63 Shooting craps while waiting for one’s train? 67 Actress Hatcher 68 All skin and bones 69 “I had a dream, which was not all a dream” poet 70 George Eliot’s ____ Marner 71 Finely decorated 72 Antagonist 74 Much of Mongolia 78 Automaker sold by G.M. in 2017 79 Territory 80 White undercoat 82 Broadbrim, e.g. 83 Inits. for getting around the Loop 84 Protagonist in David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest 85 Comment from a cook who cools the cheese sauce before

serving? 89 Woodwind that’s OK to play? 93 Something that’s free of charge 94 Weapon seen on the Kenyan flag 95 Big stinks 96 Done, slangily 97 Units for binge watchers 100 Actor Patel of Lion 101 “Don’t ____ me” 104 Cupid’s catchphrase? 110 Part 111 Attention hog’s cry 112 Vigilant 113 The Dukes of Hazzard spinoff 114 Intimidate 115 One of eight in “The 12 Days of Christmas” 116 Egg-shaped Hasbro toys introduced in 1971 117 Certain soft drinks, informally

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63 Free 64 Chasm 65 It decreases a QB’s rating: Abbr. 66 Busy hosp. areas 67 Best of the best 70 Knee-highs, e.g. 72 Doesn’t know for a fact, say 73 ____ buco 75 Secreted signal 76 El ____ 77 Cricket rival of Harrow 79 Material once set afire and put in a catapult 80 Grasp, informally 81 Human, typically, diet-wise 84 Announcement upon a grand arrival 85 Entertainment with camels, maybe

A M I G O

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Z A P E T O N E L S A A T B I N D S T O P T A C O S C K R Y U S E R E N A B I T P A N T I N E O N

K S H I T A S E V S T A R C HEAD L E A V M O I R C O I L A N CHEST A T D E N Z B O S T A N H E M E I E V A N P H S A L N A R T S G O N E S I G N

E L L I B O K E S E L W S L A J O H N A O N N O P E R A T T E L W A N S A I D M H E T E E I L LIP P V I O R O T R E E T C S U T

86 It sank after WWII 87 Go cold turkey 88 Said 90 Goaltender Dominik in the Hockey Hall of Fame 91 Wrinkle-free, say 92 Lincoln’s place 96 Wild 98 Old-movie dog 99 ____ Valley 100 Give a beating 102 Go forcefully (through) 103 1979 Roman Polanski film 104 Inc. relative 105 Win on Hollywood Squares 106 “I shall return,” e.g. 107 Des-Moines-to-Dubuque dir. 108 Add years 109 Sentence fragments: Abbr.

I N N H O T EAR T H A Y L O M LEG U I Z E N O B A N P O R K U N E SHIN G T O V I C H E A L E R T E X T E I O LIVER P P A S H E D T R A S A R

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New York Times Crossword Puzzle answers Puzzle No. 1210, which appeared in the December 20 issue.

W O W E D

Accounting/HR Manager Marian Harrison Accounts receivable Karen Holmes

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38 Paul who sang “Lonely Boy” 39 King who said, “Nothing will come of nothing” 40 Woman’s name that means “truth” 41 Disloyalty 42 Loft filler 44 Director of 1991’s Mississippi Masala 49 Genesis brother 50 Early Beatle 51 Sam who ran the bar on Cheers 53 Unconcerned with right and wrong 54 Parts of supermarkets 55 & 57 Very nearly 58 Topic at the Kinsey Institute 60 32-ounce purchase at 7-Eleven 61 Mining supply

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DOWN 1 Score marking 2 Powerful engine, for short 3 Nighttime Cartoon Network programming block 4 Wipe off the map 5 Start of MGM’s motto 6 Quaint “I believe” 7 Like Wrigley Field’s walls 8 Brave 9 Landon who lost in a landslide 10 Pastoral locale 11 Big name in 1980s-’90s TV talk 12 State capital that’s the setting of Ironweed 13 Betty ____ 14 Mean, lowdown sorts 15 Court conference 16 CNN commentator Navarro 17 The Cougars of the West Coast Conf. 18 Determination in a prenatal exam 22 Holiday meal 25 Came down 27 Long lunch? 31 It’s to be expected 32 Leveled 33 Eleven: Fr. 35 Cheesy dish 36 Seminal symbol of mass production 37 Lose

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M E T A L

E S T E E

B I G T O D O

O R B

T E P E E

H A T S A R S

free will astrology Homework: Name ten items you would put in a time capsule to be dug up by your descendants in 500 years. Testify at Freewillastrology.com. ARIES (March 21-April 19) “I need more smart

allies, compassionate supporters, ethical role models, and loyal friends, and I need them right now!” writes Joanna K., an Aries reader from Albuquerque, New Mexico. On the other hand, there’s Jacques T., an Aries reader from Montreal. “To my amazement, I actually have much of the support and assistance I need,” he declares. “What I seem to need more of are constructive critics, fair-minded competitors with integrity, colleagues and loved ones who don’t assume that every little thing I do is perfect, and adversaries who galvanize me to get better.” I’m happy to announce, dear Aries, that in 2018 you will benefit more than usual from the influences that both Joanna and Jacques seek.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) In the Scots language

spoken in Lowland Scotland, a watergaw is a fragmented rainbow that appears between clouds. A skafer is a faint rainbow that arises behind a mist, presaging the imminent dissipation of the mist. A silk napkin is a splintered rainbow that heralds the arrival of brisk wind and rain. In accordance with the astrological omens, I propose we use these mysterious phenomena as symbols of power for you in 2018. The good fortune that comes your way will sometimes be partially veiled and seemingly incomplete. Don’t compare it to some “perfect” ideal. It’ll be more interesting and inspiring than any perfect ideal.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) In 2018, half-buried

residues from the past will be resurfacing as influences in your life. Old dreams that you abandoned prematurely are ripe to be re-evaluated in light of what has happened since you last took them seriously. Are these good or bad developments? It will probably depend on your ability to be charitable and expansive as you deal with them. One thing is certain: To move forward into the future, you will have to update your relationships with these residues and dreams.

cLASSIFIEDS

music

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Poet Diane Ackerman

tells us that human tongues, lips, and genitals possess neural receptors that are ultra-responsive. Anatomists have given unsexy names to these bliss-generating parts of our bodies: Krause end bulbs, also known as bulboid corpuscles. (Couldn’t they have called them “glimmering rapture hubs” or “magic buttons”?) In any case, these sweet spots enable us to experience surpassing pleasure. According to my understanding of the astrological omens for 2018, Cancerian, your personal complement of bulboid corpuscles will be even more sensitive than usual. Here’s further good news: Your soul will also have a heightened capacity to receive and register delight.

OKC MUSIC BOX | 405-232-2099 DOWNTOWNMUSICBOX.COM

he said. Rather, “it is something one creates.” I think that’s great advice for you in 2018, Capricorn. There’ll be little value in wandering around in search of fantastic clues about who you were born to be. Instead you should simply be gung-ho as you shape and craft yourself into the person you want to be.

side or the other? I advise you to create a third side.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Is there anything

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) In 2018, your tribe will

whose literal translation is “putting in place.” When used by professional chefs in a restaurant kitchen, it refers to the task of gathering and organizing all the ingredients and tools before beginning to cook. I think this is an excellent metaphor for you to emphasize throughout 2018. In every area of your life, thorough preparation will be the key to your success and fulfillment. Make sure you have everything you need before launching any new enterprise or creative effort.

be extra skilled at opening things that have been shut or sealed for a long time: heavy doors, treasure boxes, rich possibilities, buried secrets, shy eyes, mum mouths, guarded hearts, and insular minds. You’ll have a knack for initiating new markets and clearing blocked passageways and staging grand openings. You’ll be more inclined to speak candidly and freely than any other generation of Scorpios in a long time. Getting stuck things unstuck will come naturally. Making yourself available for bighearted fun and games will be your specialty. Given these wonders, maybe you should adopt a new nickname, like Apertura (the Italian word for “opening”), Ouverture (the French word for “opening”), Šiši (Yoruban), Otevírací (Czech), Öffnung (German), or Kufungua (Swahili).

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Experimental composer

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) I predict that

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Mise en place is a French term

Harry Partch played one-of-a-kind musical instruments that he made from objects like car hubcaps, gourds, aluminum ketchup bottles, and nose cones from airplanes. Collage artist Jason Mecier fashions portraits of celebrities using materials like noodles, pills, licorice candy, bacon, and lipstick tubes. Given the astrological configurations for 2018, you could flourish by adopting a similar strategy in your own chosen field. Your most interesting successes could come from using things as they’re not “supposed” to be used. You could further your goals by mixing and matching resources in unique ways.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) I wish I could make it nice and easy for you. I wish I could proclaim that the forces of darkness are lined up against the forces of light. I’d like to be able to advise you that the opening months of 2018 will bring you a showdown between

cLASSIFIEDS

Health

the coming months won’t bring you the kinds of opportunities you were imagining and expecting, but will bring you opportunities you haven’t imagined and didn’t expect. Will you be alert and receptive to these sly divergences from your master plan? If so, by September of 2018 you will have become as smart a gambler as maybe you have ever been. You will be more flexible and adaptable, too, which means you’ll be better able to get what you want without breaking stuff and wreaking whirlwinds. Congratulations in advance, my daring darling. May your experiments be both visionary and practical. May your fiery intentions be both steady and fluidic.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Hungarian

about your attitude or your approach that is a bit immature or unripe? Have you in some way remained an amateur or apprentice when you should or could have become fully professional by now? Are you still a dabbler in a field where you could be a connoisseur or master? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, the coming months will be an excellent time to grow up, climb higher, and try harder. I invite you to regard 2018 as the Year of Kicking Your Own Ass.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) In 2018, one of your

themes will be “secret freedom.” What does that mean? The muse who whispered this clue in my ear did not elaborate further. But based on the astrological aspects, here are several possible interpretations. 1. You may have to dig deep and be strategic to access resources that have the power to emancipate you. 2. You may be able to discover a rewarding escape and provocative deliverance that have been hidden from you up until now. 3. You shouldn’t brag about the liberations you intend to accomplish until you have accomplished them. 4. The exact nature of the freedom that will be valuable to you might be useless or irrelevant or incomprehensible to other people.

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.

psychiatrist Thomas Szasz dismissed the idea that a person should be on a quest to “find himself” or “find herself.” “The self is not something that one finds,”

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wrong and right, between ugliness and beauty. But it just ain’t that simple. It’s more like the forces of plaid will be arrayed against the forces of paisley. The showdown will feature two equally flawed and equally appealing sources of intrigue. And so you may inquire, Libra, what is the most honorable role you can play in these matters? Should you lend your support to one

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EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, preference or discrimination. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of this law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings in . our newspaper are available on an equal housing opportunity basis

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2017 X5 xDrive35i | $599/month*

2017 740i Sedan | $999/month*

IMPORTS 2017 X6 sDrive35i, 36-month lease, $3,500 down, MSRP $65,595, Standard Terms 2017 320i Sedan, 36-month lease, $2,750 down, MSRP $36,095, Standard Terms 2017 740i, 36-month lease, $5,500 down, MSRP $84,395, Standard Terms

BMW

14145 North Broadway Extension Edmond, OK 73013 | 866.925.9885

2017 230i Coupe, 36-month lease, $2,750 down, MSRP $35,795, Standard Terms 2017 650i Gran Coupe, 36-month lease, $5,500 down, MSRP $93,895, Standard Terms 2017 X5 xDrive35i, 36-month lease, $3,500 down, MSRP $61,995, Standard Term

Web: www.cooperbmw.com Email: rkeitz@cooperautogroup.com

Standard terms & Tag, Tax. 1st Payment, Aquisition fee, processing fee WAC *See dealership for details â€” offers subject to change without prior notice. *December prices subject to change. European models shown.