Get Your Groove On: A Giveaway

When I got the assignment from the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Intermission magazine (that fantastic glossy book your program comes in when you attend events at the PAC) to cover GrooveLily’s concert on Friday, I had no idea what the heck a GrooveLily was.

I took the opportunity to peruse the band’s Web site and download some tunes, and I ended up spending all day listening to mp3s and watching their videos on YouTube.

The band combines Broadway-inspired tunes with jazz, folk and rock music to create a sound that is completely unlike anything I’ve heard before and is so magical, soothing and inspiring that I wanted to get on Amazon.com as quick as possible and snatch up all the CDs I could find.

GrooveLily is Valerie Vigoda, vocals and electric violin; Brendan Milburn, vocals, keyboard and, it just so happens, Valerie’s husband; and Gene Lewin, drums.

Vigoda is a classically trained violinist who, while pursuing a career as a folk singer, met Milburn in 1994 in a New York City coffee shop. They began to meet regularly, first to discuss music, then began writing music together and, eventually, dating. Later that year they met Lewin, whose background is in jazz and rock.

The really beautiful thing about GrooveLily’s music is that, though lovely melodies and rhythms, the band tells marvelous stories. A large portion of the band’s repertoire is its rock musicals, which turn age-old moral tales on their heads, giving them a new spin, to tell smart, humorous, creative stories.

And even those songs that aren’t part of the rock musicals seem to have a story to tell – an imaginative, intellectual story.

If what I’m writing can’t convey it well enough to convince you that this is a show you want to see, then listen for yourself.

GrooveLily plays the Williams Theater of the Tulsa PAC, 110 E. Second St., Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30pm. Tickets are only $28, but five – FIVE – lucky winners will get a pair right here for free. Just leave a comment with your favorite fable or moral story, and I’ll select the winner at random tomorrow morning. You have until 8 a.m. tomorrow to enter. I’ll choose the winner tomorrow at 9 a.m.

Good luck, and happy listening!

New Genre in a nutshell

(As appeared in this week's issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

This is just a general overview. I plan to keep you guys posted with more detailed previews, reviews and other need-to-know stuff. So keep reading, dudes.

Each new art gallery opened, theatre company instigated, seems to include in its mission statement the same core purpose: to be different. To bring something different to the arts in Tulsa, to fill a perceived gaping hole in what is offered.
And, generally, each of these new endeavors fulfills its purpose. A city like ours, with such broad and diverse artistic offerings, only exists because someone set out to do something different and did it.
And it doesn’t get much more different than the New Genre Festival.
Now in its 16th year, the festival, hosted by Living ArtSpace, seeks to explore new and cutting edge contemporary media and artists. In a matter of days, New Genre will presents 110 local, regional and national artists – all of them doing something very, very different – to Tulsa audiences.
This year, New Genre has something new in store for its audiences – a community residency program through the National Performance Network, a partnership with Choregus Productions and the inclusion of Web media in its offerings.
Some events are free, while others require an admission fee. For $65 ($55 for Living Arts members), event goers can gain admission to all of the events.
We’ll break down everything the festival has to offer, from Feb. 26 to March 10.

Galazi: Thursday, Feb. 26, 5-7pm
Eighteen-year-old Kelci Stansbury, who studied under Mark Wittig at the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences and participated in the New Arts Camp at Living Arts, presents “Galazi,” an installation and performance at Chrysalis Spa, 7 E. Brady.
Stansbury will perform within her installation, in a work that so closely intertwines fantasy with reality that visitors will be challenged to distinguish one from the other. Stansbury encourages her viewers to “explore the depths of your inner conscious reality through installation of light, sound, glass and fabric.”
This event is free and open to the public.

[::ART.net::]: Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26 and 27, 5-7pm; Saturday, Feb. 28, 1-7pm; and Sunday, March 1, 1-4pm
Local video artist and rockabilly musician Dave McPherson curated this exhibit, which includes work by Web and video artists.
Living ArtSpace, 308 S. Kenosha, will become a collage of computers, projectors, images and sounds as work by some of the country’s best artists are on display. Some of the work is interactive, while others are not.
This is the first year for New Genre to include Web artists on its bill, acknowledging the very talented and revolutionary artists utilizing this fairly new medium.
The exhibit will be on display through March 26 and is free and open to the public. McPherson will give an artist’s talk at 5:30pm on Thursday.

Domestic Arsenal: Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26 and 27, 5-7pm; Saturday, Feb. 28, 1-7pm; and Sunday, March 1, 1-4pm
For “Domestic Arsenal,” Eileen Doktorski collected 365 objects that could be used in domestic violence situations. They include toys, furniture and shoes, have been painted to appear charred and iridescent and are piled in the center of Liggett Studio, 314 S. Kenosha, presenting a formidable sight to onlookers. The smell of smoke lingers in the background, and the walls of the gallery are papered with newspaper articles about tragic events involving domestic violence.
The installation is meant to be a tribute to victims of family violence. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on display through March 26. The artist will speak about her work at 6pm on Thursday.


Axis Mundi Archives: Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26 and 27, 5-7pm; Saturday, Feb. 28, 1-7pm; and Sunday, March 1, 1-4pm
Okmulgee-based artist Cindy Zimmerman presents a light, whimsical installation/performance at Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery, 9 E. Brady.
In it, Zimmerman takes time to deal with all of the “stuff” she’s accumulated over the years, “scanning the archives” of her life within a “bunker-like grotto,” constructed from old crates, panel paintings, snow fencing, shredded paper, crutches and clotheslines on which images hang.
The event is free and open to the public, and Zimmerman will speak on her work at 6:30pm on Thursday.

Sonatas and Interludes: Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26 and 27, 8pm
Organized by Living Arts’ Artistic Director Steve Liggett, “Sonatas and Interludes” is a mixed media performance of work by the legendary John Cage. Adam Tendler will play Cage’s most notorious and demanding masterpiece for the prepared piano, which is played by the musician inserting random (but very specific) objects into the piano’s strings to create a sound very unlike that which is usually heard on such an instrument.
While Tendler plays (completely by heart), Charles Woodman, aka viDEO SAVANT, will perform a live video improvisation, projected around Tendler.
Tickets to the performance, at the Tulsa Little Theater, 1511 S. Delaware Ave., are $15, $10 for Living Arts members. On Friday at 2pm, Woodman will lead a free workshop on live video mixing and improvisation at the Little Theater.


New Genre Dance Oklahoma: Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28, 8pm
Hartel Dance Group, Bell House Arts Inc. and Perpetual Motion/Modern Dance Oklahoma, all Oklahoma-based contemporary dance companies, will perform together at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E. 2nd St., in the John H. Williams Theater.
Hartel is a company recently formed by Austin Hartel, who was a soloist for five years with Pilobolus Dance Theater, considered “gods” of contemporary dance; Bell House Arts is a new company spearheaded by Rachel Johnson, who also heads up the dance department at Oral Roberts University; and Perpetual Motion is a company that includes a lot of aerial work in its choreography and performed at the “Crazy Quilt Drive In” at New Genre XIV.
Tickets to the performance are $20, $15 for students.

The Cone of Uncertainty: New Orleans After Katrina: Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28, 8pm
Jose Torres Toma is no stranger to New Genre, having presented work at the festival twice before. The artist, who lived in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina wreaked so much havoc on the city and helped evacuate residents using a stolen school bus, now presents an exhibit inspired by that disaster.
In “The Cone of Uncertainty,” Tama explores the “criminal negligence of the federal government and the apocalyptic abandonment of a people who were made to beg for help and water,” while also commenting on the larger, more universal issues of race and class in America.
Tama will perform the piece at the Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. 4th St. Tickets are $15, $10 for students, and reservations are suggested by calling 633-8666.
Additionally, Tama will offer guidance to artists who choose to participate in the first ever National Performance Network Community Residency program at New Genre. Funded in part by a grant from NPN, local performance artists may participate in a week-long residency, following New Genre, at Living Arts, which will enable them to study under Tama while developing their own performance artwork, free of charge. Stipulations apply, and artists may sign up by phoning Steve Liggett at Living Arts, 585-1234.
Following the residency, participants will perform their works at Nightingale Theater Saturday, March 7 at 8pm. Tickets to that event are $10, $7 for students.

New Genre Performance Cabaret: Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28, 10pm
At the Nightingale Theater, the cabaret includes performances by installation artist Mark Wittig, the Monica Huggins Dance Theater and the theatrical electronic/robotic music group Recorder, all Tulsa-based.
Wittig’s “Breaking Labels” deals with his experiences with dyslexia and how the disability (for lack of a better word; Wittig asserts it is not) is perceived by mainstream culture.
Monica Huggins will present “Agree to Disagree,” a new collaborative work with Katie Feiock, Jennifer Alden and the dancers of Monica Huggins Dance Theater, and Recorder’s performance will include an appearance by the notorious shadow puppets wielded by Nightingale co-owner John Cruncleton.
Tickets to the cabaret are $10, $7 for students.

New Genre Video Matinee: Sunday, March 1, 2pm
Traditionally the closing event of the New Genre Festival (this year it is followed by the NPN residency and a collaborative event with Choregus Productions), the “New Genre Video Matinee,” screened at Circle Cinema, 12 S. Lewis, is a showing of new, experimental videos, including the winners of the recent 24 Hour Video Race.
The matinee includes nine videos chosen for their artistic and experimental merit by representatives from Living Arts and the Dallas Video Festival, and Liggett said this year’s video matinee will present the best videos he’s ever seen.
Tickets to the screening are $7, $5 for students.

The Merce Cunningham Dance Co.: Tuesday, March 10, 8pm
Ken Tracy began Choregus Productions two years ago as an effort to bring new, contemporary, exciting works to Tulsa, works seen often in larger cities like New York, Chicago and L.A.
His mission to bring such progressive works to Tulsa directly coincides with Living Arts’ mission, and so a partnership between the two organizations, Liggett said, was natural.
Together, they bring the Merce Cunningham Dance Co. to the Chapman Theater of the Tulsa PAC. The company and its namesake have been hailed as some of the most radical and influential forces in the world of contemporary dance. Tickets to the performance are $25-40 at tulsapac.com.

Preview: Playhouse Theatre's "Romeo and Juliet"

A few years ago, while chatting with Julie Tattershall at Heller Theater (which should, btw, be close to completing its move to Henthorne Park), she mentioned she thought Tulsa had the potential to become a Midwestern theatre powerhouse, much like Kansas City or Minneapolis are considered.

I've never counted the number of theatre companies in the city and suburbs, and I'm not going to attempt to do so here for fear of leaving someone out, but there are quite a few, all of them boasting so much talent it's, well, awesome. The newest among those ranks is Playhouse Theatre, co-founded by Chris Crawford (perhaps most notorious for his riotous performances as Batboy in American Theatre Company's performances of Batboy: The Musical) and Courtneay Sanders, theatre director at Oral Roberts University. The company announced its arrival with a performance of David Schulner's An Infinite Ache last month.

Playhouse Theatre's first production of the season, Romeo and Juliet, opens Friday, Feb. 20 for a sold-out performance. Crawford directs the show, which takes an unusual approach to Shakespeare's work. Using the original text, Crawford plays with elements of space and time, pitting the actors against one another in a race to tell their stories.

They open the play as actors, he explained, and then slowly transform into their characters, "fighting time to tell their stories." While the elements of love and romance are there (it is Romeo and Juliet, after all) Crawford's artistic retelling of the tale also examines the ways in which hate and grudges are passed down to children through their families, perpetuating senseless animosity. It is a theme as old as Romeo and Juliet itself (the words "ancient grudge" ring a bell?) but also very, very current.

Hearing Crawford describe his interpretation of the play, I'm excited by his ambition and I look forward to watching the Playhouse crew pull it off. If they do, it'll be an exciting accomplishment of the company's goal to "fearlessly tell stories."

Crawford said he and Sanders, who are longtime pals, were inspired to start their own company after watching an annual production of A Christmas Carol by the Dallas Theater Center. They were moved, he said, by the fearlessness and vulnerability of the show's cast, and he hopes his company can aspire to quality of that caliber. Playhouse Theatre is a professional company, meaning all of its actors and crew are paid, which is rare in local theatre. The company is funded through private contributions and grants and hopes soon to gain some corporate backing.

I managed to snag a seat for Friday's show, but you'll have to settle for Saturday (at 8 p.m.) or Sunday (at 2 p.m.) performances in the Charles E. Norman Theatre of the Tulsa PAC. The show continues next weekend, Feb. 25-28. Click the link or call 596-7111 for tickets. And be sure to check UTW next Wednesday for a review.

Get smart

Theatre Tulsa opens Educating Rita this Friday at the Liddy Doenges Theatre of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E. 2nd St. Written by Willy Russell and directed by Whitson Hanna, the show will will run February 20-22 and 26-28.

A 26-year-old woman working as a hairdresser signs up for a university course because she is eager to learn and wants to discover what the educated lifestyle has to offer, She is met by an unsuccessful middle-aged academic with a drinking problem who has no experience in teaching working class students. What he sees in Rita is a perfect challenge.

The play features the talents of Will Carpenter and Leslie Long. The stage manager is Vickie Myrick and the producer is Sally Barnes. Lights are by Scott Heberling and Lone Wolf Audio.

This play is dedicated to the memory of Sue Woodruff. Sue was a long time supporter of Theatre Tulsa and she will be missed greatly.

Tickets range from $10-$17.50. Make reservations by calling 587-8402 or 596-7109, or visit www.myticketoffice.com.

Theatre Tulsa is a proud member of the Tulsa Area Community Theatre Alliance, the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa, and the Oklahoma Community Theatre Association.

This production made possible by grants from the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa, The George Kaiser Family Foundation, The Williams Companies, Urban Tulsa Weekly, Dale Gillman Antiques, Donna Simmons/Tulsa Tech Broken Arrow and all the proud sponsors of Theatre Tulsa.

(P.S. Look for a review in the Feb. 26 issue of UTW.)