Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival begins tonight and continues through Saturday in downtown
Steve Poltz
The Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival, which celebrates the ancient art of storytelling each fall, begins tonight and continues through Saturday in downtown Oklahoma City.
For 31 years, the Arts Council of Oklahoma City produced the WinterTales Storytelling Festival, which delighted audiences with nationally-acclaimed storytellers, workshops and special performances. Named one of the best places to hear or tell a tale, WinterTales offered performances by some of the nation’s best tellers.
In 2009, the festival was renamed and transitioned permanently to the fall, the week before the Oklahoma State Fair. The Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival continues the tradition with two entertaining evening performances, a late-night session of ghost stories and professional workshops. The workshops can teach anyone to build better communication skills by exploring how to use a variety of words to get their meaning across. There are also kid-friendly events such as the family matinee and the Community Outreach Program, which provides free performances to at-risk youth.
The festival is still organized by the Arts Council of Oklahoma City, the same good folks that bring you the spring downtown Festival of the Arts. The storytelling fest will take place in the Festival Plaza, 400 W California Ave. The opening reception is set for 7 tonight, with the first evening performance beginning at 8 p.m. For more information, go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
The festival’s 2012 featured tellers are Dolores Hydock, Antonio Sacre, Steve Poltz and Clare Murphy:
Dolores Hydock
An actress and storyteller since the age of 5, Dolores Hydock is a greatly sought-after performer. Witty and full of memorable characters and rich language, her funny and affectionate original tales celebrate the oddities of everyday, modern life. In addition to her personal stories, her award-winning adaptations of medieval adventures and traditional tales make the magic and mystery of ancient wisdom come alive for 21st-century story lovers.
Hydock has been a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival, served as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center, and has won Resource Awards from Storytelling World Magazine for her eight CDs of original stories. Hydock currently resides in Birmingham, Ala.
Clare Murphy
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Clare has lived in Spain, America and Galway, and currently resides in London. Her repertoire of tales and shows extends from her beloved Irish mythology to world folklore, anecdotes, fables, death stories, personal tales and original stories. Leave no corner of the stage untouched and absorbing energy from her surroundings, Murphy’s tales often morph into an interactive art involving the audience. “Storytelling is a live art, there is no fourth wall … this makes it exciting, organic and interesting for me as a performer and for them (hopefully) as an audience.”
She has performed in more than 20 countries at locations including the Globe Theatre, the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, the Toronto International Storytelling Festival and the Alden Biesen Storytelling Festival. Murphy has been a guest lecturer/visiting artist at universities around the world, and will serve as artist-in-residence for the University of Manitoba’s Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture from January to April of 2013.
Steve Poltz
A native of Canada’s Halifax, Nova Scotia, Steve Poltz has lived most of his life in southern California. Regarded as one of the most talented and prolific songwriters of our time, his songs have been among the longest running ever on the Billboard Top 100 and his debut solo album earned three and a half stars in Rolling Stone.
Any musician who has traveled as extensively as Poltz will have their share of colorful road stories, but Poltz’ adventures read like a bucket list — meeting Elvis Presley, trick-or-treating at Liberace’s house and being Bob Hope’s favorite altar boy. Alone, these anecdotes go well with a fistful of peanuts at a cocktail party. His live shows have captivated audiences far and wide with a mix of singing, storytelling, shredding, and the occasional spoken word rants that have been known to incite riots. He can take an audience from laughter to tears and back again in the space of the same song.
Antonio Sacre
Born in Boston to a Cuban father and Irish-American mother, Antonio Sacre is an internationally touring writer, storyteller and solo performance artist based in Los Angeles. He’s performed at the Kennedy Center, the National Storytelling Festival and the Library of Congress’ Festival of the Book, as well as many museums, theaters and festivals around the world.
As a storyteller, Sacre draws from an extensive repertoire that includes folk tales, myths and legends from around the world, focusing on Spanish-speaking countries, especially Mexico. He can perform entirely in English, Spanish or a lively interweaving of both. In March of 2003, Sacre’s retelling of the story The Barking Mouse was his first of three to be published by Albert Whitman and Company.
Beyond his talents as a writer and storyteller, Sacre is an award-winning solo performance artist praised by critics as “… and extraordinary talent for engaging an [adult] audience.” Sacre has performed his solo shows in festivals and theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Chicago.
See the Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival schedule after the break.
2012 Festival of the Arts concludes today in downtown Oklahoma City
Albert Gray Eagle (Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman Archives)
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts concludes today, with hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event includes 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, many Oklahoma performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
To read my preview of the event, click here. Or to read my feature on the festival’s official street performer, “The Human Knot,” click here.
To see photos of the event, check out my festival board on Pinterest by going to http://pinterest.com/bamok.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule:
Sunday, April 29
Café Stage
11 a.m. A Mirage Dancing Company – Dance
Noon Mariachi Lopez – Mariachi
1 p.m. Edgar Cruz – Classical Guitar
2 The Talk of the Town Orchestra – Instrumental
3 Highland East JH – Choral
4 Charlie Hill – Acoustic
5 Shortt Dogg – Variety
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Range of Motion – Dance
Noon Gravity Dance – Dance
1 p.m. Sugar Free AllStars – Variety
2 Metropolitan School of Dance – Dance
3 Oklahoma Children’s Acting Guild – Variety
4 Velocity Dance Center – Dance
5 OKC Symphonic Band – Instrumental
Water Stage
11 a.m. Random Order – Rock
Noon ONG – Rock
1 p.m. Gotcha Covered – Variety
2 At Long Last – Rock/Pop
3 Eden – Indie/Folk
4 The Refreshing – Pop
5 Howard Brady Band – Rock
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Multiple Artists – Jewelry-Making Demonstration
Noon Hartel Dance Group – Modern Dance
1 p.m. Albert Gray Eagle – Ceramic Flute-Making Demonstration
4 Mariachi Orgullo de America – Mariachi
5 Son del Barrio – Salsa/Merengue
-BAM
Festival of the Arts continues today in downtown Oklahoma City
Artist David Canavesio of Oklahoma City, seated, talks with visitors at his booth during the 2012 Festival of the Arts on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. This is Canavesio's sixth year to exhibit his oil paintings at the annual festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts continues from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event includes 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, many Oklahoma performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
To read my preview of the event, click here. Or to read my feature on the festival’s official street performer, “The Human Knot,” click here.
To see photos of the event, check out my festival board on Pinterest by going to http://pinterest.com/bamok.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule. For the full schedule, click here.
Saturday, April 28
Café Stage
11 a.m. Jane Mays – Pop
Noon Aalim Bellydancing Academy – Dance
1 p.m. Society of Strings – Variety
2 Oklahoma Seniors Caberet – Variety/Dance
3 Portico Dans Theatre – Dance
4 Good Company – Variety
5 Dale Dawson – Classic Pop Variety
6 Moetowne Alex & the Nightview Band – Motown Classics
7:30 Mountain Smoke – Rock/Variety
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Prairie Dance Theatre – Dance
Noon Spaghetti Eddie – Variety
1 p.m. OK Children’s Theatre – Theatre
2 Everything Goes Dance – Dance
3 Russel Bab Honor Choir – Choral
3:30 Clear As Day – Dance
4 OKC Youth Ballet – Dance
5 Sooner Theatre – Variety/Choral
6 Festival Idol Competition
7:30 Justin Joslin – Folk/Indie
Water Stage
11 a.m. Palo Alto- Rock/Pop
Noon Vintage Wildflowers – Folk
1 p.m. Billee Jean – Variety
2 Art in Motion – Dance
3 Soul Skool – Variety
4 The Broke Brothers – Reggae
5 Oxford Town – Rock
6 Lemma – Pop/Rock
7:30 Allie Lauren – Pop/Jazz
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Pierce-Hart – Traditional Irish Music
Noon Patrick Riley – Mask-Making Demonstration
1 p.m. OK Chorale – Barbershop Choral Group
5 Justin Witte and the Horn Wreckers – Jazz/Blues/Americana
6 The Porch Mice – Indie/Western
-BAM
Video: The Human Knot performs at Oklahoma City’s Festival of the Arts
Native Australian, Al Millar, also known as ALAKAZAM: The Human Knot, is the official street performer for the 2012 Festival of the Arts, continuing through Sunday in downtown Oklahoma City.
Check out this NewsOK video of him performing at the festival, and click here to read my interview.
As The Human Knot, he juggles a small chainsaw, performs “contortionist pushups” and even squeezes his 6-foot, 155-pound physique through the frame of an unstrung squash racquet.
For his grand finale, he scales a 12-foot pole with the help of audience volunteers and then juggles three long knives atop it while his specially made “Triple-Trouble, Double-Ended Ice Axe Blender Blade” twirls over his head like a perilous propeller.
“I tried it one time in my friend’s backyard before I went and did it in my show,” he told me Thursday about his dangerous finale. “because the best place to make a routine around a trick is on the street doing a street performance. ‘Cause the street audiences, they give you the best indicator of if it’s good or not. I mean, I’ve practiced the circus element of it for years and years and years, but yeah, the pole’s just a big, dangerous trick, really.”
His act got an added element of danger Thursday afternoon as the Oklahoma wind began gusting.
“It’s dangerous when I’m up high, ‘cause if there’s a gust of wind, one of the knives, if I’m thinking it’s gonna go and I’m gonna catch here, it might be there. And then it goes on the ground,” he said with a laugh. “Also, from the crowd psychology point of view, the wind makes people less attentive, you lack focus. I know all about crowd psychology.”
The attentiveness of the crowd is a particular concern since Millar depends on several audience volunteers in his 30-minute act. Two strong men give him a boost so he can scale the pole, four more man ropes that help hold the 12-foot metal rod in place, and a woman is tasked with passing up his knives.
“I have to stay on top of it. If I think I’m going this way, I’ve gotta be like ‘Dude, pull that rope, you know, pay attention,’” he said. “People think it’s more dangerous because it’s just random people holding it up. If it was locked into the ground and I just got up there and did it, it would be different. But people are unpredictable, so that’s what makes the trick unpredictable. I rely on the fact that no one wants to look like an idiot in public.”
Even with all the potentially harmful stunts, Millar believes his cheeky, often bawdy quips are just as vital to a successful routine. Like many performing artists, he wants to keep his show cutting edge.
“If it’s not funny, it gets boring, you know. So I try to make anything I say either a setup or a punchline and cut out all the rest of it,” said Millar, who sometimes encourages parents during his act, “You can laugh. The kids don’t get it.”
Along with performing on the international festival circuit since about 1999 — he typically tours from March through October — Millar, 34, was a runner-up on the TV show “Australia’s Got Talent” in 2007 and made an appearance last year on “America’s Got Talent.” He has performed for the likes of Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Harrelson.
After the Festival of the Arts, he has gigs coming up in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland and Canada.
The festival marks his first gig in Oklahoma City. Performance times are noon to 12:30 p.m., 2:30 to 3 p.m. and 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 12:30 p.m., 2 to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
-BAM
Interview: Australian street performer The Human Knot tangles with Oklahoma City’s Festival of the Arts
Comedian, contortionist and daredevil Al Millar, 34, brings his high-energy performs his high-energy show Thursday during the Festival of the Arts. As the event's official street performer, the native Australian known as "The Human Knot" is doing his act three times a day at the festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
Comedian, contortionist and daredevil Al Millar, 34, juggles three long knives while holding a specially made blade in his mouth during his high-energy performs his high-energy show Thursday during the Festival of the Arts. As the event's official street performer, the native Australian known as "The Human Knot" is doing his act three times a day at the festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
From Friday’s The Oklahoman. To view a video of The Human Knot performing, click here.
The Human Knot tangles with the Festival of the Arts
Australian contortionist/comedian Al Millar is bringing is jaw-dropping feats of flexibility and daring to downtown Oklahoma City as the event’s official street performer.
After practically twisting himself into the proverbial pretzel to perform “contortionist pushups,” juggling a small running chainsaw and cracking up the crowd with his cheeky jokes, Al Millar’s grand finale involves perching on a 12-foot pole and keeping three long knives and himself in the air while his specially made “Triple-Trouble, Double-Ended Ice Axe Blender Blade” twirls over his head like a perilous propeller.
“If you like the show, tell your friends. If you did not like the show, keep it to yourself. No one likes a whiner,” he joked Thursday afternoon before he put the handle of the homemade blade in his mouth and sent it spinning.
Apparently, this is what going to work looks like when you’re an internationally known contortionist/comedian with the stage name ALAKAZAM and the job description “The Human Knot.” And, really, it must be seen to be believed.
Comedian, contortionist and daredevil Al Millar, 34, juggles a small chainsaw during his high-energy performs his high-energy show Thursday during the Festival of the Arts. As the event's official street performer, the native Australian known as "The Human Knot" is doing his act three times a day at the festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
The native Australian is this year’s official street performer for the Festival of the Arts, which means three times a day during downtown Oklahoma City’s annual “rite of spring,” he does his feats of flexibility and daring in the clearing between Stage Center and the food and artists tents. The festival’s tradition of hosting street performers goes back to at least the 1970s, said Emily Trotter, communications manager for festival organizers the Arts Council of Oklahoma City.
“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen for a street performer here. It’s very entertaining,” Trotter said Thursday as people gathered on bleachers, curbs and grassy spots to watch “The Human Knot” tangle and untangle himself. “He’s not just juggling bowling pins here, folks.”
Along with juggling knives, balls and a little chainsaw and scaling the Chinese circus pole with the help of a couple of volunteers, Millar’s act involves wriggling his entire 6-foot, 155-pound physique through the frame of an unstrung squash racquet. “No way!” squealed several students from Mustang Creek Elementary Thursday afternoon as they watched Millar squish and squirm his torso and limbs to maneuver the small round of plastic from his head to his feet, all while spouting self-deprecating, occasionally bawdy one-liners.
“I just like to try all kinds of stupid stuff. … This is not for everyone,” Millar said, laughing as he explained how he started with his racquet trick after the show. “There’s lots of things I’ve tried that didn’t work.”
Members of the audience, including Darrell Beavers of Oklahoma City, help Al Millar down from the 12-foot-tall Chinese pole after his act. A comedian, contortionist and daredevil known as "The Human Knot," Millar, 34, is the official street performer at the 2012 Festival of the Arts. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
Millar, 34, began his street performing career in 1996, but adds, “I was born this way.” From a young age, he realized he was double jointed and particularly flexible, and in elementary school, he proved a natural entertainer. He has honed his skills through years of street performing and vigorous training.
“The audience interaction, that takes time. That takes a lot of learning,” he said. “I can teach you to juggle in about an hour, but to learn to attract an audience and hold an audience, that takes years.”
Along with performing on the international festival circuit since about 1999 — he typically tours from March through October — Millar was a runner-up on the TV show “Australia’s Got Talent” in 2007 and made an appearance last year on “America’s Got Talent.” He has performed for the likes of Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Harrelson.
After the Festival of the Arts, he has gigs coming up in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland and Canada. Making his first visit to Oklahoma City, Miller said he has enjoyed the friendly people. One festival-goer even gave him a ticket to Tuesday’s Thunder game after catching a performance.
“I find it excellent. Like the crowds here are amazing … they’re really loud and responsive just great audiences, laughing at everything,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s Southern hospitality, but everyone’s really nice. You know, the food here is great, the art here is great, the bands are all great, and the hotel I’m staying at is great. I’ve got no complaints.”
He even found an unexpected taste of home on International Food Row, which this year added Australian toasted sandwiches called jaffles to the menu.
“I’m standing in front of the place answering the question ‘what’s a jaffle?’ like every five seconds,” he said with a laugh. “But that’s cool.”
The Human Knot at the Festival of the Arts
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts continues from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens in downtown Oklahoma City.
Al Millar, aka ALAKAZAM: The Human Knot, will perform his contortionist/comedian act three times a day. Performance times are noon to 12:30 p.m., 2:30 to 3 p.m. and 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 12:30 p.m., 2 to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com. See the rest of Friday’s performing arts schedule after the break, or click here to view the whole lineup.
Best Bets for April 27-29, 2012: Festival of the Arts, Joe Bonamassa, Red Dirt Rangers, Greg Jacobs and The Black Keys
The Red Dirt Rangers
Here are my picks for the Best Bets in entertainment happening around Oklahoma this weekend. For more options, go to www.wimgo.com.
1. Celebrate the visual, performing and culinary arts at the annual Festival of the Arts from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday in downtown Oklahoma City. Information: 270-4848 or www.artscouncilokc.com.
2. Listen to blues-rock guitarist/singer/songwriter Joe Bonamassa at 8 p.m. Sunday at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker. Information: 297-2264 or www.myticketoffice.com.
3. Hear Oklahoma red dirt musicians Greg Jacobs at 8 p.m. Friday and Red Dirt Rangers at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. Information: 524-0738 or www.bluedoorokc.com.
4. TULSA — Catch The Black Keys with special guest Arctic Monkeys in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the BOK Center, 200 S Denver. Doors open at 7 p.m. Information: (866) 726-5287 or www.bokcenter.com.
-BAM
Festival of the Arts continues in downtown Oklahoma City
Brianna Gaither
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts continues today in downtown Oklahoma City.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event will include 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, about 300 performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
I’ll be out at the festival today to interview the event’s designated street performer Al Millar, AKA The Human Knot. To read my preview of the event, click here.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule. For the full schedule, click here.
Thursday
Café Stage
11 a.m. Emerald Flame – Traditional/Folk
Noon Gravity – Funk/Jazz
1 p.m. Jamie Bramble – Rock/Pop
2 Moore High School Wind Quintet – Instrumental
3 Colla Voce Harding Fine Arts – Choral
5 Dustin Prinz – Indie Folk/Accoustic
6 Brother Summit w/ Kerry Wayne – Old School Classics
7:30 Smilin’ Vic and the Soul Monkeys – Classic Oldies
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Yukon Middle School – Choral
Noon Deer Creek Prairie Vale Honor Choir
1 p.m. Coronado Heights Choir – Choral
2 Harding Arts Dance – Dance
3 Moore West Tiger Choir – Choral
4 Science Museum Oklahoma Presents: The Science of WOW!
5 PM2: Perpetual Motion Teen Company- Dance
6 Festival Idol Competition
7 Kelvin “Mr. Guitar” Drake & Friends – Variety
Water Stage
11 a.m. Tuter, Brooks, and Williams- Rock/Jazz
Noon Brianna Gaither – Pop
1 p.m. Delivin Sirleaf – R&B
2 Carousal Revolt – Rock/Country
3 Okie Stompers – Clog Dance
4 Paul Barbre – Folk
5 Straight 2 Video -Rock
6 OKC Comedy – Comedy
7:30 Tele Mori – Rock/Pop
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Diane Coady – Silk-Dyeing Demonstration
Noon Erica Thomas and Terri Hlubek – Opera/Variety
1 p.m. Chad Slagle – Red-Dirt Country
5 Bread and Butter Band – Indie-Bluegrass
6 Local Honey – Traditional Folk/Country
-BAM
Festival of the Arts continues in downtown Oklahoma City
A kinetic sculpture by Andrew Carson is shown Tuesday, the opening day of the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts continues today in downtown Oklahoma City.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event will include 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, about 300 performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
To read my preview of the event, click here.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule. For the full schedule, click here.
Wednesday
Café Stage
11 a.m. Arabesque – Traditional/Folk
Noon Local Honey – Country
1 p.m. Bill Bordeau – Traditional/Folk
2 Jared Lekites – Rock/Pop
3 Not Just Country Line Dancers – Dance
4 Evan and Gracie Barry – Variety
5 Yumare Mexican Folkloric Dancers – Dance
6 Life Change Ballroom Dancing – Dance
7:30 Maurice Johnson and Company – Jazz
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Aspiring Attitudes – Dance
Noon Heritage Hall 6th Grade Choir – Choral
1 p.m. Davis 4th and 5th Honor Choir – Choral
2 Harding Fine Arts Academy Improv – Improv
3 Michael King – Magic
4 Ty Richard – Pop, Traditional/Folk
5 Rosh Pinah Messianic Jewish Dance
6 Festival Idol Competition
7 Son del Barrio – Salsa/Meringue
Water Stage
11 a.m. Dana Miller – Opera
Noon Lauren Nichols – Pop/Country
1 p.m. David James McKinny – Rock/Pop
2 City with Just A Lil’Country Cloggers – Clog Dancing
3 Bob Dupree & Friends – Folk
4 The Blue Chair Band – Rock
5 So Ye – Rock
6 411 featuring Cara Black – Jazz/R&B
7:30 June Bug Spade – Rock
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. ACM@UCO Vocal Students Showcase – vocal group performance
Noon OKC Woodcarvers Club – Woodcarving Demonstration
1 p.m. Miss Brown To You -Jazz/Folk
5 The Trad Jazz Project – Traditional Jazz
6 OKC Improv – Comedy Group
-BAM
Video: O Fidelis featured in Festival of the Arts commercial, playing the festival today
O Fidelis
O Fidelis‘ song “On the Mountainside” is featured in a commercial for Festival of the Arts 2012, which kicked off today in downtown Oklahoma City.
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrates the visual, performing and culinary arts. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event will include 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, about 300 performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
Brian Gililland, who fronts O Fidelis with his wife and fellow singer/multi-instrumentalist Laney, was kind enough to talk to me about playing the event for the first time for my festival preview, which you can read here.
The indie folk group plays at 5 p.m. today on the Myriad Gardens Water Stage. For the full schedule of the festival’s performing arts lineup, click here.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com. Here is the commerical featuring “On the Mountainside”:
-BAM
Festival of the Arts begins today in downtown Oklahoma City
Children from Prairie Dance Theatre perform during the 2011 Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman Archives
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts begins today at 11 a.m. in downtown Oklahoma City.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event will include 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, about 300 performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
To read my preview of the event, click here.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule. For the full schedule, click here.
Tuesday’s schedule
Café Stage
11 a.m. Opening Ceremony: Erica James and Nichols Hills Varsity Choir
Noon Bruce Benson & Studio B – Jazz
1 p.m. Rebecca J. Brock & The Company – Pop
2 Singing Cyclones – Choral
3 Brent Basshum – Guitar
4 Heartland Voices – Inspirational/Choral
5 Erica James Band – Jazz
6 OKC Chorus – Choral
7:30 Al Good Orchestra – Big Band
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. James Dennis Honor – Choral
Noon Bryant Elementary 5th Grade – Choral
1 p.m. Nichols Hills Varsity Choir – Choral
2 Millwood Arts Academy – Dance/Choral
3 Mustang Trails Honor – Choral
4 Dazzlers Drill Team – Dance
5 Cimmaron Opera – Choral
6 Festival Idol Competition
7:30 Academy of Dance – Dance
Water Stage
11 a.m. Max Ridgeway Band – Jazz
Noon Kaylee Losawyer – Pop
1 p.m. Reality and the New Era – Inspirational
2 Two Dollar Bill Trio – Traditional/Folk
3 Moon Shoe – Rock
4 Mopak – Rock
5 O Fidelis – Folk
6 Hi-Def Howlers – Rock
7:30 Jackson’s Brew – Jazz/Pop
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Multiple Artists – Fiber Arts Demonstration
Noon LaQuincey Reed – Sculpting Demonstration
1 p.m. Cimarron Opera – Choral Group
5 Gordon Yellowman – Cheyenne Artist and Storyteller
6 Classen School of Advanced Studies – Honor Guitar Ensemble
-BAM
