Just last week, I wrote about a performer friend who had, on his own, researched and decided that Oklahoma was a good place to relocate to seek advancement in his late-career shift to performing on stage. That, in and of itself, was meaningful to me, because the vibrancy of local theater is one of the chief inspirations for this column – and because this individual was making the move from the very arts-intensive East Coast.

But the column also got me thinking about what all types of opportunities and venues he discovered in his research. That, in turn, reconnected me with some smaller theaters and troupes with which I have experience that inspired my own, similar appreciation of the local performing arts scene.

Many are familiar with the large performing arts venues in Tulsa and in Oklahoma City, and those more deeply versed in theater are aware of the secondary urban venues that tend to offer more experimental – often locally written or produced – theater.

But in the hinterlands of Green Country are theaters worth recognition that I am not sure theater aficionados are aware of. There is a certain charm, an authenticity, to small theaters that stage productions aimed at small-town audiences. But small troupes and theaters aren't necessarily defined by small thinking, and I am happy to say my early experiences have emphasized this.

This week, I thought I would introduce you to a handful of the smaller theaters that have impressed me in my early forays into stagecraft in Green Country.

The Wagoner Playhouse Association (www.facebook.com/pages/Wagoner-Playhouse-Association/117804252967) just finished a run of Neil Simon's The Good Doctor and it isn't the first time the quintessential small-town troupe has tackled a version of Simon. I had the opportunity to review a production there for a local paper once, and I recall emphasizing how pure the theater experience was there, how perfectly tailored the material was for the rural/small town audience, and what an immersive experience it was in such a quaint setting. But it all worked. As the local community ages, troupes like that of the WPA offer amazing opportunities for younger performers looking to make a name for themselves. This is small town culture at its best.

OK, so Broken Arrow is hardly the hinterlands, although some of us remember when it was. Still with so much of Tulsa theater based downtown, BA might feel a world away to some. Hopefully that's not the case when it comes to Broken Arrow Community Theater (www.bacptheatre.com). Honestly, given the great programming, which has only continued to improve, it's hard to imagine a real theater fan not being familiar with the BAC Theatre. From Zombie Prom this week to To Kill a Mockingbird later in the season, this talented creative staff brings a terrific combination of modern and classic, traditional and challenging, to a community that surely should appreciate what it has.

I'm ashamed that I can't remember the name of the first production I saw at Muskogee Little Theatre (www.muskogeelittletheatre.com), but to be fair, I was only visiting family in Oklahoma at the time – I was still very much an East Coaster. What I do remember about the production was that the show, in this small space, was spectacular. It utterly whisked me away from the quaint theater in a town I rarely associated with culture, into a perfectly directed, terrifically acted performance that easily could have been staged in a black box theater anywhere back home. I remember the incredible quality, if not the show specifics, and I remember wondering if Muskogee – and the region – realized what an astounding cultural icon they had here.

I still don't know the answer to that question.

But each of these smaller or less visible theaters could make a similar claim. Great theater in Green Country? You bet. Downtown, seeing Jersey Boys changed my life. But our small towns are important contributors too.

 -Michael W. Sasser is Oklahoma Magazine’s senior editor and an award-winning journalist. For comments or suggestions, reach him at [email protected].

By now, I'm sure that even the least nutrition-oriented single has heard the PSAs or read the constant stream of stories citing how breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Sigh. It isn't an easy acknowledgement for me, because I rarely wake with an appetite for anything except coffee, and because, having grown up in the 1970s, "breakfast" traditionally consisted of some god-awful sugar-based cereal in whole milk, breakfast "pastries" and, later in life, bagels or muffins whose ingredients list I would not now want to read as a more educated consumer. Furthermore, after childhood, I grew up under the specter of the perception that eggs were entirely bad for you – and, as some of you may have read in this blog by now, the reality is not as simple as that according to some studies.

So the importance of breakfast is quite serious, but not something I have been easily able to adapt to. That said, the past few years have been entirely dedicated and focused on healthy eating and weight loss and that means taking breakfast more seriously. Not being a professional in nutrition, I am relying on the countless studies and articles I have read over the course of healthily shrinking my own waistline from 60 to 40 in two years without having ever felt hungry.

Just as studies suggested, I found that by eating the right breakfast, it prepared my system for healthy eating the rest of the day, reduced my appetite for unhealthy things later in the day, and made my entire day better from the start. Who knew back in 1978 that it could get better than sugary breakfast cereal chased with sugar-soaked milk?

Egad.

As I have read it, protein is key to a successful breakfast, in addition to slow-processing, healthy grains and your day's first dose of healthy vegetables and fruits. With a little research, I've found that putting together an ideal breakfast can set in motion a day of healthy eating as well as be utterly satisfying and propel me through the first half of my day.

This week, I will share my own personal strategy, based on available research. It starts with one of two bases – either a nonfat, low- or no-sugar Greek yogurt (about one single serving container or one cup) or Irish or steel-cut oatmeal. The former is one of the more ideal forms of protein; the latter is one of the most healthy grains. Both are good platforms upon which to build an ideal breakfast. When I follow the yogurt path, I make a complete but small meal by adding dried blueberries (very healthy and essential for men as they age), a small amount of healthy Kashi-brand cereal (for healthy grains and crunch), a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of cinnamon (both of which apparently have great health benefits). If I take the oatmeal option, I supplement it not with butter and sugar, but rather with a high-protein soy milk and the same berry-crunch, healthy cereal combination. In the case of either decision, I up the protein ante with a small piece of low-fat mozzarrella cheese, a small banana and about a cup of low-sodium vegetable juice or V8. The result is a well-balanced breakfast that kicks my metabolism off right and propels me through midday when it's time for a healthy lunch. There are plenty of variations here, in terms of fruits and berries to partner with the centerpiece. I often use almond milk instead of soy with the oatmeal, add almonds or walnuts to either base, and even some unsweetened shredded coconut. There are plenty of ways to alter flavoring without altering these overall nutritional powerhouse breakfasts. Individualize, yes, but do your own research about which changes you can make without losing the beneficial effects.

This approach to a healthy breakfast has been one of the top five things that I've learned about and incorporated into my own lifestyle that has been most beneficial in the healthy, notable weight loss I've experienced since my own attempts began. As the PSAs indicate, starting your day this way sets you up for a day of healthy eating. It will lead to midday appetite, but controlling and utilizing that healthy instinct to your own advantage is a subject for another day.

-Michael W. Sasser is Oklahoma Magazine’s senior editor and an award-winning journalist. Neither a medical nor nutrition expert, he shares his personal weight loss journey exclusively with Oklahoma Magazine readers. Reach him at [email protected]
 

Thursday, Oct. 31

If last weekend’s Halloween parties and festivals didn’t contain your enthusiasm for costumes and candy, then get ready for these ghoulish happenings on the big night.

If you’re looking for an ideal, safe place for trick-or-treat, Oklahoma City Zoo has Haunt the Zoo for Halloween with plenty of themed booths to pick up treats (www.okczoo.com). Tulsa Zoo also opens its doors to little heroes and monsters with carnival games and more for HallowZOOeen (www.tulsazoo.org). In south Tulsa, try a visit to the Oklahoma Aquarium for HallowMarine, where kids visit with friendly pirates and the aquarium’s inhabitants while collecting some sweet loot (www.okaquarium.org).

If you're not so much a child as a child-at-heart, the Castle in Muskogee's Halloween Festival may be the place for you with attractions suitable for little ones as well as teens and grown-ups who want more of a fright (www.okcastle.com). The Maize (www.tulsamaize.com) in Broken Arrow also has activities for all ages. In downtown Tulsa’s Brady District, it’s Halloween on the Green, featuring readings of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven” plus a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (www.guthriegreen.org).

Want more creepers than peepers? Try Sperry’s Psycho Path 2013, a walk and ride through the forest that’s not so serene (www.psychopathhaunt.com), or try the Tulsa Hex House and Rise of the Living Dead attraction located in south Tulsa, packed with so many horror-laden surprises, you’ll think you’ve landed in an episode of “The Walking Dead” (www.tulsahexhouse.com). Drumright’s Scream Country Haunted Forest (www.screamcountry.com) is back, too, with a hayride you’ll never forget and the splatter-ific “Evil Dead: The Musical.”

And, if you’re in Oklahoma City, you’ll want to investigate the Sanctuary, a four-story adventure into chaos with plenty of startling effects (www.thesanctuaryokc.com), and the Bricktown Haunted Warehouse, a longtime OKC tradition boasting “over 20,000 square feet of pure terror (www.bricktownokc.com). Go ahead: Scream!

Friday, Nov. 1, 5-11 p.m.

Wake the dead and your sense of art adventure at Living Arts of Tulsa’s annual festival of music, dancing, art and Hispanic culture. The Day of the Dead Arts Festival condenses the traditional observance of honoring the dead with graveside dinners, marigolds and tokens of affection with a night featuring the "Altared Spaces" exhibit. More than 30 altars erected by locals – artists or not – tell the life and stories of deceased loved ones. Photos, favorite items, foods and video are all used in these multimedia memorials. Outside, two stages showcase Tulsa’s awesome community of Hispanic dancers and musicians along with arts and crafts vendors set up in the Brady Arts District. Watch, dance and stroll to take in all the sights, including this year’s new Dia de los Muertos murals, the fire dances and the skeleton parade. The Day of the Dead festival is for all and takes place 5-11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at Living Arts, 307 E. Brady St. Ages 12 and under get in free. Admission for the rest of us is $5. Visit www.livingarts.org for more.

Friday, Nov. 1-Saturday, Nov. 2

The title might gnarl the teeth of some feminists wings, but the Girlie Show has always been about inspiring women to empowerment through creative outlets. Those outlets manifest in original art, cool crafts, funky fashions and awesome performances of the musical and sometimes burlesque kind. Why do good things have to end? You can philosophize on that way all day or you can see what the final show has to offer at the Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein. The show is 7-11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, and open to ages 18 and older only that night. The next day is open to all ages from noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. Admission for Friday night is $20-$25, while admission the next day is $7 (unless you purchased a Friday ticket, in which case you get in for free). You also get in free Saturday if you are 12 and under. Visit www.thegirlieshow.net for all the details and for more on the VIP Early Girlie event.

Sunday, Nov. 3, 8 p.m.

With Alice Cooper in T-Town, the weekend’s Halloween-Day-of-the-Dead-festive vibe reaches grandly macabre heights. The Godfather of Shock Rock is on the road again and headed for Tulsa’s Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St., with the “Raise the Dead Tour” starting at 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3. Known for his live shows filled with fake-blood theatrics and props as well as for his lively wit and charm off stage, Cooper continues to produce new work for the death metal set, which is strangely comforting in a world of over-processed, ready-for-iTunes tracks. Barring any chicken heads getting bitten off on stage (which never happened, but those are the parameters), we’re ready to be shocked. Tickets are $35-$85, available at www.bradytheater.com.

Friday, Nov. 1-Saturday, Nov. 2

He’ll always affectionately be known as Sulu from the original “Star Trek” TV series, but George Takei is as well regarded today for his social/political activism and thoughtful, occasionally cheeky blog about everything from gay rights to Halloween costumes. The entertainer has even stepped into the online publishing frontier – his e-book “Oh Myyy! (There Goes the Internet)” was released last year and explains his meteoric (sorry) prominence in social media.

As if that weren’t enough, Takei completes this week a two-month run at San Diego’s Old Globe theater of “Allegiance: A New American Musical” about patriotism and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. He’ll step off one stage onto another for Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s next pops concert. Takei hosts “Sci-Fi Spectacular” at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1-Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Tickets are $25-$65, and for that you’ll get an evening of themes from vintage science fiction TV shows, epic space flicks and a true nostalgia trip. Takei will not be fencing, but his wit is certainly sharper than ever. Now that’s so Takei! Get tickets at www.okcphilharmonic.org.