Thursday, July 25-Sunday, July 28

Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park presents another Shakespeare masterpiece in Oklahoma City. The Life and Death of King John tells the story of the reign of King John of England, youngest son of King Henry II. Controversy comes his way when France’s King Philip orders King John to step down from the throne to let his nephew, Prince Arthur, rule. A war ensues. While King John defends his title, he learns more of his family and more about himself. From Thursday, July 25-Sunday, July 28, King John will be performed at Oklahoma City University’s Burg Theatre, located in the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, 2501 N. Blackwelder. The drama begins at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10-$15 and can be purchased at www.oklahomashakespeare.com.

Opens Friday, July 26

Art appears in various media, but every medium tells a story or shares a message. The Combat Paper Project does just that in a way many people haven’t seen before. On Friday, July 26, Independent Artists of Oklahoma hosts the Combat Paper Project, an international art exhibition travelling the world to share the minds and emotions of combat veterans and those who support them. The project gives an outlet for veterans to use art as a way to share their experiences in war. The pieces are created through combining military items with paper and other materials. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held at the IAO Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan, in Oklahoma City from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on opening night. Presentations and performances from poets and veterans such as Robin Brooks and Jason Poudrier, a Purple Heart recipient, will complete the night. Admission is free. The exhibit runs through Aug. 6.

While at the gallery, visit the other travelling exhibit 24 Works on Paper, on display through Aug. 3. 24 Works, a collaboration of IAO and the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, features the surprising art of contemporary Oklahomans.

To learn more, visit www.iaogallery.org and the gallery’s Facebook page.

Saturday, July 27, 4 p.m.

In 1912, an Oklahoma legend was born. Woody Guthrie’s influence is still flowing strong through the musical hands of Oklahoma’s finest artists. The Woody Guthrie Center, 102 E. Brady St., in Tulsa will definitely agree with that. This educational center not only gives a deeper insight into the life of the Okemah native, but it also hosts concert series sharing how Guthrie’s style is present in music today. On Saturday, July 27, the center presents an afternoon with singer Fiawna Forte for a new weekly series, which focuses on the art of songwriting and music development. Forte will perform some of her latest music and discuss with moderator Richard Higgs how she combines her rock roots with her modern sound. Forte is set to take the stage at 4 p.m. Admission is $6-$8. To learn more about Forte and the Woody Guthrie Center, visit www.woodyguthriecenter.org.

Closes Sunday, July 28

The name “Herb Ritts” rings bells inside the minds of photographers, celebrities and lovers of pop culture. If you’ve never heard the name, most likely you’ve seen his style. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, the highly praised photographer’s work was all over fashion magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair. Ritts’ specialty was in his ability to capture the pure beauty of the human figure as it connected with the natural landscape around it. Whether his model was clothed or nude, he portrayed the body as art.

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Dr., closes the door on the exhibit Herb Ritts: Beauty and Celebrity on Sunday, July 28. His memorable photos are on display thanks to OKCMOA, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Herb Ritts Foundation. A wide variety of his fashion photography and celebrity portraits will be on display, including those of some of Hollywood’s favorites like Madonna, Johnny Depp and Elizabeth Taylor.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday (open until 9 p.m. Thursday) and from noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5-$10. Museum members and children five and under are free. Learn more at www.okcmoa.com.

Friday, July 26-Sunday, July 28

One of the great perks of living in Oklahoma is that we Oklahomans get to see the beauty of the Native American culture and history first hand. The Tulsa Powwow is one of those perks. Friday, July 26-Sunday, July 28, marks the 61st Annual Tulsa Powwow at the Spirit Bank Event Center, 10441 S. Regal Blvd. At this event hosted by the Tulsa Indian Club, people of all nations come together to celebrate. The weekend will be full of traditional powwow dances and music led by the master of ceremonies, Wallace Coffey. Come watch as contestants of all ages show their native pride. Many vendors will also be there selling arts and crafts, food and more. Festivities start at 5 p.m. on Friday and at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5 per day. Children under 5 years old are free. For more, see www.tulsapowwow.org.

Saturday, July 27, 10 p.m.

If you’ve ever stepped into the Nightingale Theater, you know what you’re in for with Old Crow Confessions. That’s not to say the night will be predictable. The theater’s perennial feature gives the stage to anyone, but this isn’t an open-mic party. The trade-off is that you must confess something to the audience. A bottle of Old Crow Whisky helps all those stories of failures, fears, humiliations and guilty pleasures pour out. You never know what you’ll hear, but you certainly won’t be bored. Unburden yourself or bear witness. Old Crow Confessions begins at 10 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at Nightingale Theatre, 1416 E. Fourth St., Tulsa. Tickets are just $5 at the door. For more, go to www.nightingaletheater.com.

Born out of a single hovering cloud, the Center of the Universe is about to unleash a shockwave of activities musical and otherwise. Its epicenter: a concrete circle and acoustic anomaly. We’re not talking about the echo.

A person standing on the circle will hear his or her own voice amplified and resonate, yet anyone standing outside of the circle will not hear the same effect. On July 19-20, everyone will hear the phenomenon that is the Center of the Universe Festival, a free downtown showcase of national rock acts as well as popular names from closer to home.

The two-day event stamped by a down-home-downtown eccentricity inspired by the brick-and-concrete landmark and Artificial Cloud (the 72-feet-tall metal art structure with a cloud balanced on a point and planes outlined in its base) brings native Tulsan Ryan Tedder and the rest of OneRepublic back to town to co-headline the event with bands OK Go and Neon Trees. Rising acts Churchill, Mayer Hawthorne and funky addition Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band are just part of a lineup of rising national acts. Also look for the Eric Himan Band, Dante & the Hawks, Fiawna Forte, Colourmusic, Sick/Sea and Redwood Rising among many others. The list continues to grow.

Like any good street party, the Center of the Universe Festival jives with the Brady Arts District’s vibe with its own array of colorful vendors set up. Everything happens in a stretch from the festival’s namesake on the Boston Avenue pedestrian bridge – between First Street and over the railroad tracks to Archer Streets on the north side of the railroad tracks – north to Cain’s Ballroom at 423 N. Main St., where the national bands will play on an outdoor stage. You’ll find more on a short walk to the Guthrie Green, 111 E. Brady St., where more music is booked for the state-of-the-art stage and public gardens.

VIP tickets ($245) will allow you to experience more at the festival, but for those without them, expect everything the universe has to offer for free. For more, including schedules and maps, visit www.centeroftheuniversefestival.com.

Friday, July 19, 8 p.m.

1964 … The Tribute, the famed Beatles tribute band, will play at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center on Friday, July 19. Since they formed in 1984, 1964 has played nearly 3,000 shows. Rolling Stone magazine called it “the best Beatles tribute ever,” and the band has been featured on PBS, CNN, and Entertainment Tonight. 1964’s goal is to recreate what it would have been like to see the Beatles when they were touring, using their songs, appearance and banter to create that effect. The band differs from the Beatles in two ways: better sound equipment and longer sets. With all the beloved Beatles music they cover, the latter makes a lot of sense. Everyone wants to hear their favorites, and you can hear yours at 8 p.m. Friday, July 19, in the PAC, 110 E. Second St. Tickets are $25-$50, available at www.myticketoffice.com.

Friday, July 19

Since the appearance of the friendly little alien in 2005, Gustafer Yellowgold has become a popular name in children’s entertainment and "kindie rock." Gustafer Yellowgold can be found entertaining children on DVD and CD players. The animated character can even be found live in concert all around the U.S. On Friday, July 19, Gustafer Yellowgold and his creator Morgan Taylor bring their live show to the Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd St, in Tulsa. The show combines Taylor’s musical talents with video and illustrations to bring his animated friend to life. Children and their families can catch the multimedia performance at noon and at 3:15 p.m. The show is free for all ages. To learn more, visit www.tulsalibrary.org.

Continues through Sept. 8

Since February, The Hollywood Portraits of George Hurrell exhibition at Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road, has highlighted the extraordinary portraiture of photographer George Hurrell. Hurrell’s photography was able to capture the true Hollywood glamour of the 1930s and 1940s. His skill took the beauty of actresses and actors, such as Katharine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper, and placed it in a perfectly-lighted black-and-white photo for the world to enjoy. Originally set to wrap at the end of June, the exhibit has been extended at Philbrook until Sept. 8. For those who haven’t seen the portraits or those who would love to experience the exhibition one more time, the museum is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday and open until 8 p.m. on Thursday. Admission is $7-$9. Visit www.philbrook.org for more.