Friday, Feb. 15-Sunday, Feb. 17

Hot cars with cool names like Voodoo Spider, Duezybird, Predicta and, yes, Cristina, ride into Tulsa for the annual Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Car Show, this weekend at Expo Square, 4145 E. 21st St. The nation’s top cars will be gathered together and competing for the annual “Fine Nine” and a big cash award. Look for all sorts of activities. Hours are noon-11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16; and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17. Tickets are $25 adults, $15 ages 13-16; and $10 ages 11-12. Ages 10 and under admitted free when accompanied by paying adult. Check out the contenders at www.darrylstarbird.com.
 

Saturday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m.

Rick Springfield has been rather unfairly branded a “one-hit-wonder.” The fact is the former soap star (Dr. Noah Drake from General Hospital) and Grammy Award winner (Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1982) has had a few more hit songs besides Jessie’s Girl for which he’s rarely given credit. Remember I’ve Done Everything for You and Love Somebody? Even stronger testament to his longevity on the music scene, Springfield has been touring seemingly nonstop for several years and recording new albums for the fans that have stayed with him through the good and the sad. They’ll be out when Springfield plays River Spirit Casino Event Center, 8330 Riverside Parkway. Show is at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, and general admission tickets are $40. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com to purchase.
 

Thursday, Feb. 14

Valentine’s Day is for lovers – lovers of art, music, food and fun. Whether you’re planning a night out with your significant other or counting on fun with your best buds, check out these happenings.

• Valentine’s Dinner and Dance: The buffet is steamy and the atmosphere romantic at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, which hosts dinner and dancing at its fabulous Persimmon Hill restaurant, 1700 NE 63rd St., from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $44.95 each, and reservations are required. You’ll find the menu and other information at www.nationalcowboymuseum.org.
• David Phelps in concert: Christian vocalist David Phelps has been known to tug a few heart strings with his versatile voice. The singer formerly with the Gaither Vocal Band performs at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, 701 S. Main St., Broken Arrow, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20-$40, available at www.thepacba.com.
• Tranfigured Love: Chamber music group Tulsa Camerata (shown) tells three different stories (and ideas) of love at its next concert. Leoš Janá?ek’s String Quartet No. 2 Intimate Letters, Carter Pann’s Nicky’s Trio, and Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht set the mood while La Villa Restaurant set the tables for dinner at Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road. White wine reception is at 5:45 p.m., and music starts at 7:30 p.m. General admission is $20. Go to philbrook.org for more.
• Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Dance: Jeff Shadley and his band sizzle at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and Jazz Depot, 111 E. First St., Tulsa. The vocalist, trumpeter and band leader gets his big band swinging so you can, too, at 7 p.m. with complimentary champagne and dessert! Admission is $15-$20 (reserved tables). Call 918.281.8609 or visit www.okjazz.org for more.
• Group Sex with the Crispy Family Carnival: For the adventuresome, Club 209 presents an art show with humor and naughty appeal. Performance art that is adults-only blends with carnival show attractions and erotic visual art in this night that also benefits Tulsa CARES (www.tulsacares.org). Group Sex: A Cheeky Exploration of the Steamier Side of Love begins at 10 p.m. at 209 N. Boulder Ave., Tulsa. For more, visit www.club209tulsa.com.
   

Continues through April 21

Is it a photograph? No, it’s photorealism, a genre of art that employs photography to paint an image so life-like it looks like a photo. In the mid-20th century the photorealism movement took hold and artists such as Robert Bechtle, Audrey Flack, Richard Estes, Don Eddy, Ralph Goings, Randy Dudley and Charles Bell became the new avant-garde. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, exhibits their work along with those of others through April 21. The review of the genre explores the methods they used and their place in the art world. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (open until 9 p.m. Thursday) and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.okcmoa.com for a schedule of events related to this exhibit throughout its run.
 

Concludes Sunday, Feb. 17

If you had to name your favorite Broadway musical numbers from the past 100 years, would your list include one by Neil Berg? The American composer and lyricist brings his revue of theater’s greatest musical hits in the touring show 100 Years of Broadway to the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. In the show, which opened Tuesday, Berg shares anecdotes from his career and introduces the stars of such hit shows as Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and the stage’s latest hits. The show runs trough Sunday, Feb. 17, at the music hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Tickets to performances are $15-$55. For a schedule of shows and to purchase tickets, visit www.myticketoffice.com.

Now through June 30

Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s was a different world from what it is today – movie stars were afforded a divine status. The image said it all, and no one defined glamour better than portrait artist George Hurrell. As a publicity photographer for the mega dream factory MGM movie studio, Hurrell turned mere actors and actresses into immortals on film. The still portrait photo was never the same. Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road, recently opened the exhibition The Hollywood Portraits of George Hurrell, which includes those of legends like Gary Cooper, Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich (shown) among many others. His use of light and shadows made Hurrell a powerful artist both then and now. Philbrook is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (open until 8 p.m. Thursday). Admission is $7-$9. For more, visit philbrook.org.
 

The word “diversion” used to mean a pleasant instance or amusement to distract from the ordinary, usual or routine. Actually, it still does, but many are likely to think first of a split-second action to purposely attract attention away from something covert. August Bournonville’s Napoli Divertissements begs for a look in the truest sense of a “diversion” as a part of Paris Rouge, a delight of dance and music from Oklahoma City Ballet just in time for Valentine’s Day. Paris Rouge brings back a triple bill of Paris-inspired vignettes including the Oklahoma premiere of Divertissements, and it also includes Robert Mills’ Pushing Pennies and Paris Rouge, all set against a backdrop of color comedy and infatuation. Performances are at 8 p.m. Feb. 9 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 10 at Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. Tickets are $33-$60. For more, visit. www.okcballet.com.

Saturday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m.

Named after Tulsa businessman and philanthropist Henry Zarrow, the event called Heart of Henry, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, will bring together people from across the Tulsa area to benefit the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless. Not to put words into Mr. Zarrow’s mouth, but we think he approves. The evening includes dinner and an awards ceremony in which Walter Helmerich III, the late oilman and philanthropist, will be honored posthumously for his generosity to the community. The inaugural Heart of Henry, held at the Hyatt Regency Tulsa, 100 E. Second St., doesn’t stop there. An after-party featuring a cigar and scotch tasting continues after the awards with live music and more. The Heart of Henry is infectious. This benefit for the homeless is counting on it. Tickets to the dinner and awards ceremony are $250 each. The after-party event is $50 with the dinner and ceremony or $75 for the party alone. Visit www.tulsadaycenter.org to buy your tickets through Feb. 8 or call 918.556.6425.

Friday, Feb. 8, at 10:30 a.m.

After listening to seven U.S. presidents speak their minds, Ann Compton is ready to talk, too. The next guest of Tulsa Town Hall, the lecture series bringing inspiring individuals to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Chapman Music Hall, takes the stage at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8. Compton, an award-winning journalist, is ABC News’ White House correspondent. Ann Compton: Up Close and Very Personal looks at her experiences in the White House press corps and work as a foreign correspondent. Attendance is through subscription to Tulsa Town Hall. Individual subscriptions are $75 and include admission to all speaking engagements in the 2012-13 series. Luncheon with Compton follows the lecture. Luncheon is $20 per person, and reservations are required. For more, visit tulsatownhall.com.
 

This week

Fat Tuesday is two parades in two cities – that’s a lot of beads and confetti. The Norman Mardi Gras Parade is back for the 19th year. Starting at the corner of Jones Avenue and Main Street in Norman, the march of bands, dancers, fanciful floats and entertainers moves east on Main Street and turns south on Crawford Avenue before veering west on Comanche Street back to Jones. Parade entries will be judged on such categories as Best Marchers, Best Music, Best Unidentified Rolling Object and Best Doggie Gras. Parade begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9. Go to www.normanmardigrasparade.com to read about more taking place around the parade. Tulsa’s Blue Dome Mardi Gras Parade isn’t as long-standing as Norman’s big party, but after 4 years, word has spread and continues to bring out larger crowds each successive year. Why should it be any different in 2013? Area organizations, clubs, business and groups get into the New Orleans-state-of-groove through the Blue Dome District (roughly First and Second streets between Cincinnati and Elgin avenues). Remember, this is a family event, so no flashing or requests thereof for beads and treats. Parade starts at 7 p.m. on Fat Tuesday (Feb. 12). For more, go to www.mcnellies.com or check out the favored pub’s Facebook page.