Wendell Berry stands as one of the most decorated American authors today. The Tulsa Library Trust has added yet another honor to his list: the prolific writer of fiction, poetry and essays is recipient of the next Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award. Berry will receive the award at the black-tie dinner on Dec. 7 at Tulsa City-County Library’s Central Library. The Kentucky author will also give a free public presentation at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 8. Berry has won the T.S. Eliot Award, Thomas Merton Award, a National Humanities Medal and the Poets’ Prize in addition to the Guggenheim Fellowship and Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship. One of his best known works, 2004’s Hannah Coulter, embodies many of the themes Berry worked into his fiction and poetry and that mirrored his activism against the industrialization of agriculture. Berry will speak at the events, both taking place at Central Library. For tickets to the Dec. 7 gala, go to www.helmerichaward.org.
Oh, The Spectacle
So much of Cirque du Soleil’s appeal rests on the synthesis of multiple disciplines, seemingly disparate styles and variant philosophies. That’s how you end up with Dralion, a show as well as a creature bringing together the ends of the earth in a display of artistry and acrobatics.
As part of Cirque’s ever-expanding repertory of circus presentations, Dralion is the 12th touring production to feature performers doing everything from juggling to aerial dance to tumbling feats. Here, a creature that is part dragon, representative of the East, and part lion, representative of the West (Dralion), stands for the fusion of circus styles that includes clowns sharing a stage with Chinese acrobatic arts that have been honed over 3,000 years.
Traditions of thought are also at play as the four elements of nature are embodied, as humans from the ends of the globe in the parade of spectacle that is characteristic of the Cirque brand. And spectacle is why audiences will go to Dralion – for the tense action and wonderment of watching logic and sometimes death defying stunts always done beautifully and magically. As always, you never know what will happen next, which is a promise we hope Cirque will always be able to keep. How is that for a holiday surprise?
Dralion plays Tulsa’s BOK Center from Dec. 12-16. There will be seven shows scheduled there before it moves to the Chesapeake Energy Arena for another seven performances Dec. 19-23 in Oklahoma City.
Tickets for the Tulsa shows are $37-$147 and are available online at www.bokcenter.com. OKC show tickets are $35-$145, available at www.chesapeakearena.com.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Thursday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 8
It’ll be a cold day in Hades when the Trans-Siberian Orchestra fails to tour the states for the holidays. With its latest show, The Lost Christmas Eve, TSO tells a story of loss and redemption reminiscent of film director Frank Capra’s vision complete with scenes set at a Gothic cathedral, a toy shop or a blues bar. In signature style, fans can also count on a show filled with blazing pyrotechnics, cool light effects, black leather, electric guitars, black ties and violins. It will surely be an enchanted Christmas. The tour stops at the BOK Center, 200 S. Denver Ave., Tulsa for a 7:30 p.m. show on Thursday, Dec. 6. Tickets are $32-$72.50. TSO then pushes on to Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave., for shows at 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. Tickets are $30-$70.50. For Tulsa information, go to www.bokcenter.com. Tickets for the OKC show can be purchased at www.chesapeakearena.com.
OKC Thunder vs. L.A. Lakers
Friday, Dec. 7, at 8:30 p.m.
The Oklahoma City Thunder has played hard all season, and the holiday has afforded no break for the team everyone feared for only a few weeks ago. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha and the team head into a game Friday, Dec. 7, against Kobe Bryant and the L.A. Lakers with a lingering drama still in the air: Can the young team that everyone had such high hopes for seeing another run for the NBA Championship make it without James Harden? Now that the world knows the answer is most definitely “yes” from the first months of season’s play, can the sports world move past its resolve to mull over the team’s future? It’s a speculator’s game as much as any futures on the stock market, but we prefer to focus on the game at hand, and Friday’s will be the one to watch. The game starts at 8:30 p.m. and will broadcast from the Chesapeake Energy Arena on ESPN. Tickets are available at the arena box office, 100 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, and online at www.nba.com/thunder. Also in the week ahead, the team plays Indiana (Dec. 9) and New Orleans (Dec. 12) on the home court.
Tulsa Jingle Bell Run
Saturday, Dec. 8, at 8:30 a.m. (registration)
Tulsa’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk will be just one of dozens of jolly jogs through America’s cities this month, all to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation and its quest to elevate awareness of arthritis and fund research that helps millions of patients. What makes Tulsa different? Could it be that Tulsans are especially festive and outgoing when it comes to the colorful get-up they wear for this awesome event? Could it be the pitter-patter of small feet (both human and canine) mixed among the more thud-erous footfalls of the average recreational runner? The truth is, Tulsa is like other participating cities enhanced by its residents’ generosity to a cause, yet there’s much to be said for the way we celebrate days like the Jingle Bell Run either as runners or spectators. After all, who doesn’t like to see a retriever in antlers? Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Tulsa Community College Metro Campus, 909 S. Boston Ave. The 1k run and walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the 5k following at 10 a.m. For more, go to www.arthritis.org/oklahoma online.
Bryan Adams
8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams seems to be making a lot of headlines these days, but its not for the typical shenanigans (hit-and-run accidents, drug use, assaults on paparazzi) that land stars in print and on screen. A scroll through web news reveals Adams and his girlfriend are having a second child, that he is an accomplished photographer with a new book of portraits (Exposed) just published and that the singer will remain on tour for the rest of the year. One of those Bare Bones Tour stops will be at the Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St. Adams plays at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10. Tickets are $35-$75, available at www.bradytheater.com. One more note: The “Summer of ‘69” singer still loves to sing the anthem. Lucky us!
Tulsa Holiday Parade of Lights
Saturday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m.
Sure, you could watch it at home on TV, but a parade just isn’t the same unless you’re on the sidewalk facing the same winter chill as the smiling faces riding the floats. The Tulsa Holiday Parade of Lights begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, beginning at Fourth Street and Elgin Avenue and traveling along Fourth Street to Denver Avenue. The parade travels Denver and turns right at First Street and follows it all the way to the Blue Dome District and an ending at First Street and Elgin. Floats, people and animals on foot and wheels are plugged in for this mobile holiday lights display that ends with Santa in his sleigh. At parade’s end, stick around for the Winterfest fireworks display and everything the fifth annual festival has to offer. If you can’t make it out, check out the parade broadcast live on KTUL Channel 8. Parade details are available at www.tulsaholidayparade.com.
Philbrook Festival of Trees: Last Chance
Ends Sunday, Dec. 9
The holidays are upon us, but Philbrook Festival of Trees has been in the spirit for weeks. The museum will wind down its annual holiday display and light events this weekend. Take a last turn about the galleries and enjoy Christmas trees and holiday décor created by area artists and designers available for purchase for your home. What you’ll find is truly original work and something special if you have gift giving in mind. Hours are 10 a.m-5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday-Sunday. The museum remains open until 8 p.m. Thursday. Admission during Festival of Trees is $11 general admission and $8 for seniors (ages 62 and up). Still want more? Garden Glow, Philbrook’s stunning outdoor light display continues through Dec. 29. Go to www.philbrook.org for more. Philbrook Museum of Art is located at 2727 S. Rockford Road, Tulsa.
A Christmas Carol
This weekend
The sets are impressive, the music a delight. American Theatre Company’s holiday favorite A Christmas Carol is back for a 35th year with Charles Dickens’ memorable characters in a musical production at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E. Second St. The Robert Odle and Richard Averill adaptation of the Scrooge tale and all its holiday spirit trappings has become a habit with Tulsans. The show opens in the PAC’s John H. Williams Theatre on Thursday, Dec. 6., at 7:30 p.m. The musical continues through Dec. 23. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. while matinees are scheduled Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30, available at www.tulsapac.com.
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre has its own production of A Christmas Carol also opening Thursday, Dec. 6. This adaptation uses humorous touches to share this lesson in good will to all. Catch one of five performances through Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center’s Burg Theatre at Oklahoma City University, 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave., Oklahoma City. Tickets are $7-$12 and available at www.oklahomachildrenstheatre.org.
In Guthrie, they tell Dickens their way. A Territorial Christmas Carol takes the tale and sets it down like a twister in Oklahoma during the days of land runs in Indian Territory. The play continues its traditional run at the Pollard Theatre, 120 W. Harrison Ave., Guthrie, through Dec. 23. Tickets are $13.56 online at www.thepollard.org.
