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Wrapping Up This Year’s Cinema

By
Drew Joseph Allen
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Poor Things; Photos courtesy SearchLight Pictures

December. So many movies. So little time … and so little space on the page. Here we go.

For your kaiju (Japanese media involving giant monsters) fix, check out Godzilla Minus One. Set in post-World War II Japan, the titular monster rises to the surface, causing the country’s economic state to dip into the negatives. With arresting visuals, a wholly unique setting and a memorable central figure, the film has massive potential to be one of the best of the year when it drops on Dec. 1. 

For pure action, look no further than Silent Night. Directed by John Woo (Mission: Impossible 2), his first American film in twenty years, the story follows Godluck (Joel Kinnaman, Easy Money) as he descends into the underworld on Christmas Eve to avenge his son’s death. The trailer indicates heavy action, explosions and an all-around good time for the whole family … if the whole family is over 17, of course. It also releases on Dec. 1.  

If you need a thriller, check out Eileen. Based on the book of the same name, it follows Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit), a secretary at a Boston prison, and her interactions with a newly arrived counselor named Rebecca (Anne Hathaway). Twists and turns are in full swing as their parasitic relationship grows to a fever pitch. You can try and unravel it yourself on Dec. 1. 

For those with a love for animation, don’t miss The Boy and the Heron. The latest film from legendary director and animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), the story follows Mahito Maki, who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town. Lauded for its beautiful animation and themes surrounding coming of age and coping with loss, the film has been a monumental success in Japan. It was released with almost no information or trailer and although one exists now, I strongly advise against watching it. Go in as blind as you can when it releases in the U.S. on Dec. 8.

Poor Things; photos courtesy Searchlight Pictures

For a weird time, check out Poor Things. A surrealist science fiction film, the story concerns Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) being brought back to life by Dr. Goodwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Unattached to the prejudices of the time, she roams the world with Duncan (Mark Ruffalo) as a woman in search of liberation. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) and based on the 1992 novel of the same name, the film is sure to be out of the ordinary and a perfect combination of strange and science when it hits theaters on Dec. 8.

For your biographical sports drama, take a look at The Iron Claw. The story focuses on the Von Erich family, a dynasty of wrestlers, and their highs and lows both inside and outside of the ring. Zac Efron leads the film, supported by Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), Holt McCallany (Mindhunter) and Lily James (Pam & Tommy). Released by A24, it looks to be a superbly made drama with stellar performances. It hits theaters on Dec. 22.

Lastly, if you want to watch folks go real fast and enjoy a splash of family drama, don’t skip Ferrari. Starring Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, the film follows his personal and professional struggles after the death of his son and the impending collapse of his company. This is director Michael Mann’s (Heat) first film in eight years, it looks to be a sleek return to form for the 80-year-old director. It releases on Christmas Day.

Rob Ward

By
Staff
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Rob Ward is the fifth president and second alumnus to serve the Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain, a private, non-profit organization with a mission to provide exceptional multidisciplinary arts experiences that develop individual talent and inspire a lifelong passion for the arts. 

Originally from McAlester, Ward was a three-time chorus student with institute, in addition to serving an additional 15 summers as a counselor, counselor coordinator, technical director and faculty member. In addition to receiving degrees in vocal music education and choral conducting from Oklahoma State University, Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas, Ward has taught middle, high school and university choirs. We caught up with Ward and picked his brain on …

Photo courtesy Rob Ward

… the unique perspective he brings to this role.

There is no substitution for having experienced the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute firsthand. I wish we could get more supporters to Quartz Mountain to see what we do! I wonder if people roll their eyes sometimes when we say things like: “This experience may change your life,” but I’m proof of that statement. I met one of my greatest mentors at OSAI, who then recruited me to Oklahoma State and later to the University of North Texas. OSAI put me on a path to becoming a professional musician and conductor and I’ve never forgotten that. 

…what makes Quartz Mountain so special. 

My wife will tell you that Quartz Mountain is my ‘happy place,’ which is to say OAI is my ‘happy place.’ Having participated in the Summer Arts Institute, and now the Fall Arts Institute, in so many different capacities, the thing that amazes me is that it’s equally special, in each of those roles. I think the crux of it is that it’s rare to have the opportunity to set aside all of life’s demands to focus on something that feeds you. There is also something more, something intangible, that comes as a result of the many ways our programs and participants are supported. 

We are lucky to call Quartz Mountain home because of our partnership with the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. The setting alone is an inspiration, but it’s the folks who work at Quartz Mountain and Lookout Kitchen who make us feel at home. Then, to think that some of our participants are able to attend on scholarship due to the support of the State Legislature, State Department of Education, Oklahoma Arts Council, NEA, as well as a long list of foundations, corporations and private donors, amounts to this vast community of supporters who are lifting up some of Oklahoma’s most gifted artists and arts educators and saying: “We’ve got you, we’re proud of you and keep going!”

… his day-to-day.

I’m fortunate to work alongside some tremendous friends and colleagues, as well as a board of directors who care deeply about our organization and our mission. They are the ones who turn the wheels. What I find myself considering often is what our role to play in the larger arts/education community is. As we continue to run our programs, I see opportunity to connect with other organizations across the state. I want to know what others are doing so that I can lift them up when I have the opportunity. So aside from the day to day, I’d say I spend a fair amount of energy having conversations with stakeholders around the state to educate them about our programs, but also to get them thinking about the economic and cultural impact the arts can have in their communities.     

… OAI’s other programming. 

A program we piloted last year is the OAI Quartz Previews. These are short workshops we hold in various locations around the state to introduce students to the kind of work they would do at OSAI, while educating them about the audition process. Human nature tells us that we aren’t good enough or aren’t ready when it comes to auditioning for a program like OSAI. I tell students all the time that, “Yes, you are good enough, right now!” The reality is not every person who applies will be accepted, but that’s no different than a college application or job interview. Every time we put ourselves in that situation, we improve, we learn something about ourselves and we gain confidence for the next time we apply. 

… what he wants to people to know about OAI.

I’m disappointed when I talk to an adult artist who grew up in Oklahoma who says, “I had no idea this opportunity was out there when I was young.” The thing I want everyone to know about OAI … is for them to know about OAI! Tell your friends, children, the teachers and administrators in your schools about this opportunity that is singular to Oklahoma! There are other programs around the country that are similar, but I’ve yet to find one that is just like the Oklahoma Arts Institute. We’re often told that Oklahoma has something truly special and unique in OAI.

… what he enjoys most about his role. 

Prior to working for the Arts Institute, I was an educator, and the thing I most enjoyed were those lightbulb moments when the elements of your lesson came together in a moment of understanding. It’s not that different working for an arts institution where you plan and fundraise, negotiate and engineer a moment for others to be inspired or to find their purpose. Those moments seem so distant much of the time, but when you consider the thousands of moments over the last 47 years of the Arts Institute, you feel pretty special being part of that legacy.    

… OAI’s offerings. 

Along with the Summer Arts Institute for students ages 14-19, we hold a Fall Arts Institute for adults. OFAI is a series of all-inclusive, four-day workshops held over three different weekends in October at Quartz Mountain State Park. Any adult can attend these workshops, but scholarships and discounts are available for Oklahoma educators and Summer Arts Institute alumni.

… where we can find him outside the office.

My vice is golf, no doubt. But I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to great restaurants, attending arts, cultural and sporting events, cooking and, when time allows, travel.

Super Lawyers 2023

By
Staff
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Super lawyers

Learning the Land

By
Kimberly Burk
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Photos courtesy Okie Homesteading

There’s a popular saying in the homesteading movement: it all starts with chickens. 

“Chickens are the first thing,” confirms Brandi Farnsworth. “We had them even when we lived in town.”

Brandi and her husband, Sean, own about 40 acres near Salina and are just down the road from Kevin and Rachel Pritchett, owners of Hidden Heights Farms and their partners in the Okie Homesteading Expo. 

Both couples have ample followers on their YouTube channels, where they showcase the antics of fluffy animals and offer instruction on such topics as how to butcher a quail and how to trim goat hooves.

Brandi says her husband developed an interest in self-reliance while serving in the U.S. Marines.

“He wanted to raise children who would be able to take care of themselves,” she says. The couple has three daughters. “He’s a great girl-dad, and he wants them to be prepared in life.”

Homesteading these days differs from the traditional definition, where people obtained free land from the government and were required to make improvements. But it’s not a lifestyle that requires strict self-sufficiency. 

“Modern homesteading is a good term to use,” Brandi says.

Rachel continues: “People have this idea that you have to make all your own clothes or whatever. We don’t live off the land 100%. You don’t have to do everything. There are all kinds of ways to be a homesteader.”

Homesteading – or living off your own land – continues to interest Oklahomans looking for that extra bit of independence. Photos courtesy Okie Homesteading

Finding a Niche

Family members each tend to contribute by doing what they love.

Rachel, for example, enjoys being out on their 20 acres with the goats, free-range chickens, pigs, bees, turkeys and geese.

“Kevin was more passionate about learning to can,” she says.  “He loves the gardening and the food preservation. He loves cooking. So, we are a good balance.”

Two years ago, the Farnsworths made the switch from outside employment to full-time homesteading. Kevin still works off the farm; Rachel is now a stay-at-home parent to their son and daughter. 

Rachel says their Hidden Heights Farm YouTube channels are the biggest revenue source from their acreage. The Farnsworths also earn money from YouTube, typically creating three videos a week for their channel, Keeping It Dutch, a reference to Sean’s nickname in the Marines. 

“The audience gets really attached to our kids and our animals,” Brandi says. “A lot of people who can’t have this lifestyle kind of live vicariously through us. Others are inspired to get land themselves. It’s really heartwarming, the letters we receive.”

Homesteaders tend to lean toward specialty breeds. 

The Farnsworths are crazy about Kune Kune pigs. Dorper sheep are next on their acquisition list.

The Pritchetts raise Spanish and Kiko goats, which are protected from predators by their Anatolian Shepherds.

Timber covers about half the Farnsworth property. They bought a sawmill and use wood for heat and building projects.

“We have a goal of getting more self-reliant every day,” Brandi says.

Rachel continues: “We do this because we love the lifestyle, and we want to raise our kids in this lifestyle. We want them to learn things that their ancestors did years ago.”

A Love for Stories

By
Bonnie Rucker
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Peggy Helmerich stands in front of the Helmerich Award Author Wall. Including this year’s recipient, 38 authors have been honored. Photo by Stephanie Phillips

Because of one woman’s love for libraries, the Tulsa community has enjoyed visits from some of the world’s most prominent authors annually for nearly 40 years. The Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award, given by the Tulsa Library Trust and the Tulsa City-County Library system, began in 1985 and has been importing top literary talent to Oklahoma ever since. 

The award’s namesake is the first to mention that the effort takes a host of dedicated staff and volunteers each year. But Peggy V. Helmerich has a rich story to tell herself.

A Tulsa philanthropist and wife of late oilman Walter Helmerich III, Peggy Helmerich is a force to be reckoned with at 95. She stays busy with meetings with friends, church, trips to the gym and meals with her family; she especially enjoys lunches with her three-year-old great-granddaughter. Family is very important to her – but another theme that has run steady throughout her life is her love for stories. And she’s an accomplished story-teller herself.

After attending Northwestern University, Helmerich was an actress in Hollywood in the 1950s. She can fascinate and delight with stories from this era and the plots from movies she made. She is probably best known for her role in 1950’s Harvey with Jimmy Stewart.

One story she relates gives insight into Stewart’s character. She tells how she invited some friends from Athens, Georgia – her hometown – to go to the studio with her while they were shooting Harvey.

“In walks Jimmy Stewart,” she tells me. “He said, ‘How are you?’ Well, those girls almost fell out of their chairs!” 

He sat down with her friends and asked where they were from. 

“They were so cute with him,” says Helmerich. “You know, being from a little town and far, far, away, and here he was, being just precious to them.”

But dazzling stories about Hollywood aren’t the only ones Helmerich can share. She also recalls wonderful memories from each of the authors she and the library have recognized over the years through the Distinguished Author Award. Including the masterful Amor Towles being honored later this year, 38 authors have received the award, visited Tulsa and captivated library-loving audiences.

Helmerich remembers an author who wouldn’t fly to Tulsa … but wanted to drive cross-country instead, and one who loved the local museums so much that they wouldn’t leave in a timely manner. All in all, Helmerich is enchanted by each and every one of them. And she can describe the looks, mannerisms and personal quirks of all of them, too. She sums up the experience as “great fun. We’ve just had fabulous people.” 

One of the best of Helmerich’s stories details the turning point of her early life, how she met her husband and left Hollywood behind.

She was in New York to make a movie, but was getting ready to return home when a friend talked her into attending the opening of the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She was on the rooftop of the St. Regis Hotel. Peggy’s date, arranged by said friend, was distracted by another woman, when that woman’s date turned to Peggy and said: “Hi! Would you like to dance? I’m Walt Helmerich.” 

They continued to date while Walt attended Harvard Business School and Peggy lived in Los Angeles. Then, during one trip to the west coast to see her, Walt proposed. A 60-year marriage (until his death in 2012), five boys, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren followed – a fairytale of a love story.

Love is evident in her voice when Helmerich speaks of her husband.

“Walt and I were just so, I felt, right. He was kind of wonderful.” 

And that’s why she left Hollywood behind to move to Tulsa and build her family.

Peggy and Walt Helmerich have created a legacy of philanthropy throughout Tulsa and the state, supporting many causes they cared about deeply. But the cause that is clearly very close to her heart continues to be the library, the Distinguished Author Award and its associated gala.

“Our library gala was to get people and mothers and their children interested in the library,” she says. “But [the library] is such a treasure chest of things we might want to know.”

One book that brings her joy these days is Library Lion – it recounts a charming tale of an unusual visitor to his local library, and the lessons learned about welcoming those around us. The story dovetails well with how Helmerich feels about libraries.  

“It’s just such a wonderful thing to watch kids listen to the Library Lion,” says Helmerich. “It’s just a wonder what you can visualize and imagine and just sort of feed on; it feeds your soul. That’s what’s so important to me. Libraries in a community make a community. If [libraries] are not so important, then intellect is not so important and thinking is not so important and using your brain is not so important. [Libraries are] a good source of all kinds of interesting things.”

Raising Up Voices

By
Carol Mowdy Bond
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The Future CEO camp is Build in Tulsa’s free, week-long summer camp for middle and high schoolers. Students learn the fundamentals of starting a business, and the event culminates with a pitch competition featuring $10,000 in cash prizes. Photo courtesy Build in Tulsa

The mission of Build in Tulsa, says managing director Ashli Sims, is to “close the racial wealth gap in America by catalyzing the creation of multi-generational Black wealth through tech and entrepreneurship. We are committed to providing opportunities for minority entrepreneurs who have historically been denied resources and funding.”

The company was conceptualized in late 2020, “on the eve of the 100-year commemoration of the 1912 Tulsa Race Massacre,” says Sims. “At the turn of the century, Tulsa was the epicenter of Black wealth, with more Black millionaires than any other place in the country. This vision began Build in Tulsa operations in summer 2021.”

Just two years later, Build in Tulsa’s community includes 361 entrepreneurs, with $7.3 million invested in early-stage start-ups, and the facilitation of almost 5,000 hours of training and coaching. The project provides numerous services including training and workshops to get founders accelerator-ready, one-on-one business coaching, mentoring, networking and the facilitation of connections to a spectrum of capital sources. 

“Build in Tulsa is also addressing some of the barriers that many Black entrepreneurs face by providing free co-working spaces, cost of living assistance, funding for technology and other aid,” says Sims. “Some of our most popular programs include BUILD UP, a tech start-up school that teaches entrepreneurs, or future entrepreneurs, the fundamentals of starting a business over eight weeks. Over the course of three BUILD UP programs, Build in Tulsa has trained approximately 139 entrepreneurs.”

The program is also working to increase representation of women in entrepreneurship and in the tech field in general. Since 2021, Build in Tulsa has hosted “Female Founders Pitch Night” events, awarding almost $113,000 to 47 female founders. As a pitch competition, the event includes ten to 12 hours of training, a workshop on Business Model Canvas, practice sessions and one-on-one coaching.

“Build in Tulsa hosts ‘Future CEO Camp,’ which is a week-long free summer camp that teaches middle and high school students the basics of entrepreneurship, culminating in a pitch competition featuring cash prizes,” Sims adds.

Oklahomans looking to get involved can visit Build in Tulsa’s website, buildintulsa.com, and sign up for the newsletter.

“That will keep you up to date on all Build in Tulsa activities, and all the opportunities to take advantage of programming,” says Sims. “We rely on the generous support of donors to keep our programming free.”

Build in Tulsa also looks for those who possess business expertise and are willing to serve as mentors.

Empowering Black Entrepreneurs 

A life-long Tulsan, Ashli Sims spent 10 years in local television news, in addition to serving as an advocate for vulnerable children and as a nonprofit leader. 

“At the heart of our work is a network of business accelerators that pair skills development, networking and funding to elevate Black entrepreneurs,” she says. “We partner with four accelerators, including ACT Tulsa, W.E. Build, Build in Tulsa Techstars and Lightship
Foundation, designed to meet underrepresented Black and Brown entrepreneurs wherever they are in their business
development journey.”

Photo credit and caption: The Future CEO camp is Build in Tulsa’s free, week-long summer camp for middle and high schoolers. Students learn the fundamentals of starting a business, and the event culminates with a pitch competition featuring $10,000 in cash prizes. Photo courtesy Build in Tulsa

Art at the Heart

By
Sharla Bardin
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Photos courtesy the Paseo Arts Association

An historic neighborhood in the heart of Oklahoma City offers an area for artists to create, collaborate and connect with the community.

It’s also a place where people can shop at galleries, stores and boutiques, dine at a variety of restaurants and gaze at buildings that feature colorful Spanish revival architecture.

The Paseo Arts District has become known as a unique arts destination in a two-block area north of downtown Oklahoma City. 

“It’s a great place to come down and spend a couple of hours,” says Amanda Bleakley, executive director of the Paseo Arts Association.

The district offers “the largest concentration of art galleries in the state,” along with retail stores and restaurants within walking distance, Bleakley says.

The Paseo Arts District features more than 20 galleries and also hosts the annual Paseo Arts Festival, a First Friday Gallery Walk each month and art and photography exhibitions. 

It’s also rich with history. The Paseo Arts District was built in 1929 as the first shopping district north of downtown Oklahoma City and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the district’s website, the paseo.org.

Bleakley says the neighborhood has grown through the decades, but the vision for the area remains the same: to have space for artists to grow, connect with others and showcase their work … and to have a place to enhance the arts in the community.

“All the property owners believe in this creative space. That’s why they’ve invested their money into the buildings,” says Bleakley. “We want to nurture and protect what’s been created here.”

Denice Erway, owner of Wildfire Gallery on Paseo, says she believes the area’s longevity is due to its focus on the arts and its vibrant atmosphere.

“I think the Paseo is successful because of the commitment to the Oklahoma City arts community,” Erway says. “We provide a unique shopping experience with wonderful art, local shops and second-to-none local dining.”

The ever-growing Paseo Arts District will celebrate its centennial in 2029. Photos courtesy the Paseo Arts Association

How to Support Local Artists/Art Scenes

Have a heart for the arts but not sure how you can specifically help in your community? Consider these suggestions from Bleakley and Erway:

  • Go to arts festivals and visit galleries.
  • Buy art from local artists.  “Art elevates life. We as a society need art to help tell our story, to unite our communities and simply add beauty,” says Erway. “When you buy local art, you make it possible for the process to continue.”
  • Offer space for artists. “I think offering affordable space, whether it be a gallery or a studio, is really important,” Bleakley says. “I hope, in the future, that all the communities in Oklahoma will have a place like the Paseo Arts District where they’ll have a concentration of retail and galleries and restaurants for people to go and see and experience.”

Part of the Tulsa Holiday Soundtrack

By
John Wooley
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Davit Souders (left) and Andy Callis perform at Tulsa’s Winterfest. Photo by Nick Whittaker

Twenty-five years ago, at pretty much exactly this time of the year, Davit Souders got an idea.

A Tulsa-based vocalist and bandleader as well as a concert promoter and producer, Souders had grown up loving not only rock ‘n’ roll, but the rockin’ holiday music recorded by those acts. And because of that abiding love, as well as his own musical experience and connections with Tulsa rockers, he came up with the notion it might be fun to perform and record some seasonal tunes of his own.

“When I was just promoting [and not in a band],” he recalls, “I’d sit in with everybody from Brian Parton to Pit Bulls on Crack. I’d get the guest spot, and it felt really good. Then, in November of ’98, I suggested to somebody that I’d like to work in some Christmas music, and they said, ‘Okay, be at rehearsal Wednesday.’ And we were off and rolling.”

Today, that roll continues unabated, as Souders finds himself in demand as a performer every Yuletide season, along with an ever-evolving group that unofficially began a quarter of a century ago.  

“As a kid, like a lot of people, I was fascinated by Elvis’s holiday music, and Bruce Springsteen’s, and the Eagles’ – all the stuff you’d hear during the holidays,” he says. “It just seemed cool to me. So the origin of all of this was the love of the season and the music. It just became a thing, to get together and record some holiday songs every year.”

It didn’t take long at all for the process to start attracting some of the town’s top talent. As Souders notes, “In ‘99, we had quite a lineup in the studio – Jeff Graham and Tex Montana; Greg Claus from the band Fanzine; Gerald Wood, the old bass player from my original band, Lynx; and Erv Felker from the band Difuser. I’d started the project with him.

“We were all crammed there in the studio, and Tex said, in her beautiful Texas drawl, ‘It’s like a galaxy of local stars.’ So the name of the group was born: Team Galaxy.”

With each succeeding year, in addition to recording (the group recently cut its third disc of seasonal tunes), Team Galaxy and its live shows became a bigger part of the holiday festivities in and around Tulsa. These days, the group is just about everywhere you’d care to look, including atop a float in the Tulsa Christmas Parade, which the band has participated in for a full decade.

“I think those are our best gigs, absolutely,” says Souders. “The crowd reaction is absolutely perfect for what we do. And the head of the Christmas parade, Paul Ross, and [parade creative director] Jessica Gullo always say, ‘You’re our favorite band.’ That’s just nice to hear. I always joke that they treat us like Sled Zeppelin.

“This year is going to be our tenth year of performing live on a moving float. It’s only moving five miles an hour, but because I jump around a lot, I always have to get my sea legs. And if you’ve ever wondered, ‘Can he swing that microphone Roger Daltrey-style off a moving float?’ the answer is, ‘Yes, I can.’”

In addition to the Tulsa Christmas Parade, set for Dec. 9, the band has been booked for a new event on Nov. 17. It’s Lights On, set for the Charley Young Event Park in Bixby. There will undoubtedly be others, including, Souders says, the band’s annual appearance on KTUL-TV, Channel 8 – another thing that Team Galaxy has been doing for a long time.

And over that stretch, there have also been plenty of small but sublime moments for the group’s originator.

“I’ve gone into the post office at Utica Square, and they’ve been playing our music,” he says.  “I’ve gone to see Santa for my annual photo, and heard our music being played. As a musician, I’ve got to say that when you walk in someplace and your music’s playing, it’s just nice.

“Somewhere, I saw a list of Oklahoma musicians and their holiday music, and they had Garth and everyone on it, but they also included us. Those are the kinds of things that are just extra bonuses. I don’t want to overblow the holiday horn, but I do feel like we are part of the holiday soundtrack for Tulsa and the surrounding area.”  

It’s only fitting that Souders, whose concept was brought to life by Team Galaxy, is the one Galaxian who’s been on board from the very beginning. However, as he points out, lots of other notable players have logged significant time with the group.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have some of the best musicians in Tulsa come through the ranks. Some stay for eight or nine years, some for two years or one year.  Sometimes, other bands and projects prevent them from returning. But some come back. One of our guitarists, Andy Callis, is on his second tour of duty. He was with us for seven years, took a few years’ break, and has now been back with us for the past two or three years. Once you’re in Team Galaxy, you’re in for life.

“There was a band in town a few years ago called Ghosts. We played a show together, and one of their songs, ‘Here Comes Santa Claus,’ they did as a tribute to Team Galaxy – and they actually played it better than the version we did.”  He laughs. “So we ended up copying their version of them doing us.”

Although the band members don’t do much of that sort of copying, preferring to arrange their own material, they do occasionally perform covers that are faithful to the original recordings. Last year, for instance, they picked up Cheap Trick’s “I Want You for Christmas,” which is a rewritten version of the hit single “I Want You to Want Me.”

“In the past few years, we’ve adapted some known songs into holiday songs, and when they redid ‘I Want You to Want Me,’ it was perfect for us,” notes Souders. “[Cheap Trick’s] Robin Zander is one of my favorite singers, and the lyrics were really cleverly done. We debuted it last year, and people loved it.”

A year or two earlier, organizers of the Tulsa Christmas Parade had asked if the group could come up with a song based on a “Rockin’ Around Tulsa Town” advertising theme. Souders and veteran rocker Dart Steed adapted the lyrics from the famed J. Marks composition “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and, says Souders, the parade officials made sure to seek permission from Marks’ publishing company.

“J. Marks’ son runs it now. They sent him a copy – and he loved it. To me, that was like doing gospel music and getting approval from above. Tell me that the J. Marks family hasn’t heard every version of his holiday songs. His son approved ours, loved it and gave us his blessings.”

This year’s version of Team Galaxy, in addition to Souders and Callis, includes guitarist Scott Cooper, bassist David Cody and drummer Joseph Blank.

 “Scott Cooper played with me in my band DDS,” says Souders. “He’s done a tour of duty or two with Team Galaxy, and he’s back in as of last year.”

While the members of the group have changed over the years, Souders says they all have at least one common denominator. 

“The amazing aspect of it all, which is still true after 25 years, is that we approach it with the enthusiasm of kids waking up on Christmas morning,” he says. “That’s really the thing.”

Photo credit: Davit Souders (left) and Andy Callis perform at Tulsa’s Winterfest. Photo by Nick Whittaker 

Towles Visits Tulsa

By
Jackie Hill
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Author Amor Towles will soon visit Tulsa as the 38th recipient of the award. Photo by Dmitri Kasterine

New York Times bestselling novelist Amor Towles distinctly remembers the day – five decades ago – when he decided he wanted to be a writer. 

“My first grade teacher invited her friend David McCord, who wrote juvenile poetry, to come speak to our class. He read some of his poetry to us and then signed books. It was the greatest thing! I went home and tried to write poems myself that night,” says Towles, who will be in Tulsa Nov. 30-Dec. 1 to receive the 2023 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award.

From that day on, Towles was in love with reading and writing, immersing himself in the works of poet McCord, then The Hardy Boys mysteries and other juvenile fiction during his elementary years. In his early teens, he got interested in Ray Bradbury’s short stories, and from there his interests mushroomed as he devoured the writings of the American Renaissance authors, Joseph Conrad, the Russians, the magical realists and many, many more. 

Though Towles penned more than 50 short stories from his teens to mid-20s, it wasn’t until his mid-40s when his childhood aspiration finally came to fruition with the publication of his highly praised debut novel Rules of Civility in 2011. Two years later, Towles retired from his 20-year career as an investment executive and turned his full attention to writing, beginning with his second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, released in 2016, followed by The Lincoln Highway, in 2021. Collectively, the three critically acclaimed novels have sold more than 6 million copies and have been translated into more than 30 languages.

A master storyteller, Towles has honed the skill of characterization to perfection, creating characters so real one would think they are based on actual people; however, all sprang from his active imagination. When asked if he has a favorite character of his own creation, he said: “It’s a little bit like having children in that you don’t really have a favorite; you love them all for who they are and different circumstances.” 

He conceded, though, that he does have some affinity to Professor Abacus Abernathe from The Lincoln Highway.

“Out of the whole scope of my work, there’s probably a closer, tighter overlap there, because – he’s older than I am – but at that moment in time, I can imagine being Abernathe in the Empire State Building, reading and writing and suddenly discovering that the world was going on outside your walls, with you locked away in your library.”

What can readers expect next from Towles? Well, he says he has a collection of short stories, called Table for Two, coming out in April 2024, and is working on a novel that he hopes will come out at the end of 2025 if all goes well. 

“That book begins in Cairo at the end of the Second World War, and ends in New York City in 1999 – and that’s all I’m going to tell you,” says Towles, generally guarded about his works in progress. Perhaps his Oklahoma fans can coax him to share more when he comes to Tulsa.

The 2023 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award Featuring Amor Towles

Free Public Presentation and Book Signing
Nov. 30 • 5:30 p.m.

Author Presentation and Black-Tie Gala
Dec. 1 • 6 p.m.

Both at Tulsa’s Central Library
Fifth St. and Denver Ave.

For more details:
www.tulsalibrary.org/helmerichaward

Understanding IVF

By
Rebecca Fast
-

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 10% of women in the U.S. – 6.1 million – ages 15 to 44 have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. Many seek help through assisted reproductive technology (ART), which includes any fertility treatments where either eggs or embryos are handled. The most common type of ART is in vitro fertilization, or IVF.

M. Blake Evans, DO, FACOOG, an assistant professor and reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist with OU Health Reproductive Medicine, says most reproductive aged women are good candidates for IVF.

“The most common, but not all, indications for IVF are male factor infertility, multiple failed ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination cycles, blocked or absent fallopian tubes, fertility preservation prior to undergoing cancer treatments and needing a gestational carrier,” says Evans.

He explains there are several small antral follicles in a woman’s ovaries each month, and each of these follicles contains one egg. In a normal menstrual cycle, one egg inside a follicle ovulates to be potentially fertilized by sperm, resulting in a pregnancy, while the other antral follicles/eggs that didn’t ovulate will essentially dissolve. 

“Given that very few eggs will ultimately lead to a pregnancy, we can use IVF to help optimize a patient’s chances of success by fertilizing many eggs at once and tracking their progress in the IVF lab,” says Evans. 

The basic steps in an IVF treatment cycle include ovarian stimulation with small subcutaneous needles for approximately 10 to 12 days, ultrasound monitoring and bloodwork to track follicle development, egg retrieval under anesthesia, fertilization of the egg with sperm (or freezing of eggs without fertilizing them), embryo culture in the IVF lab and embryo transfer. 

“Due to the continuous advancements of this field of medicine, particularly in the IVF lab, success rates have greatly improved over the last 5 to 10 years,” says Evans, noting that age is the most important factor when it comes to IVF success rates when using a woman’s own eggs.

“Other factors can influence outcomes – like weight, ovarian reserve/number of follicles present, number of prior pregnancies and uterine abnormalities such as fibroids,” he says. “Since all of a woman’s eggs have been present since before birth, the quality of the eggs declines with age, and the risk of miscarriage increases, especially over the age of 40. 

“Success rates also vary with the number of embryos transferred into the uterus. However, depending on the woman’s age, transferring more than one embryo at a time does not increase live birth rates significantly and greatly increases the risk of a multiple pregnancy.”

For those who undergo IVF, the process can be both financially and emotionally demanding. Costs can vary based on location, individual insurance coverage and the total extent of treatments received. 

Women who participate in IVF are encouraged to have a positive support network and/or consider joining an IVF support group. 

Also, before choosing a fertility specialist, Evans encourages patients to do their research to ensure they will receive the highest quality of care. 

“Very helpful public websites such as ABOG.org and SART.org can be used to verify that your fertility specialist is properly trained and board certified in both OB/GYN and REI – reproductive endocrinology and infertility – (ABOG) and also to view the clinics’ success rates (SART),” he says.

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