Display of HONOR SONG at OKCMOA. (Photo/Nadia Tallroth) The First American artist, Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds created HONOR SONG, a striking exhibit showcased throughout the Oklahoma City Contemporary Museum of Art. Running from February 20, 2025, to August 4, 2025, his work is open to the public free of charge, offering…
“Light Left On”: Conversations in the Dark
Display of “Light Left On” at OCU Norick Art Center. (Photo/Bryan Cardinale-Powell) “A signal – an invitation – a warning; vacant and possessed. A light left on at night is common but not uncomplicated, like a photograph,” Bryan Cardinale-Powell, Associate Film Professor and Chair at Oklahoma City University describes his work. Currently on display at…
Penelope: A Modern Take on a Timeless Tale
Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park debuted their first musical in 41 years. From February 20, 2025, to March 2, 2025, at the Paseo Indoor Theatre, Penelope took the stage, impressing audiences with a performance led by actress Amanda Lee and accompanied by a five-piece band: Dustin Morningstar (piano), Aaron Michael (violin/music director), Joseph Messick (viola),…
A Pivotal Step: Sophomores Select Their Dance Tracks at Ann Lacy School of Dance
As the spring dance show picked up momentum, the sophomores at the Ann Lacy School of Dance found themselves at a pivotal moment in their careers: choosing their dance tracks. These tracks will determine the direction of their academic focus, and they are currently being decided by the deans and faculty of the school. All…
Touring High Schools and Performing at OkMEA: A Wind Ensemble’s Journey
Dr. Matthew Mailman, Professor of Conducting at Wanda L. Bass School of Music: “Celebrates 30th OCU Season The Oklahoma City University Wind Ensemble recently completed an exhilarating tour across northwest Arkansas, capped off by a stunning performance at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OkMEA) convention in Tulsa. In just four days, the ensemble played seven…
Faculty and Students Join Forces for King Lear
OCU’s School of Theater will usher in their spring season with a production of Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear, featuring two OCU faculty in prominent roles. Professor Bill Langan will be portraying the titular character, an aged King of Britain whose political machinations divide his kingdom and family, while Professor Hal Kohlman is featured as the…
Hurricane Diane A Powerful Performance with Deep Meaning
At the Oklahoma City University School of Theatre, an incredible theatrical performance of Hurricane Diane took place from November 7th through the 10th. Written by Madeline George and directed by Ariel Celeste, this unique and imaginative show amazed audiences with a wonderful mix of humor, creativity and an important message about climate change. The performance…
The Mystery of Edwin Drood Brings Interactive Comedy to OCU
Oklahoma City University STRIPPED recently closed its fall production of the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood in the Petree Auditorium. OCU STRIPPED, a student-run theater company, presented the 1985 musical on November 1st and 2nd. Drood is based on Charles Dickens’s unfinished novel of the same name, and the story is full of vibrant…
Legacy of Light: A Celebration of Women’s Voices on the OCU Stage
Meghan Gosse and Jordan Smith deliver a captivating performance in Legacy of Light (Photo/ Bryan Cardinale-Powell/ Professor of Film) The Oklahoma City University Theatre Ensemble presented a powerful and thought-provoking production of Legacy of Light, a play by Karen Zacarias. Directed by Amy Ostanski, this production deeply resonated with audiences. It brought to life a…
John Proctor is the Villain: The Art of Difficult Conversations
John Proctor is the Villain was performed in the Burg Theater at Oklahoma City University on September 26-29, 2024. Set in 2018, this play follows the story of a high school English class as they dissect The Crucible. Topics such as naive infatuation, feminism, sexual assault, and misused power dynamics illuminate the Metoo movement of…
Norick Exhibit: The Intersection of Art and Science
Many students either say they have a creative brain that does not compute science or a logical brain that does not understand art. Other stereotypes include science not considering emotions or art not considering real-to-life accuracy. Because of this way of thinking, there has been a divide between two critical topics that affect humans’ way…
Everybody Get Footloose at OCU: Classic Film Gets Stars’ Musical Makeover
Emily Sullivan and Zac Decker’s dynamic performance in Footloose (Photo/Michael Anderson/Wanda L. Bass School of Music) Drama, duets and dancing, a make-up of a spectacular show. Footloose hits all the marks. Based on the 1980s film adaptation, Footloose the Musical turns the old town of Beaumont into rock and roll central. The audience follows Ren…
OCU Alum Stars in Oklahoma Shakespeare’s Rendition of Hamlet
Oklahoma Shakespeare recently brought one of the Bard’s most famous works to audiences as the cornerstone of their 40th anniversary season, and Oklahoma City University Stars lined the playbill. Hamlet, Shakespeare’s legendary play about death, madness, and revenge, wrapped production on Sept. 29. School of Theater alum Sarah Filek, BFA Acting ’24, made her Oklahoma…
An Artistic Exhibit Of Expertise And Extravagance
“Pull-yourself-together! What will you do? Is this a question? You will show him you remember that he is Mr. Incredible and remind him who you are.” Ah yes, we all remember watching the infamous Edna Mode on the big screen: running around in her mansion with her signature bangs and glasses. This character is not…
Revealing Oscar Wilde’s Trials: See Gross Indecency on Stage
Explore Oscar Wilde’s journey through the interesting play Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. From Apr. 11 to Apr. 14, 2024, this show will take place in the OCU Bass School of Music’s Black Box Theatre. This moving performance will force you to think about living in an era where it was considered…
Audiences travel back in time with “She Stoops to Conquer”
This past weekend, audiences got to enjoy a delightful world of wit, charm, and hilarity in the production of She Stoops to Conquer presented by the OCU School of Theatre. Under the direction of D. Lance Marsh, the show featured OCU’s incredibly talented theatre students in this rendition of Oliver Smith’s classic comedy. The play…
Laugh Along with She Stoops to Conquer
Prepare for an evening full of laughter with the amazing upcoming comedy She Stoops to Conquer which will be showing at Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center’s Burg Theatre. The show is a timeless comedy that promises to fill the room with laughter, misunderstandings and delightful twists. Set in the countryside of 18th century England, this classic…
Inside the award-winning OCU Dance School
The Oklahoma City University Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment is renowned throughout the country, consistently being one of the best-ranked dance programs in America, but what is behind the success of the dance program? Artistic Director Tiffany van der Merwe and Executive Director Melanie Shelley attributed this continued success to several things,…
Real Life Pitch Perfect: A Capella Group Wins Quarterfinals
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella is not just for Pitch Perfect – it exists in real life, and OCU’s Tonal Eclipse is the winner of their quarterfinal competition. Tonal Eclipse is one of two a cappella groups here on OCU’s campus. It is an entirely student lead organization who do their own arrangements,…
Be Aggressive: A Hilarious Journey of Healing and Resilience
The story of a high school cheerleader dealing with grief and healing in Be Aggressive offers an insightful look at family dynamics, resilience and the need for escape. This dramatic comedy, written by Annie Weisman, takes place in the sunny community of Vista Del Sol in southern California. The story focuses on Laura, a…
Dusty and the Big Bad World: Exploring Real Life
Dusty and the Big Bad World will be presented in the Black Box Theater from March 7-10 for an exciting and challenging evening. This show gives an informed and humorous look at current issues. It is based on true events revolving the television show, “Postcards from Buster” produced by the Public Broadcasting Service. The play looks at…
Studio Series presents The Life of Galileo
The Life of Galileo explored a dramatized retelling of the famous scientist’s real life, exploring themes of faith versus fact, courage and betrayal. Directed by Hal Kohlman, this show opened in the Black Box Theatre on Feb 22 as the first Studio Series of the spring semester. The Studio Series is a production series through…
Freede Center hosts annual spring powwow
On Feb. 18, Oklahoma City University had the privilege of hosting its annual spring powwow in the Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The Oklahoma City Princesses Honor Powwow took place from 2-10 pm and was sponsored by the Changing Winds Cultural Society. The powwow was hosted by the OCU Office of Diversity, Equity…
Meaningless: Newest Neustadt Lecture Performance
For the 2024 Oklahoma City University Wimberly School of Religion’s Neustadt Lecture, OCU has partnered with the Jewish Theatre of Oklahoma to present “Meaningless,” an interpretation of Ecclesiastes. “Meaningless” is a one-man show performed by Rodney Brazil, an OKC-based actor, director and writer, who helped adapt the book of Ecclesiastes into play format, along with…
2023-24 Spring Semester in the Arts
Welcome back Stars! We hope that you had a great break and are ready to get back to another great semester of learning. We are absolutely thrilled for students to return to campus and share this semester’s show calendar. Take a look at what is planned for this semester: January 25: Project 21 Concert Bass…
44th Annual Christmas Vespers Celebration
OCU School of Music presents the annual Christmas Vespers Concert! Over 250 musicians and choral students will perform at the 44th annual Christmas Vespers. The concert includes student organists, the OCU flute choir, and concludes with Night of Silence which is a candlelight recessional inspired by Silent Night. You can expect to experience a few…
