Weekly Arts and Entertainment Highlights (Jul 12, 2012)

A folk legends centennial birthday is celebrated, museums and galleries screen French and Native American films, and a widely adapted Broadway play comes to Oklahoma in its original form in this week’s calendar.

This year the 15th annual Woody Guthrie Free Folk Festival held in Okemah, Oklahoma celebrates the 100th birthday of the legendary folk artist it is named after. Performers take the stage at a variety of venues throughout the city beginning July 11th. Musical acts include John Fullbright, The Damn Quails, Jimmy LaFave, Red Dirt Rangers, Judy Collins, and many more. At the festival there will also be a children’s area throughout the weekend, movie screenings, guitar workshops, history presentations, book discussions and signings, and performances by Woody Guthrie poets through Sunday, July 15th.

Lyric Theatre Oklahoma brings the 1966 Broadway play “Sweet Charity” to Oklahoma City. Beginning July 10th, a limited run continues through July 14th at the Civic Center Music Hall. The Tony-award winning musical is based on the book by Neil Simon and Federico Fellini's screenplay for “Nights of Cabiria.” It follows the life of a dancer-for-hire named Charity Hope Valentine and her search for love in New York City. Cy Coleman composed the score and went on to win several Tonys for his musical work on “The Will Rogers Follies” and “City of Angels.”

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art highlights international film with its French Film Week continuing through the weekend to July 15th. The list of contemporary French films shown includes titles such as “Goodbye First Love,” “Americano,” and “Tales of the Night.” The screenings conclude with a special presentation of director Marcel Carné’s 1945 film “Children of Paradise” on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. It was recently digitally restored from the original camera negative and re-released in the United States. Made during WWII in Germany occupied France, it is often referred to as one of the best French films ever.

The Jacobson House Native Art Center in Norman welcomes Kiowa and Choctaw filmmaker Steven Judd during the Norman Arts Council’s monthly Second Friday Art Walk this Friday. During “Short Films Under the Stars,” he discusses and screens his awarding winning short films “Search for the World’s Best Indian Taco” and “Neil Discovers the Moon.” The art center also shows a trailer for his next feature length film “Six Pack and Gas Money” as well as director Neil Christopher’s short “Amaqqut Nunaa: The Country of Wolves.” The evening includes Indian tacos made by the Caesar Family.

Other events of interest in the metro:

The Cox Convention Center and the City of Oklahoma City welcome the public to a Green Roof Symposium on July 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. International and local experts host discussion and presentations to those interested in green roof technology.

On Friday and Saturday, the Smokin' Up A Storm Charity BBQ Challenge takes place at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds in Norman. 50 amateur and professional teams cook up their best barbeque during this officially sanctioned competition to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman hosts a “Film and UNbirthday Party” Saturday, July 14th. The party follows the screening of the 1951 version of “Alice in Wonderland” in conjunction with the museum’s exhibit “A Century of Magic: The Animation of the Walt Disney Studios.”

The Los Romeros Guitar Quartet, often referred to as the “The Royal Family of the Guitar,” returns to Oklahoma for a performance at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City on July 17th at 7:00 p.m.

For additional information and events in your area, visit the calendar page of our website.