B.A. PAC Kicks Off with a Huge Bang
By DANIEL C. CAMERON
Assistant Publisher
HARMONIC OPENING: The new Broken Arrow PAC’s grand opening week went over without a hitch. In fact, they executed to perfection, largely due to these gentlemen. From left, Scott Tomlinson, BAPS Coordinator of Instrumental Music; Mark Frie, B.A. PAC Director; and Barrick Griffiths, composer. Griffiths did the music arrangements for opening night.
DANIEL C. CAMERON for GTR Newspapers
The Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center opened with a big week of amazing shows. The management executed to flawless perfection and the talent was impeccable.
Opening night featured a Pops concert where B.A. alumni joined present students on stage weaving past and present together with a musical thread. Opening night alumni included world-class musicians in composer J. Barrick Griffiths, drummer Russ McKinnon and Broadway performer Kathryn Zaremba.
Griffiths has worked with Barry Manilow, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey and others.
McKinnon has drummed with the Tower of Power, Barry Manilow, Elton John, Bette Midler and more. He still tours and records with Manilow.
Zaremba is famous for her work in Annie Warbucks. She played in television’s Full House and the Jeff Foxworthy Show.
The second night of the three night grand opening celebration was Branson superstar Clay Cooper and his hilariously thrilling Country Music Express.
The encore of the week was a jaw dropping performance from Frank Sinatra Jr.
Sinatra had his traveling companions with him, including Tulsan Terry Woodson, who conducted the orchestra. Additionally, Sinatra invited local musicians to play in the orchestra. Sinatra was impressed with the . When asked, he said of the B.A. community that there are a lot of caring people here and “someone here had one heck of a sales pitch.”
Upcoming events at the include Tap Dogs, Dallas Brass, a holiday concert by the Tulsa Community Band, Eclectic Red with the Red Dirt Rangers and the Red Alert, Jana Jae’s Fiddle Fest and crooner David Phelps doing a valentine’s concert. For more information about these and other upcoming events, visit www.thepacba.com.
Updated 10-19-2009
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