Vaudeville Circuit to be Revived This Weekend in Miami

The Coleman Theatre comes alive this weekend—in a mix of modern-day showmanship and vaudeville shtick.

Dennis James, known worldwide for mastery of the pipe organ, performs Musica Curiosa at 7:30 p.m., May 18, and 2:30 p.m., May 19.

“This is only the third showing of Musica Curiosa,” James said. “It will be very chatty, very funny, and the audience will be involved.”

James opens the evening with a performance on four glass instruments, including the glass armonica, an instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin, then on to the early days of the Coleman Theatre with the showing of the Harry Langdon silent movie “Long Pants,” and his accompaniment on the mighty Wurlitzer.

James learned to play the organ as a young boy in New Jersey, and by 16 he was traveling the world as a professional organist.

“I’ve played in Singapore, Sydney, Germany, Austria and with major orchestras all over the world,” he said. “I recently brought silent films to Korea for the first time, and they loved it there. It was really quite charming because it’s so rare to catch this kind of entertainment.”

James is a lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers (N.J.) University and a professor of glass-music studies. Yet he finds time to entertain, travel the world and visit the Coleman.

“It’s fulfilling to play the mighty Wurlitzer,” he said. “The (Coleman) building itself is the instrument. It still has the pipe organ from the silent-movie era, which provides the voice of the theater. This sort of thing is done in world capitals, and it’s just by chance that I happened to come to Oklahoma. I stopped by in one of my tours, and now I play here three or four times a year.”

Staying in Tune

When James is scheduled to play the Coleman, another organ connoisseur, Jim Peterson, comes to town to make sure the mighty Wurlitzer is in good shape and tuned.

“I’ve always loved pipe organs,” Peterson said. “I played flute and oboe for a long time, but I have never had a fascination with musical instruments like I do with the pipe organ.”

Peterson, 79, does his work in a tiny closet backstage. He climbs a thin steel ladder to the top of the pipe loft, where myriad welded pipes, springs, strings and dusty wooden planks pump out the rich sound of the mighty Wurlitzer.

This particular instrument, though an antique, is still a work in progress. It demands careful attention from both musician and technician. Peterson has been in the pipe organ business since 1956, and has mastered the tricky craft of tuning.

“The pipe organ has many parts, including some leather,” Peterson said. “If leather sits untouched, it becomes hard and cracked, so it needs to be flexed. By playing it on a regular basis, the instruments stay in good condition.”

Peterson rebuilt the Coleman’s mighty Wurlitzer 15 years ago. He also installed a system that uses electrical wires to record any musical performance on a floppy disk. This allows the performance to be played back at any time, giving tourists a chance to hear the magnificent sounds in their original state.

Miami’s Hidden

Treasure

Despite James’ fame, Peterson’s magic and the organ’s accessibility many locals have yet to experience the mighty Wurlitzer firsthand.

Jessie Hess, a barista at Chapters bookstore in downtown Miami, has worked across from the Coleman for 10 years and is yet to hear the grand instrument played.

“I’ve been to the Coleman several times to see movies and local performances, but I’ve never heard the pipe organ in an actual performance,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to see the silent movies because I think it’s awesome to have a historic theater that can bring us those things.”

For those interested in experiencing Musica Curiosa, stop by the Coleman or call (918)-540-2425.

Bittersweet Goodbye for The Man’s man, Wes Lunt

Wes Lunt

Wes Lunt is gone and that’s too bad, but it might not matter either.

Lunt was Gundy’s vision of the future. A senior standout from Rochester, Ill., Lunt left high school a semester early in order to come to Oklahoma State where Gundy named him the starter almost immediately.

He has a rocket for an arm and he was The Man’s man from day one.

In fact, it was the first time since 1950 that the Cowboys had a true freshman starting the first game of the season. JB Whitworth was in his first season as coach that year for the team formerly known as the Aggies. Ol’ Whitworth left after four years-  he got mixed up in some hatin’ (see,  Johnny Bright incident). Lucky for Cowboys fans, he left for Alabama, where he was replaced by Bear Bryant.

The amount of history in that paragraph is ridiculous.

Back to the narrative… Gundy had high hopes in Wes Lunt and now they’re out the door. Thankfully, he hasn’t reached his Whit’s end, however.

Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh both threw for more than 1,500 yards last season, and at times, both looked able to lead the Cowboys through just about any Big12 challenge.

Chelf has the experience of learning behind Brandon Weeden, and Walsh has proven he is tough as nails. Even better, the two ball tossers know how to share. Last season, Gundy ran Walsh out in short yardage situations and was successful at thwarting most defenses.

Aside from Chelf and Walsh, there were four other QB’s who made appearances in the Orange v. White game this spring (it’s an inner-squad scrimmage where everybody is a winner and there are orange slices after the game).

Let’s not forget, there are rumors that this will be the fastest offense OSU has ever ran.

There’s a car dealer in town who might disgree. We’ll see.

Yes, Lunt will be missed in Stillwater, but don’t expect this well dressed offense to miss a beat.

Lunt Leaves

Oklahoma State’s prized quarterback recruit from 2011, Wes Lunt, will transfer, OSU coach Mike Gundy announced Thursday.

“We appreciate Wes and we thank him for everything he has done,” Gundy said. “He’s leaving on good terms and is making this decision based on what he thinks is best for his future.”

Lunt did not disclose his transfer destination but commented on his decision to leave the Cowboys.

“This was not a decision I took lightly, but it is a decision that I felt was right for me,” Lunt said. “I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the entire Oklahoma State University community. Specifically, I would like to thank the coaches, players, and the whole OSU football family. I wish the Cowboys the best of luck in the future.”

Gundy named Lunt the starter prior to the 2012 season, making him the first true freshman to start an opening game for the Cowboys since 1950. Lunt leaves OSU with 1,108 passing yards, six touchdowns, and seven interceptions in six starts.

The Rochester, Ill, native left high school a semester early after choosing OSU over multiple other schools, including Oregon, Iowa, and Indiana. His playing time as a Cowboy was limited due to a knee injury and a high ankle sprain in the third game of the season.

Lunt was forced to watch as J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf took over the quarterback responsibilities for the remainder of the year. To cap off the rocky first season, Lunt’s main recruiter, Todd Monken, left his post as offensive coordinator to become the head coach at Southern Miss.

Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt looks on during a game in Boone Pickens Stadium, Lunt will transfer for 2013.

Rhodes To Victory

Oklahoma State’s Cowgirl golf team won its eighth Big 12 Championship on Sunday with a two-stroke victory at The Harvester Golf club in Rhodes, Iowa.

This is OSU’s second victory on the year, and it comes in a season in which the team never placed outside the top 10. Coach Allan Bratton brought the championship home in just his second season at the helm.

This is great.” Bratton said. “I talked to my team about how pleased I was with them all week. We are very happy to get this win. This is the expectation at Oklahoma State.”

The Cowgirls were led by Kelsey Vines, who finished tied for fifth place with a scorecard of 79-72-75 to go 10-over-par through 54 holes. Vines was named to the all tournament team, along with teammates Julie Yang, Jayde Panos and Josephine Janson. Lauren Falley also contributed to the effort, improving 12 spots from the first round to finish tied for 17^th place.

            “The strength of our team is our depth and that’s exactly how it played out this weekend,” Bratton said. “We had five players who were playing well, while most of the teams were riding one or two players who were playing well. Having four of our players in the top 10 was nice to see, that was really something. [Lauren Falley’s] last two rounds were really helpful for us, too.”

The first round of competition was a struggle for all teams, as harsh weather elevated the scores. Temperatures in the low 20s combined with 25 MPH winds to create great skiing weather, but the Cowgirls kept the masks in the bags and avoided the trees as they got within one shot of Texas Tech’s 28-over-par lead.

            “We did a great job that day after rallying after a poor start,” Bratton said. “I learned from Coach Holder a long time ago that less is usually more in golf when you’re coaching. You never know what might help out there, whether it’s a pep talk or a little bit of advice or being their cheerleader here and there.”

            The second round brought better weather and far lower scores. The Cowgirls held on to the second spot, finishing 1-over-par on the day and just a stroke behind Baylor with 18 holes to play.

            Yang carried the team through the first two rounds before a challenging final round landed her in a tie for seventh. Her performance of 76-72-79 was strong enough to give her team a lift in the early rounds, and it was eventually enough to lift the trophy.

            There were certain holes that were key holes because of the wind,” Bratton said. “I got to watch Julie [Yang] a little and she did a good job with some of those.”

            As great as it is, this weekend’s accomplishment is only next weekend’s motivation. The next match on the schedule is the Bedlam Cup. The raucous rivalry between the Cowgirls and the Sooners will take place at Karsten Creek in Stillwater on April 27. It’s a one-day event and it will be free for all students. This is the only time fans can catch the Cowgirls competing in Stillwater this year.

After that, the Cowgirls will move on to the NCAA Championship tournament beginning May 21.

Alex Dieringer, InterMat and AWN Freshman of the Year

John smith was just named the InterMat Coach of the Year. It was well deserved.

But it might not have happened without the help of Alex Dieringer. The Portland native was named Freshman of the Year by both InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News for his performance this year.

Dieringer was the Cowboys’ starter at 157 pounds. And although he placed 3^rd at nationals after being considered an outside shot to make the tournament, this ending- this honor- was no surprise to him.

“I came in thinking I could do well,” Dieringer said. “Knowing that I’m a freshman and I’ll have some bumps in my road. Matches you lose sometimes make you better. I lost twice this year and I think the middle of the season was real tough; having to watch my weight and be in practice every day and keep my mind right. But I got back in the right spot.”

Dieringer finished 35-5, including a Big12 title and a 3^rd place finish at nationals. He beat seven ranked opponents and pummeled through the rest of the field, picking up 25 bonus point wins. Thirteen of them were major decisions, 10 were falls, and two were tech falls.

During the season, Dieringer was among the most confident of interviewees. In November, he told the media that he was going to make nationals. he was a freshman, he had never started in a DI dual meet.

Nevertheless, he won a conference title, earned All-America status and was two wins from being at the top of the podium at nationals.

“I wrestled really well. It feels good to come back like that,” Dieringer said. “I was just inches from competing in the finals tonight so that hurts, but I’ve got three more years. I’m going to make sure to build off that [semifinals] loss.”

Three more years.

John Smith, InterMat Coach of the Year

One of Oklahoma State’s own, John Smith, has long been a fixture in the U.S. and Olympic wrestling communities. History bears his name time and time again as the best in the sport, whether as a player or coach.

But his trophies and successes are displayed on the walls, not in his demeanor.

After hearing that he was named the InterMat Coach of the Year for 2012-13, Smith, 47, gave a humble reply.

“It’s a great honor,” Smith said. “With those kinds of honors come a great staff. Without them it would be impossible.”

Smith led his team to its 45^th conference title and a second place finish at the national championship, coming one match short of adding to the five national team titles he has won as OSU’s coach.

“It says a lot about the chemistry and commitment of this team,” he said. “It doesn’t come without consistency. These days, there are a lot of challenges to being consistent. But I had a group of men who bought into it, and we obviously gave ourselves a chance.”

The award, although not administered by the NCAA or NWCA, is a widely respected one. It has been given since 2006 by writers and executives at InterMatWrestle.com, a website that provides rankings for high school and college wrestling. This is Smith’s second time to receive the award.

2013 NCAA Wrestling Recap

(A bit delayed, but this is my recap, as it appeared in Monday’s Daily O’ Collegian)

DES MOINES, Iowa – Oklahoma State’s search for its 35th national championship will continue next year, as the Cowboys finished second in Saturday’s championship round.

The title chase came down to the final day of competition, and it was a thriller.

OSU and Minnesota were within reach of overtaking Penn State when the day began, and the Cowboys put up an especially strong effort.

With five wrestlers in the consolation bracket, the Cowboys were able to make up a 17.5-point difference before the championship round. Alex Dieringer, Tyler Caldwell and Alan Gelogaev each took third place in the team’s surge.

Chris Perry and Jordan Oliver did their part, each winning a national title. For Perry, it was his first.

“It’s unexplainable,” Perry said. “There’s so many people that I have in my life that I want to win for. I have so many great people that help get me through, and it’s just indescribable. It’s almost a shell shock moment when you’re up there. You don’t even know what to do when you win.”

Perry will be back next year to defend his title, but for teammate Jordan Oliver, this year’s title was a fitting end to a remarkable career. Oliver became OSU’s 13th four-time All-American.

“It’s awesome to win another title,” Oliver said. “I’m happy to be a part of the Cowboy tradition and getting to cap off my senior season with my second national title. It’s been an honor wrestling under Coach Smith and for Oklahoma State. It’s been a great journey.”

Despite crowning two champs, the Cowboys were unable to deny Penn State its third consecutive championship. Penn State’s Ed Ruth and Quentin Wright won their title matches and sealed the deal. OSU’s coach John Smith didn’t take his team’s effort for granted.

“We gave ourselves a chance today,” Smith said. “We did everything we could. We won nine out of 11 matches on the final day of competition. Any other time we’ve done that, we’ve come home with a team title. It hurts, but I’m proud of our team’s effort. We came to wrestle, and that’s what we did.”

For the first time since 2005, OSU finished with seven All-Americans, five of whom will return for the 2013-14 season.

Looking forward, Cowboys fans can expect to see more of the same from this group.