Tulsa Spotlight Theatre – Tulsa Performing Arts | Theatre Tulsa | Stuff to do in Tulsa | Tulsa Entertainment | Tulsa Spotlight Theater

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

Performance Oct 13, 14,15 and 20, 21, & 22

At the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre

Shirley Gilmore, Director

Click the photo!

Vintage souvenir program

2015: Audience zip codes

About us…the long version Archives: Who performed when

Click the graphic!

Master Calendar

Building Rehabilitation Project

Director’s notes to cast

Where we live

Fast Facts

On Saturday nights the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre stages The Drunkard, a hilarious melodrama. The family-friendly evening includes a variety show called the Olio and an audience sing-along of old-time tunes.

Seating is cafe-style. Food and beverages may be ordered and will be served to your private table.

Doors open at 7 p.m. The show ends around 10 p.m.

Kids $12, Seniors $17, Adults $20.

Reservations are essential.

Press or click to dial 918-587-5030 Map to 1381 Riverside Drive

The Drunkard and the Olio

It began on Nov. 14, 1953 and has never stopped! That’s how The Drunkard became America’s longest-running play. More than 3,000 Tulsans have participated on or offstage. More than a quarter-million have seen the show, making it a laughter-filled Tulsa tradition in which temperance triumphs and evildoers receive their merited fates. There are even tomatoes to throw at the villain!

The director is Tony-nominated writer-actor Joe Sears of Greater Tuna fame! “Today the play is performed in historical form as it was in the early days but with added salt and pepper fun for modern audiences to enjoy,” Mr. Sears says.

Doors open at 7 p.m. A singalong of old-time popular songs begins at 7:15. The show starts at 7:30 with the Olio: dancers, musicians, jugglers, magicians, or comedians. The play begins at 8 p.m. and concludes around 10 p.m. with the audience and cast singing God Bless America.

The auditorium is set up like a beer garden. Audience members are seated at private tables, which is why reservations are so important. During intermissions our serving crew will bring your order of made-to-order sandwiches, chips, beer, wine, coffee, and soft drinks.

How about an exclusive special performance for your workplace, club, or organization? Specials can be arranged for any night except Sunday.

Surprise Celebrities

Emma and Scott Pendleton with Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett

Starting with Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett on April 12, 2014 the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre began featuring “Surprise Celebrities” — individuals of note who will perform as the opening act of our Olio. Many such acts are scheduled for various Saturdays, but we won’t tell ahead of time if there is one nor who it is! Come and be surprised. And if YOU are a big name in Tulsa — talented or otherwise — contact us for you chance to be part of the series. We can even help you come up with an act!

Surprise Celebrity Honor Roll
04-12-2014	Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett
04-19-2014	Tulsa County Commissioner Ron Peters
04-26-2014	Tulsa University Professor Joseph Rivers
05-03-2014	Writer/Author Connie Cronley
05-10-2014	Pianist Dorothy McFadden
05-17-2014	“First Lady of Country Fiddle” Jana Jae
05-24-2014	KTUL Meteorologist Jennifer Zeppelin
05-31-2014	KWGS Station Manager Rich Fisher
06-07-2014	All Souls Choir Director Rick Fortner
06-14-2014	South Lakewood Baptist Church Minister Donald Morrow
06-28-2014	KOTV Channel 6 Personality LeAnne Taylor
07-12-2014	Flamenco Guitarist Lon De Ada
08-09-2014	Zoo lady Terrie Correll & friends
08-16-2014	Guitarist Joesf Glaude
08-23-2014	Vocalist Janet Rutland
09-20-2014	Philbrook’s Rand Suffolk
11-15-2014	Actor/Math Teacher Jeff Gaffen
11-22-2014	Bama Companies CEO Paula Marshall
11-29-2014	Oklahoma Aquarium COO Teri Bowers
1-24-2015	Vocalist Cynthia Simmons
2-14-2015	Vocalist Emily Chappell
5-16-2015	Vocalist Angie Cockrell

Audience Feedback

“I am 60 years old and have lived in the area all my life and now I wonder why I didn’t come sooner! Took my family and had a great time. I will be back and will bring friends.”

* * *

“I can’t think of anything that I would change. The food was good and the service was great.”

* * *

“I thought it was terrific and I can’t wait to take my two sons to see it too. I have one son that is interested in acting. Do you have anything available for kids in this situation?”

* * *

“It may be fun to volunteer and I’ll definitely tell others about the Theater. What are the plans for renovation?“

* * *

“We will definitely be back! Do you all have an email list?

* * *

“You guys run a fantastic production that is enjoyable and special every time.”

* * *

“My husband and I enjoyed ourselves tremendously, the play was exceptional, definitely a Tulsa gem!”

* * *

“We absolutely loved the evening at the Spotlight Theater. We will definitely tell our friends about it and will be back soon to enjoy another show.”

* * *

“I had not heard of the show, but the sorority ladies had set it up and said we would enjoy the play. Boy, I got into the drama and had a great time with the actors and M C. Would come to town to see it again.”

* * *

“The place was packed to full capacity, so the show was very lively and entertaining. I have already posted on FB how much fun we had and recommended that everyone must see the show. Thank you for a lovely evening!”

* * *

“Although I’ve lived in the Tulsa area for almost 60 years, and have heard about The Drunkard on many occasions, this past weekend we decided to “take the plunge” and attend the performance. WE LOVED IT! It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to be totally uninhibited. I screamed, I shouted, I sang, I kissed my wife, (it was Valentine’s day) and thoroughly made a fool of myself.”

* * *

“I really enjoyed all the interaction between the audience and the performers. It made the atmosphere even more welcoming!”

* * *

“We thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was a family celebration and very fun.”

* * *

“My friends and I had a good time. It truly felt like everyone was family and dedicated to the project.”

* * *

“We really enjoyed it. It was a Valentines Surprise from my husband who found it while looking through a magazine. He talked to some people he knew that lived in the Tulsa area and they recommended it, so we came. It was a fun evening.”

* * *

“My first visit to The Tulsa Spotlight Theater was very enjoyable! The Drunkard was terrific & the tomato toss was a great touch; just like the Tim Conway/Harvey Korman skits on the Carol Burnett Show, the unexpected, unscripted, laughter-filled moments were the most memorable.”

* * *

“Our group of 15 had a great time. We thoroughly enjoyed the show.”

* * *

“Everyone in your organization very professional and extremely nice!”

Volunteer

We couldn’t have thrived for 60+ years without the more than 3,000 Tulsans who participated as cast or crew along the way!Perhaps after seeing our show, you might want to be part of the fun! Our all-volunteer organization has plenty of opportunities. Auditions for The Drunkard are held the first Wednesday of every month, 6:30 p.m. at the theatre. Olio auditions are held occasionally when announced.

In order to hear about auditions for our children’s plays or the Olio, please subscribe to our e-mail announcements.

Eager to get involved? Call 918-587-5030

Ticket Prices

$12.00 for children under 13.

$17.00 for seniors (62+)

$20.00 for adults (13+)

Groups of 10+ adults save $3/ticket.

Seating is cafe-style. A table will be arranged for your group. Therefore, advance reservations are essential!

Press or click to dial…

918-587-5030…Or…

Sign up for news

Sign up to hear about auditions and events

* This info is required.

E-mail Address *

First Name *

Last Name *

Mobile Phone

Backstage Graffiti

Hours and Contact Info

Tulsa Spotlight Theatre
1381 Riverside Drive
Tulsa, OK 74127

Business hours are 1 – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. At other times please leave a message.

Press or click to dial…

918-587-5030

Press or click to email…

spotlight@spotlighttheater.org

Accessibility

Accessible parking, seating, and bathrooms are available at the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre.

Please make your need known when making reservations.

Private Events

Your event can happen here! Let the Spotlight host your wedding, music recital, CD release party, homeschool graduation, photoshoot and more! Film crews have made movies here.

Having a fundraiser? For a tax-deductible donation, we will provide the building and entertainers for your charity fundraiser. You will sell the tickets and keep the proceeds.

Directors, Officers, Staff

The Drunkard and the Olio, the Spotlight Children’s Theatre, and the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre/Riverside Studio are functions of Tulsa Spotlighters, Inc., a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization recognized by the IRS in September 1957 and incorporated in Oklahoma on May 7, 1962.

Directors & Officers

Scott Pendleton, President/Secretary
Ted Reeds, VP Facilities
Dr. Tom Allen, VP Program Operations
Nancy Chambers, Treasurer
Ken Busby
Mark Gawey
Matt King
Julie Miner
Priscilla Mayfield
Leslie Shelton

Staff

Joe Sears, Artistic Director of The Drunkard
Shirley Gilmore, Director of the Children’s Theatre
Jere Uncapher, Office Manager

Covenant, Mission, Vision, Values

Covenant

Spotlighters acknowledge the opportunities we enjoy, and recognize our responsibility to pursue excellence, on stage and off.

We owe this to our audiences, our children, the heritage with which we are charged, and to each other.

Mission

In a spirit of festive collaboration, we volunteer to

Preserve responsibly and promote public use of our iconic building;
Educate young performers through scholarships, performing opportunities, workshops, and training, and
Perpetuate America’s longest-running play.

Vision

We provide the historic stage on which generations of Tulsans live their dreams.

Core Values

Stewardship of resources
Respect
Artistic excellence
Opportunity for personal development
Integrity
Service to others
Teamwork

Approved by task force members Larry Cochran, Scott Pendleton, Bill Jensen, Julie Skye, Patti Mullen.

Oct. 21, 2014

Reservation Request

Desired Saturday performance date

Name

Mobile telephone

Email address

Special occasion?

Number of tickets for Adults (age 13 – 62)

Number of tickets for Seniors/Military (age 62+)

Number of tickets for Children (under age 13)

Current schedules

Drunkard Hospitality Olio

Spotlighters Club newsletters

Current issue

Children’s Theatre Classes

August 5th, that’s a Saturday, at 9am until 12:30pm. We are offering 3 classes to help those who are or want to be a part of the children’s theater. No previous experience is required to take these classes. Or if you know someone who is thinking about becoming a part and don’t know what is involved, these classes will give them confidence to shine.

Tips on Auditioning – taught by Jami Harris Shine
Sensational – How to develop the character – taught by Monica Sallaway
Putting on the Make Up – taught by Racheal Yadon

$30.00 for all three classes. I will have make up kits available for $20.00 if you need one. I need to know if you want one by July 25 so you will have them for the class. These kits will last for many productions.

Call the theater soon to reserve a place for these classes. Our space is limited. The makeup kits will need to be paid for when you register to assure they will be available for the class.

If you have any questions call me – Shirley Gilmore 918-550-0994 or Jere at the theater 918-578-5030.

If you know of anyone that might be interested, be sure to pass the information to them. If you are not able to come that’s Okay. . . Look for more to come. . .

Finish your summer strong. See you at the Spotlight. . . .

Shirley Gilmore
Managing Director
Spotlight Children’s Theater

2017-18 Spotlight Children’s Theatre

The Adventures of Rikki Tikki Tavi
Auditions Aug 28 & 29 7pm
Performance Oct 13, 14,15 and 20, 21, & 22

Hansel and Gretel
Auditions Oct 16 & 17 at 7 p.m.
Performance Dec 1, 2, 3 and 8,9, 10

Tom Sawyer, Detective
Auditions Jan 8 & 9 at 7 p.m.
Performance Feb 16, 17, 18 & 2, 24, 25

The Sleeping Beauty
Auditions Feb 19 & 20 at 7 p.m.
Performance Mar 30, 31, April 1 & 6, 7, 8

Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen
Auditions April 4 & 5 at 7 p.m.
Performance May 18, 19, 20 & 25, 26, 27

All auditions are held at the theatre.

Tulsa Spotlight Theatre/Jennifer Carlson collection

Thirty boxes of disorganized paper archives posed no challenge to Jennifer Carlson. The Museum Management intern from Tulsa University seemed to fall in love with the mess. She visited week after week for well over a year to sort and groom the files into what is sure to prove a very valuable historical record for Tulsa.

Mere months before passing away unexpectedly in July 2017, Jennifer had completed the project and had transferred the last acid-free box into a new special collection at the downtown public library. In honor of her devotion, at our request the library has designated it as the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre/Jennifer Carlson collection.

The collection may be explored in the special room on the third floor of the library. It is also listed in the online catalog, if you know where to look: MyTCCL / Research and Learn / Local History. Then click the Digital Collections tab, and then scroll down to Finding Aids Collection.