Show #24: Bartlesville, OK

Bartlesville Community Center
February 23, 2006

● February 22

A day off! Man, did I ever need this one. Thankfully, as our exhaustion builds, the tour schedule gets easier. This was our last stretch of six shows in a row. We have no more than three in a row from here on out… whew. We got to sleep in this morning, and then departed at noon for our grueling 45-mile drive to Bartlesville. I was a slug for the rest of the day, and was asleep before 10PM (unheard of for me, really.)

Miles traveled: 45
Hotel: Best Western

● February 23

Piano du jour: 9’ Steinway – score!

Four weeks down, two to go.

I woke up this morning very rested and ready to explore the environs. Stacey, (our birthday girl!) and JenDeen joined me for a day of adventure. Our first stop was to see the 19-story Price Tower, the tallest of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs ever to be built.

Just across the street was our venue for the evening – the Bartlesville Community Center – designed by one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s protégés. My goodness, I certainly wasn’t expecting architecture like this here in Bartlesville.

It’s very reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Gammage Auditorium in Tempe, AZ, where I did Phantom for several weeks in 1995.


Next on our tour of Bartlesville was the Frank Phillips House, a gorgeous old mansion built in 1908 by the founder of Phillips Petroleum.

We then drove twelve miles out of town to Woolaroc, the Phillips’ little country getaway, where they would entertain the hoi polloi of the day, including the likes of their dear friend, Will Rogers. It’s now a game preserve…

…and a museum, displaying much of the Phillips’ extensive collection of Native American and Western-themed art.


That evening, we arrived at the theatre to find that they almost got our name right on the marquee. The 1700-seat theatre is very beautiful inside.

Lobby chandeliers

The Green Room walls are covered with head shots of famous, and the not-so, who have played here over the years, including the legendary Carol Channing.

Here’s Ann doing her best impression…

Susan’s family and her in-laws all live in Oklahoma, and they were here tonight to see the show.

After the show, we had a surprise birthday party for Stacey, who turned 28 today!

Miles traveled: 0
Hotel: Best Western