Oklahoma City Community College

On the campus of Oklahoma City Community College there is a magnificent visual and performing arts center. I found out about it when I was invited to a demonstration by the JBL audio company. Part of my other life is music and, since I already use their speakers, I went to see what new tech they had. It was an amazing presentation partly because of the products, but also because of the venue. After the folks with JBL were done, I lingered and snooped around the building. I've played music and acted on so many stages, I find each one fascinating. I get that pre-show thrill even when I'm not about to go on stage. As I was roaming the auditorium, I noticed a small gallery to the side of the main auditorium. It was sponsored by the Inasmuch Foundation which is a philanthropic organization that is striving for community enhancement, education, human services, and journalism to improve Oklahoma. Great people!

The fist time I went in, there were some wonderful photos by Bob Willoughby. He spent years taking candid shots of Hollywood. He would spot actors and actresses behind the scenes taking breaks, learning lines, or getting more familiar with their fellow cast members. As you can see from the photos below, he seems to be a fly on the wall with a camera. It was such a good exhibit!

I recently went back to see what OCCC had on display and discovered that I had made it in on the day that an exhibit was being taken down. I walked into a dimly lit gallery to see mostly empty displays, but some of the things were out being prepared to be boxed up. I managed to get some photos before anyone saw me there. I'm sure they wouldn't have minded anyway. The show they were taking down was to highlight Oklahoma's opera star, Leona Mitchell. Even with the show being taken down, I learned a lot about her and her time in some of the most famous operas ever staged. She grew up in Enid, Oklahoma where I used to spend a lot of time. But she bounced out of Enid and studied at Oklahoma City University and then on to Julliard. She spent 18 seasons as a lead spinto soprano the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (So you don't have to go look it up, "Spinto" is an Italian word that means forced or pushed. It basically means her voice was high, clear, and able to cut through the orchestra's music without losing the emotion of the performance.)

If you ever find yourself on the campus of OCCC, then consider stopping in the Inasmuch Gallery. I'm sure there will be a good exhibit in there to see. And even if you have to make a special trip to the south side, you should take the time to go check it out.

7777 S. May Ave. OKC

405-682-7576

Jonathan Elmore ©2025