Here is the current issue of our monthly newsletter The Windline.

Welcome to the website of the Sooner State Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society. We are headquarted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and have our monthly meetings at the Broken Arrow Campus of the Tulsa Technology Center, 129th E. Ave (Olive) and 111th St. Our meetings are at 7:00 on the third Friday of the month, (unless circumstances dictate another date).

In January for our Silent Movie program, videographer James Plumlee of the Tulsa World made a nine-minute video of our presentation.  You can view it here.

In February 2007 we elected our officers for the next two years. They are:   Bill Rowland, President   Don Sandkuhl, First Vice President   Jim Embrey, Second Vice President   Barbara Purtell, Secretary   Joyce Hatchett, Treasurer (At left: Sandkuhl, Rowland, Hatchett, Purtell, Embrey)

Our chapter owns a 1927 Robert-Morton 3-manual theatre pipe organ (see picture top of page) that we use for our programs. It was originally installed in the Capitol theatre in Steubenville, Ohio, then by a circuitous route found its way to Tulsa, where we acquired it and got it installed in the new campus at TTC in the 1980s.

Our members have also restored the 1927 four manual, forty-five rank Kilgen pipe organ at the Performing Arts Center of Tulsa Central High School. We promote the school's organ teaching program and concerts, which are open to the public. Our educational outreach includes bringing school children to Central High or TTC for a theatre organ experience. At right is the Central High School console.

Our programs feature some artists from out of the Tulsa area as well as local organists and usually give time for "Open Console" where members and non-members alike can try out the organ. At Christmastime, our members play two hours of seasonal music on selected days on the Aeolian residence pipe organ at Philbrook Art Center in Tulsa. At left is Bill Rowland at the Philbrook console.

Please feel free to come by and enjoy our programs, there is no admission charge but donations for organ maintenance and program expenses are appreciated! And, if you would like to receive our monthly mailed newsletter, the Windline just let us know.

Click here to visit the national website for the American Theatre Organ Society.

2008 Sooner State ATOS Events

Our first program for 2008 was January 18. We featured another in our series of silver screen classics, an award-winning movie with live accompaniment on our mighty Robert-Morton theatre pipe organ played by Bill Rowland. It played to a capacity crowd of almost 500 and folks were turned away because of lack of seating, it was our largest turnout yet. To see a short video about the event, complete with a tour of the console and pipe chambers, click here.

On February 15, we featured an all-Cole Porter program on our pipe organ with various local performers.  Shown at right are Joyce Hatchett, Barbara Purtell, Paula Hackler, Carolyn Craft, Jeanette Maxfield and Joe Maxfield, (seated) Phil Judkins and Bill Rowland.   (Click on photo for full-size view)
	In March our featured organist was Wally Brown, who has entertained so well in the past.  He included in his program some Native American antics as well!

Our May 16 program is also special, a three-for-one, with sing-alongs, requests, and a two-reel silent comedy after the refreshment break, accompanied by our own Phil Judkins.

June 20 will be another Silent Movie Night when we will be screening the 1920 classic "The Mark of Zorro" starring Douglas Fairbanks and accompanied by Bill Rowland on the mighty 80-year-old theatre pipe organ.

July 18 will be yet another treat, internationally known organist Don Thompson will present a program for us on our mighty theatre pipe organ.

Our August 15 program is going to be provided by our own Lynda Ramsay and Paula Hackler, and on September 19 we are planning our yearly Variety program in conjunction with the German American Society of Tulsa with their 1929 Geneva pipe organ.

Looking forward to November 21 for the final feature silent film in our schedule, plan to attend as we show "The Winning of Barbara Worth" from 1926 starring Ronald Colman, Vilma Bánky, and Gary Cooper, and on December 19 of course is our yearly Christmas party (for our members only) featuring catered Bar-B-Cue and lots of festive seasonal music on our theatre pipe organ.

Pictures by Bob Acker

Contents Copyright 2008 by Sooner State Chapter ATOS