08/20/2026
NEW PODCAST ALERT!
Show business entertainers who can dance, sing, and act are called “triple threats.” Before Oklahoma City University created it in 1980, there was no university in the USA that taught students how to succeed in the industry. Lots of schools had wonderful programs to create dancers or singers or actors, but it was Jo Rowan and her husband John Bedford who put it all together, along with the business aspect, and established the top school in the nation. And it stemmed from a photograph. The baseball-loving tomboy from Kentucky, who was told that she found her passion for ballet too late in life to be successful, spent years on Broadway and touring the world before landing in This Town. Her awards and accolades could fill a book. And she’s still going!
Post-production by Fred O. Bishop
Sponsored by Carpenter Square Theatre
On all platforms. Substack link:
https://rickallenlippert.substack.com/p/this-town-okc-podcast-jo-rowan?r=17il7g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
08/13/2026
NEW PODCAST ALERT!
With the unique style that Galen Culver has used to spotlight interesting Oklahomans for 35 years on KFOR, you'd think he was a native Okie, but you'd be wrong. He hails from Salem, Oregon! After school at the University of Washington, he took the first broadcast job he was offered, in Ft. Smith, where he met a young Kevin Ogle who convinced him to move to This Town. After a few years of working as a news photographer, Galen took over "Is This a Great State or What." He's won numerous awards for his work, and lucky for us, has no plans to retire any time soon.
Post-production by Fred O. Bishop
Sponsored by Carpenter Square Theatre
On all platforms. Substack link: https://rickallenlippert.substack.com/p/this-town-okc-podcast-galen-culver?r=17il7g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
08/03/2026
NEW PODCAST ALERT!
She's a self-described "Route 66 Kid" having grown up near Tally's Cafe in Tulsa. An Art History course changed the course of her life that eventually led her back to OU to get her MA. A 3-month residency in Mexico to study Aztec art turned into a 3-year stay. In 2006, Amber became the Visual Arts Director at the Oklahoma Arts Council where her first task was to create a 4400 sq. ft. gallery in the Capitol. After becoming the Director in 2013, she made sure that the multi-year Capitol renovation showcased the best of the state's art collection. In this podcast, Amber pays homage to her two mentors, OU professor May Jo Watson and former OAC director Betty Price and also tells why she is optimistic about the future of arts in Oklahoma.
Post-production by Fred O. Bishop
Sponsored by Carpenter Square Theatre
On all platforms. Substack link: https://rickallenlippert.substack.com/p/this-town-okc-podcast-s2e17-amber?r=17il7g
07/08/2026
NEW PODCAST ALERT!
Not many architects get the opportunity to design an art museum. But Allen Brown did. Not only did he design This Town's flagship cultural institution, he changed the face of downtown. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art was in the original Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) plan that revitalized downtown OKC - until the virtual last minute. Allen was in the thick of it and tells the fascinating story of how the museum came to be in its location and how he came to be the designer.
Post-production by Fred O. Bishop
Sponsored by Carpenter Square Theatre
Available on all platforms. Substack link: https://open.substack.com/pub/rickallenlippert/p/this-town-okc-podcast-s2e16-allen?r=17il7g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
06/04/2026
NEW PODCAST ALERT!
Few women in This Town have had such a positive impact as Rhonda Hooper. As President and CEO of Jordan Associates, she has guided major advertising campaigns that have celebrated our state and city. We discovered in this interview a common, long-ago project on which we both worked, the anti-litter Don’t Lay That Trash on Oklahoma campaign! But before she rose to her current position, she earned her seat at the table through hard work and perseverance. In fact, before MAPS transformed This Town, Rhonda and others created an initiative called Forward Oklahoma that ultimately led to that master plan. This Louisiana tomboy blossomed at Oklahoma State University where she continues to serve in the highest echelons. Her volunteer board work keeps her going to more meetings than there are days of the week.
Sponsored by Carpenter Theatre
Post-production by Fred O. Bishop
On all major platforms. Substack link:
https://open.substack.com/pub/rickallenlippert/p/this-town-okc-podcast-s2e15-rhonda?r=17il7g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
07/08/2026
06/04/2026