OAK to include $1 million stage, performance venue that will host festivals, ice skating
Event producers Graham Colton and Brian Bogert are in talks with developers of the OAK to bring live entertainment to the heart of the mixed-use project being built in northwest Oklahoma City.
Colton is helping design a stage and performance area that will accommodate up to 1,750 guests for an array of local and regional music, events and festivals. The $1 million stage is set to be built under the 25-foot-tall sculpture “Cloud Trees,” a set of illuminated bronze tree trunks and a shared canopy of mirror-polished clouds.
The sculpture, along with “Cloud Puncher” by artists Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin, are being constructed out of stainless steel similar to the Chicago bean-shaped sculpture “Cloud Gate.”
More: OKC is getting its own Chicago Bean: See the planned stainless steel sculptures
“It was very exciting to collaborate with Brad and Christy to design a multi-purpose stage/art piece that will serve as a hub of a variety of entertainment. This is built quite literally under a piece of art. It’s an exciting challenge to work within such a beautiful piece of art and keep its integrity while accommodating technical needs for performances.”
What will be included in the OAK development?
OAK, at 5101 N Pennsylvania Ave., is being developed by Ryan McNeill and Everett Dobson and is set to open later this year. The development includes the 132-room boutique Lively Hotel, 320 apartments, and an array of upscale restaurants and retail.
The stage and art pieces will anchor a 7,000-square-foot green space that will be named Heartwood Park, a name suggested through an online survey. The name, McNeill said, refers to the dense core of a tree. The name OAK refers to old oak trees preserved on the property.
Heartwood Park is set to host more than 100 events per year, including an inaugural Signature Events Series that will include live music, workout classes, farmers markets, a Mardis Gras Mambo, a 3v3 basketball tournament and Kentucky Derby watch party.
McNeill said the 2024 holiday season will include an ice-skating rink inspired by Central Park’s Wollman Rink in New York City. The holiday events also will include a pop-up snow lodge and silent disco with Santa.
More: The story behind "OAK"
McNeill said Colton and Bogert bring expertise to the stage design that will ensure its success.
“We knew if we made assumptions without bringing in their knowledge base, we would limit ourselves to what shows we could bring in eventually,” McNeill said. “The park will be constrained by virtue of its space and be limited in what we can do. But we want to get all we can get out of it.”
McNeill also announced Monday OAK will be managed by McLemmon Group, a property management and consulting firm with over 50 years of combined experience in managing mixed-use assets.
“Oklahoma City is ready for more ways to experience premier live entertainment,” said Stacy Schuch, OAK’s general manager. “We know what it takes to put on a great show. Our experience in delivering top-of-the-line talent paired with OAK’s commitment in creating vibrant community experiences will come together to introduce an entirely new entertainment platform for OKC.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OAK to bring mix of art, performances to OKC mixed-use development
