Dylan Hammett

Growing up in a musical environment, Dylan Hammett began playing the guitar with her father at age 9. She started writing her original songs by age 13. Now 20 years old, she has written over fifty songs and has been performing at local clubs, restaurants, and events around Norman and Oklahoma City area for the last 7 years.

Her debut album "13 STEPS" chronicles the road to self-destruction and the come back of her youth. The majority of the songs were written when she was 14 and recently recorded. This album has the depth in emotions and lyrics that defies her age. For the connoisseur of music that looks beyond the boundaries of pop this debut album has the depth and artistic insight of a veteran of life, this is a must listen.

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnic baskets to enjoy the free outdoor show.

The Summer Breeze Concert Series is supported by grants from the Norman Arts Council and Oklahoma Arts Council, as well as the generous support of many local businesses, organizations and individuals.

For more information about Summer Breeze or other PAS programs, call 307-9320.

Photograph by Mark Williams

A reception for the artist will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, August 13, in conjunction with the Second Friday Circuit of Art. There is no admission charge for the exhibition and reception or for the various activities planned for the evening.

Williams’ return to the PAS gallery includes new works as well as some familiar ones. “Seeing and being aware of my surroundings allows me to show an obvious subject from a not-so-obvious point of view,” he explained. “I look for the unusual in the usual, the uncommon in the common, and then try to present in a visually pleasing way.”

At the Friday evening reception, Asia Scudder, wire sculptor, will work with children to create people, animals or their imaginative figures from safe, multi-color pipe cleaners. She will guide children in making their creations from 6:00-7:30 pm.

The Song Writers Association of Norman will provide music throughout the evening while Rick Fry demonstrates oil painting techniques.

PAS gallery exhibitions are made possible in part by grants from the Norman Arts Council, Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information on PAS and its programs,  call (405)307-9320.

The Performing Arts Studio will feature Kristin Hahn reading her original poetry on Sunday, August 8.   The reading begins at 2:00 PM in Norman’s Santa Fe Train Depot, 200 South Jones Avenue.  Light refreshments will be served.  There is no admission charge.  Everyone is welcome.

Kristin Hahn, a native Oklahoman, grew up in Southwest Oklahoma City.  In past lives, she was “a swimming pool inspector, proofreader for an advertising agency, high school English teacher, and editorial assistant at Progressive Farmer magazine.” 

After receiving her M.A. in Contemporary Literature from UCO in 1998, Hahn fell in love with teaching college.  She is currently an English Professor at Rose State College where she has begun  teaching Poetry Writing along with other classes.  In her spare time, she “enjoys making jewelry, playing the piano, and thinking about doing yoga” she says.  Her students continue to inspire her each day to become both a better poet and better person.

For additional information, call The Performing Arts Studio at 405-307-9320.

A two-day speech and acting workshop for individuals 50 and older is being offered by The Performing Arts Studio June 23 and 24.

The workshop is scheduled for 1-4 p.m. both days at PAS’s home in the historic Santa Fe Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave. It will be led by prominent vocal coach and teacher Rena Cook, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma. Cook holds the Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Presidential Professorship of Excellence in the Arts at OU.

PAS’s Second Stage Players, which performs various types of readers’ theatre throughout the Norman and surrounding communities, will serve as hosts for the workshop. Second Stage Players recently performed two live scripts at various Pioneer Library System locations as part of The Big Read 2010.

The first day of the workshop, “Voice in Action,” will focus on breath and voice work and integrating the two into acting.

“A step beyond traditional actor voice training, my voice workshops use toys and props to illuminate the essential aspects of voice – breath support, resonance, open vocal tract, optimum pitch, articulation - leading to grounded, authentic vocal usage, expanding range, and broadening physical expression and connections,” Cook explained. “The day will end with monologue work where the principles taught will be taken to the stage.”

The second day, “Dialects in Action,” will consist of a comprehensive vocal warm up, followed by work with a process for learning dialects. Participants will then choose several dialects to study and apply to real acting situations.

Cook has vocal coached such shows as Great Expectations, Dancing at Lughnasa, and Anna in the Tropics.  She is co-author and editor of Breath in Action: The Art of Breath in Vocal and Holistic Practice and has presented workshops throughout the United States and United Kingdom. 

Tuition for the workshop is $40 per person and enrollment is limited to 30. Space permitting, registration will continue until June 23. To register or for more information, contact PAS at (405)307-9320 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .