The Gridiron traces its roots to 1932 when a group from Oklahoma City brought their musical satire to Tulsa.  They had some Tulsa material in the show, but given that the Daily Oklahoman doesn't cover Tulsa politics in any depth -- what would they really know about what is happening in our fair city?  In 1954, the Tulsa Press Club began staging the local version.  The Oklahoma City Press Club is now just a memory, but their Gridiron continues as an independent production and Tulsa's February 16 show hosted a contingent from that OKC crew. (Off the record, reporters from Oklahoma's two metropolitan newspapers love this rare opportunity to trade horror stories of merciless management and psychotic editorial judgment.)

Chuck Cissel assumed the role of Director of the Tulsa Gridiron for the 2001 show.  He is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and a native Tulsan returning home after more than 30 years as a professional dancer and vocalist on and off Broadway.  He has toured with Diana Ross, was an original cast member of "A Chorus Line," and has earned a penny or two in numerous national television commercials.  He is talented, but how he got roped into leading this rag-tag group of past-their-prime amateurs has got to be a story worthy of song.

The Chief Author of this year's show is P. Casey Morgan, Development Director for KWGS and goose stepping member of Kill the Christians Inc.  Her published bio claims she was an understudy to the Phone Sex Operator, but no one who has met her believes she could fit into the leather outfit.  She has never appeared on stage with the other authors of the show and hides her remarkably spiked toothy grin from any camera or reflective glass.

Surprisingly, D.J. Morrow Ingram, a woman of musical talent, intelligence, and outstanding interpersonal skills, now serves as Chair of the Tulsa Press Club Educational and Charitable Trust which stages the Tulsa Gridiron.  Her day job with the Tulsa Area United Way may have helped her manage this group of volunteers.  From past experience, this writer knows that is not an easy job.  She was last seen February 18 running through the streets of Tulsa shouting, "I'm free, I'm free."

This year's show was moved to the new Bernsen Center from the Assembly Hall of the Maxwell Convention Center.  It is a more intimate setting, but the stage is much lower and without risers on the stage or for the audience, some parts of the show were hard to see.

Our party at the February 16 premier included Michael Bates -- the real Michael Bates not the actor playing the part on stage.  Michael and his wife enjoyed the show and the lampooning of the most recent Tulsa Project 2K opposition.  Michael was a co-chair for the opposition and, at his request, the Tulsa Time Victory March follows:

Tulsa Time Victory March
by Tom Campbell, Tulsa Gridiron
Tune: Notre Dame Victory March

Cheer, cheer we have won the game
Tulsa Time is right down the drain
Send the No Vote cheer on high - We'll stop you ev-ry time you try

What though the odds be great or small
Penny pinchers will win over all
While we proud-ly stand up - For classic negativity.

Other highlights of the show include Jeff Buckley as President Clinton and Garth Brooks, David Averill as Goober, and author Randy Krehbiel's song "Run Again Sue."  Of course, as a reporter for the Tulsa World, Krehbiel doesn't have a clue what Republicans are doing in the community or who is planning to beat Mayor Savage Sue.  It does help to know local politics to understand the various levels of insults within the Gridiron. However, the "Long Suffering Mrs. A," enjoyed the show, even though she is from the old school that disdains publicity and public controversy. She thought the dancing chads were hilarious.

Proceeds from the Gridiron support journalism / communications scholarships to students attending Oklahoma colleges and universities.  As a professional journalist who once received one of those scholarships, this writer should recommend the show each year.  However, given the earned understanding that ; (1) journalism as an addiction worthy of a twelve step program, (2) the ruling editorial perspective is most often a view up a publishers rear end, and (3) the Tulsa Press Club violates its own bylaws in failing to foster First Amendment liberty while often betraying its own paying membership -- it ain't easy.