Arts! Arts! Arts! is the annual gala event which has raised well over $1.75 million in support of development opportunities for Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts faculty and students over the last 34 years. Your support directly contributes to the future success of our students, faculty and programs!
for an evening celebrating the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Oklahoma Memorial Union
OU Norman Campus
Ed Harris, an acclaimed actor and four-time Academy award nominee, is known for his powerful performances in films such as Apollo 13, The Truman Show, Pollock, and The Hours. A versatile artist, he also directed the acclaimed films Pollock and Appaloosa. Born in New Jersey, Harris has deep ties to Oklahoma, where his parents were born and both attended OU. After studying at Columbia University, Harris attended the OU School of Drama before continuing his training at CalArts and creating a distinguished and prominent career in Hollywood.
Melissa Schoenfeld has dedicated over 30 years to advancing dance education and performance as Artistic and Executive Director of Western Arkansas Ballet. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Ballet Pedagogy, she has trained generations of dancers, led the production of the full length, The Nutcracker, and expanded access to the arts through outreach programs for children with disabilities. Her own students have attended the OU School of Dance and established successful professional careers. Melissa has hosted multiple Regional Dance America Conferences, inspiring hundreds of young dancers at each, and recently launched a Dance for Parkinson’s program in collaboration with a Ft. Smith hospital. Her leadership and commitment to excellence exemplify the values of the College of Fine Arts, inspiring current and future generations of artists, and taking the arts into multiple communities through successful private, corporate, and public fund raising efforts.
Dr. Montgomery dedicated 47 years to Langston University, retiring as Vice President of Academic Affairs in 2019. The first Black PhD graduate in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma, he advanced academic excellence, student achievement, and institutional growth. Under his leadership, Langston secured over $6 million in grant funding, established impactful STEM and professional development programs, and forged partnerships benefiting students statewide. A 30-year Army veteran, Dr. Montgomery’s legacy of service, mentorship, and innovation earned him induction into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 2024, inspiring future generations to pursue excellence.
Since graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2011, Kirk Fitzgerald has built a remarkable career as a lighting designer, contributing to 22 Broadway shows as an Assistant and Associate Lighting Designer. Notable credits include Tony Award-winning productions The Band’s Visit and MJ: The Musical, along with Kimberly Akimbo, Into the Woods, and Mrs. Doubtfire. Beyond Broadway, Kirk has toured nationally and internationally with theatrical productions and serves as Associate Lighting Director for ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. His work spans television projects like Étoile (Amazon Studios) and Netflix comedy specials. Kirk exemplifies the professional artistry and work ethic fostered at OU Drama, inspiring students by mentoring and sharing his network and experiences, while demonstrating the career possibilities that stem from excellence in training and dedication to the craft.
A 2004 graduate of OU’s Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theater, Jared Watson is a producer, director, actor, and designer who co-founded Stage Center and its School of Performing Arts, where he has directed and produced over 100 productions. A former participant in Lincoln Center Theater’s Directors Lab and a marketing associate for Broadway.com, Jared has worked with Tony Award-winning professionals and spent five seasons as an actor with Lyric Theater of Oklahoma. An educator and mentor, he established the Talented Arts Program for Bossier Parish schools and directed award-winning youth productions recognized at the Junior Theater Festival. Through his dedication to the arts and his students’ success, Jared exemplifies excellence and inspires the next generation of theater professionals.
Brian Lee Whisenhunt, Executive Director of the Gilcrease Museum, has built a distinguished career in the museum field. Before joining University of Tulsa in 2024, he served as Executive Director of The Rockwell Museum in Corning, New York, where he expanded the collection by 25%, increased attendance, and oversaw the museum's 50th anniversary celebration and reaccreditation. Earlier roles included leadership positions at the Museum of the Southwest, Wichita Art Museum, and Blanton Museum of Art. Whisenhunt, who holds a master’s degree in art history from the University of Oklahoma, has also completed the prestigious Museum Leadership Institute program.
Throughout his career, he has inspired others, mentoring OU alumni like Kate Swanson (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Chlesea Herr (Gilcrease Museum). A frequent speaker to students, Whisenhunt exemplifies the professional potential for museum leaders. At the Gilcrease, he is leading the completion of a new museum facility, showcasing how students can make a transformative impact in their communities through regional arts leadership.
