BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The Tulsa Tech Broken Arrow Campus is home to a rare musical artifact and a local non-profit hopes to spread the word about it.
"We're keeping something alive that's been here for so long," said Logan Davis, a member of The Sooner State chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society.
At 19 years old, he's drumming up support for a 96-year-old instrument. "A 1928 Robert Morton Organ!" said Davis.
It's no ordinary organ; it's a theatre organ originally designed to accompany silent films of the 1900s. "You could have anything from a bird whistle to a car horn to a drum cymbal to an oogah horn. Anything you can think of- all at the touch of a button," said Davis.
He describes the theatre organ as like having a full orchestra at your fingertips.
"There are very few of these- only a few hundred in the world at this point," said Davis.
That's why he joined the Sooner State chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society, a non-profit organization that breathes new life into these historic instruments. "I'm the youngest member of the chapter at this point—hopefully, for not much longer; we would like to see new blood in the group," said Davis.
By spreading the word, he's hoping to spark interest.
Each organ has a story to share. "This one at Tulsa Tech started in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1928. So we say potentially, Dean Martin might have seen a silent movie with this organ playing behind it. In the 1960s, a church called the Cathedral of the Christian Crusade set out to have a theatre organ and sourced this," said Davis.
He explained that the chapter purchased the organ when the church closed and brought it to Tulsa Tech Broken Arrow in the 80s.
"Everyone looks at this and says this is the organ- in all honesty- this isn't really the organ- this is just the brain of the organ. From here, though, you have control over everything," said Davis.
It's connected to two large chambers, with nearly 1000 pipes and instruments. "It's a real breathing thing. There's no electronic imitation or anything," said Davis.
The 1928 Morton theatre organ is one of three public theatre organs the chapter maintains. There's one at the Muskogee Civic Center and the Circle Cinema, where you can catch a show on the second Saturday of every month. "You can sit down and experience the silent movie just to see what it was like in 1928," said Davis.
There are concerts in Broken Arrow every third Friday of the month, too. After every concert, the group offers tours that take you backstage, allowing everyone to play the nearly 100-year-old organ. It's a hands-on approach to sharing the organ's magic.
"I feel if the instrument has survived this long, it's the least I can do to try and come in and help it stay alive a little longer so more people can experience it," said Davis.
A way of ensuring this piece of the past plays on.
There is a free concert on Friday, August 16, at 7 p.m. at the Broken Arrow Tulsa Tech Campus. Augustfest will feature performances on the 1928 Robert Morton theatre organ and music from the Tulsa German American Society's Blaskapelle Band.
You can learn more about other shows, concerts, and the Sooner State Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society HERE.
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