These days, building a business that enriches lives is a rare occurrence. A fast-food franchisee may believe that opening a new location will be a lucrative investment, but other than money, what are the community benefits? For most franchise owners, money is enough of a reason. But what choices does a person have if they want financial stability and an opportunity to make a real difference in their community?
If you hold yourself to a higher business standard, franchise opportunities in Oklahoma City, OK are now available with Always Best Care.
Since being founded in 1996, thousands of American families have trusted Always Best Care senior care for compassionate home care services. We are known for providing the very best non-medical home care for seniors who wish to remain at home as they age. Our home care franchise owners play a crucial role in preserving the independence and dignity of our clients, and now you can too.
Simply put, the home care industry is booming. If you're reading this page, you're in the right place at the right time. As a result, you can find senior care business opportunities in just about every American community. As the home care market continues to grow, your home care business will grow as well, and that growth is easy to sustain when you consider these U.S. based stats:
During the next 30 years, seniors will make up 20% of the U.S. population. When given a choice, these people want to maintain their current lifestyle, not check into a nursing home. The challenge is that as people age, mobility problems, health issues, and memory lapses happen more frequently. About 80% of seniors have at least one chronic health condition, while 50% have at least two. So, while seniors want to age at home, they need a little help to do so. As an Always Best Care franchisee, that's where you come in - to provide consistent, compassionate support to the growing demographic of seniors who need care in your community.
The bottom line? Since home care is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., and seniors represent the fastest-growing demographic of our population, capitalizing on home business opportunities is a stable path to profitability for decades to come.
However, changing demographics aren't the only factor driving unprecedented growth in the home care industry. Attitudes are changing about aging, too.
Statistics show that most baby boomers have a strong desire to remain independent as they age. These hardworking Americans are turning their noses up at the idea of spending their golden years in a strange nursing home. They have an unshakeable yearning to live life at home as long as possible. This factor, combined with advances in modern medicine that are helping seniors live longer, has set the stage for more home care franchise opportunities than ever before.
Research by the University of Alabama shows that more than seven million people in the U.S. need some form of home care. This fact is bolstered by the rising trend of "aging in place." Seniors not only want to be self-sufficient - they wish to remain at home, where the surroundings are familiar and family is near. Always Best Care nurtures this need by providing quality in-home care that helps both the seniors in need and their families.
When you implement Always Best Care's proven business model, your senior care franchise in Oklahoma City, OK will become a pillar in your community. You will be part of a highly regarded, reputable organization that others will respect. While you refine your reputation and earn respect, you'll be living an entrepreneurial lifestyle that lets you make a difference in other people's lives.
Great entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for recession-resistant franchising opportunities. In light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, in-home care is now an essential service -- one that will continue to be needed, regardless of the economy. No matter what hurdles we must overcome, one thing is for sure: people will always need care.
At Always Best Care, our proven franchise model enables hundreds of dedicated franchisees the opportunity to achieve financial freedom in the most uncertain times. Our award-winning training program provides franchisees with the tools to succeed and the stability they need.
Always Best Care is one of the fastest-growing senior care franchise systems because our franchisees are more than just business owners, they are compassionate professionals dedicated to helping others. Perhaps most importantly, their home care business lets them care for people in their community while building a rewarding business for themselves.
There's a reason why Always Best Care is consistently recognized by media outlets like Entrepreneur Magazine, Franchise Gator, and Franchise Business Review. We are one of the few senior care franchise systems that offer individuals from all walks of life the chance to generate three potential revenue streams in their community:
Our practical, proven business model gives home care franchise owners the certainty of increasing revenue, the promise of longevity in the marketplace, and the perks of an entrepreneurial lifestyle. Our in-home care, assisted living, and home health care services are trusted by families across the country. And unlike some senior care businesses, the Always Best Care brand is synonymous with excellence. We are dedicated to doing everything possible to help you build a successful home care franchise in Oklahoma City, OK, including:
Like most things in life, you must establish a solid base of knowledge and expertise to achieve success in the home care industry. Fortunately, our unmatched training and support system makes it easy for new franchisees to get started on that path sooner rather than later.
Always Best Care has one of the most successful training systems in the industry. Aptly named ABCUniversity, our training program focuses on the operational activities of setting up, managing, and marketing your senior care agency. During your franchise onboarding process, you will work directly with a National Director or Area Representative, as well as the VP of Franchise Training.
We utilize a variety of media resources and time-tested techniques to help new franchisees absorb the Always Best Care system. When training is complete, new business owners learn the key methods needed to operate a successful Always Best Care franchise.
Building a successful senior care business isn't easy, and it will take time. However, Always Best Care provides new franchisees with unparalleled ongoing support on both local and corporate levels.
Based near your local franchise market, National Directors and Area Representatives provide business-building advice, on-the-spot coaching, and one-on-one mentoring. They offer extensive industry experience throughout multiple markets with guidance from our Executive Leadership Team - an invaluable experience for new and seasoned franchisees alike.
Always Best Care was one of the first senior care franchise companies to provide this additional layer of local assistance, mentoring, and proactive strategic growth. All new franchise owners can count on the following:
Our experienced corporate team works with new in-home care franchise owners to provide comprehensive training for you and your staff, marketing resources, performance metrics, turnkey operating tech, systemwide benchmarking, national accounts, and customer satisfaction support.
Your local Area Representative and our National Directors work with all new franchisees to arrange mentoring opportunities, communications and team-building strategies, and ongoing strategic planning. That way, you have a leg up in your market and access to key resources to build your confidence as you develop your business.
Your Always Best Care franchise development specialist will make sure you have contact information in your state to complete any state licensure requirements. We link you to the nation's top health care licensure consultants, thus allowing you to discover the most cost-effective and time-efficient procedures to get your license, launch your business, and begin serving your community.
Each Always Best Care franchise territory is protected and exclusive to you using zip codes in your state.
Our powerful combination of corporate and local support paves a clear and proven path for new Always Best Care franchise owners to succeed. And with your initial training, field training, and ongoing support, you always have access to Always Best Care repesentatives as you grow your senior home care business.
You may have seen a home care franchise for sale in Oklahoma City, and thought to yourself, "I can do this! The timing may not get better than today." Of course, being ready and motivated to take on the challenges of franchise ownership is a must. However, some very careful self-analysis is needed before buying a franchise.
The reality is this: business ownership is not easy. While Always Best Care does everything in its power to set up new franchisees for success, the franchise owner must be prepared to manage the business. The very best home care franchise owners accept that they may have to work harder than they ever have in their lives.
Are you ready to make that commitment?
Ask yourself these questions before moving forward, so you can make a rational, educated purchasing decision:
The "secret" to franchising success is the consistency of the services and products that customers find at franchise locations. When you advertise the sign and logo of a franchise, you're letting customers know that you follow a specific system. If you are fiercely independent and refuse to follow established formulas, home care franchising might not be for you.
Anybody thinking about opening a home care business needs to be honest about their finances. One of the most common reasons businesses fail is a lack of capital. Remember, you will need enough money to both open and operate your home care business. Though Always Best Care is proud to offer low start-up costs relative to other franchises, an investment of time and money is required.
Your ability to interact well with your franchisor, franchisees, employees, and customers is crucial to your initial and ongoing success. After all, many franchise businesses are based around interacting with people. During the course of your day, a solid problem-solving skillset is also needed to succeed. To run a successful franchise, it's crucial to maintain good relationships with your corporate team, in-house staff, and customers.
If you're ready to seize the day and take destiny into your own hands, we're prepared to help you with the next steps of owning an Always Best Care franchise.
The next steps in your discovery process is to talk with an Always Best Care representative, request a Franchise Disclosure Document, complete an application, and "validate" everything you have learned about our winning franchise business model. Once complete, you will have a candid discussion with current franchisees who have been selected by experience to reach their entrepreneurial dreams.
At Always Best Care, we believe in providing you with the info you need to make an informed choice about our home care business franchise opportunities. Our Franchise Disclosure Document has detailed information covering the most important matters for prospective franchisees. We consider your Franchise Disclosure Document to be an indispensable legal document covering your rights and obligations. Once read, you will understand the relationship between Always Best Care and its home care franchisees.
With your discovery process finalized, your last few steps will be to have a private conversation with Always Best Care President and CEO Jake Brown. After your one-on-one meeting, our corporate team will approve or deny your status as an Always Best Care franchisee. Your personal meeting with our President and CEO may take place via video conference or phone. If you prefer, we can make arrangements for an in-person Discovery Day, where you can meet with our executive team at our corporate headquarters in Roseville, CA.
If you have made it this far, it's now time to learn more about Always Best Care and the enriching opportunity that lies ahead. If you are ready to turn your dreams of living an entrepreneurial lifestyle into reality, you're closer than ever before. By downloading our free E-Book , you're taking the exciting next steps towards building a home care business that makes a true difference in your community.
OKLAHOMA CITY — After a 10-game losing streak in December gave way to a five-game winning streak around Christmas, the Washington Wizards finally evened out in the first week of 2023.Their return to earth looked like this: a win against the shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks on New Year’s Day, a loss to the nearly full-strength Bucks two days later and a thorough fleecing Friday night in a 127-110 loss by a young, bold and athletic Oklahoma City that those paying attention might’ve been able to smell from a mile away....
OKLAHOMA CITY — After a 10-game losing streak in December gave way to a five-game winning streak around Christmas, the Washington Wizards finally evened out in the first week of 2023.
Their return to earth looked like this: a win against the shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks on New Year’s Day, a loss to the nearly full-strength Bucks two days later and a thorough fleecing Friday night in a 127-110 loss by a young, bold and athletic Oklahoma City that those paying attention might’ve been able to smell from a mile away.
Coach Wes Unseld Jr. knew the dangers. He spoke before the game about the need to keep Thunder rising star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out of the paint, yet the guard moved like a freight train all night, picking up speed around midcourt and chugging along until he was full of steam and heading right toward his defender. Sometimes, the Wizards (17-23) didn’t have to get out of the way — Gilgeous-Alexander had a wide lane to drive on through.
Unseld spoke about Oklahoma City’s prowess in transition, too, and spectators had to whip their heads from side to side like it was a tennis match with how quickly the Thunder played. Oklahoma City’s frenetic defense was the foundation of its win, goading Washington into 20 turnovers.
The visitors, who were again without guard Bradley Beal, were behind nearly from the start. Beal is expected to miss at least two more games with what the team is calling a low-grade hamstring strain.
The Wizards’ biggest issue was solving the Thunder’s lockdown defense, which regularly picked up Washington players nearly at full court and buzzed at the top of the key, often forcing turnovers. Washington couldn’t keep up — it turned the ball over six times in the first quarter and fell into a 20-point deficit that grew to 26 before halftime.
The Wizards were so flustered on offense that it impacted their defense. Gilgeous-Alexander was potent in the paint early, but he didn’t need to carry his team. Thunder Coach Mike Daigneault played a fairly deep rotation with nine players, and everyone was active.
Unseld, on the other hand, was so desperate for a spark he called on backup guard Jordan Goodwin and backup wing Will Barton, both of whom had fallen out of the rotation and hadn’t played minutes before garbage time since Dec. 22.
They didn’t help. Oklahoma City (17-22) went into the locker room up 26 and shooting 54 percent from the floor with 10 three-pointers. The Wizards had racked up 11 turnovers.
The Thunder ended shooting 51 percent from the floor and had 17 threes. Washington made a late push, getting only as close as 14 in the fourth quarter.
Kyle Kuzma led with 23 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Daniel Gafford had 15 points and nine rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Will Barton added 14 points off the bench.
Kyle Kuzma received the seventh-most votes among Eastern Conference frontcourt players when the NBA released its first returns for the All-Star Game on Thursday. Kuzma, who is averaging career-highs in points (21.3), field goal percentage (46.0) and minutes (35.2), was the only Wizards player among the top 10 vote-getters for both guards and bigs.
One side effect of Unseld tightening his rotation last month was the lessening of Goodwin’s role. The backup guard had not played meaningful minutes since Dec. 22 before Friday, when Unseld brought him off the bench early. The Wizards needed a feisty, disruptive player like Goodwin to match the Thunder’s energy, and Goodwin did cause some havoc on defense. He had nine points in 22 minutes on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor.
(NerdWallet) – If you feel you have more to complain about these days, you may be right.The products we use are increasingly complex, which often means they have more ways to malfunction. Companies are still struggling to hire and retain workers, so the customer service representatives who are supposed to help you may not know how. And that’s if you can even get through to a human being after navigating webs...
(NerdWallet) – If you feel you have more to complain about these days, you may be right.
The products we use are increasingly complex, which often means they have more ways to malfunction. Companies are still struggling to hire and retain workers, so the customer service representatives who are supposed to help you may not know how. And that’s if you can even get through to a human being after navigating websites, automated chatbots and phone systems that seem designed to thwart you at every turn.
“You’re searching for where to call. Once you get through, you’re going to yell ‘agent!’ in the phone 12 times, and then they send you to the wrong place,” says Scott M. Broetzmann, chief executive of research firm Customer Care Measurement & Consulting in Alexandria, Virginia.
On average, customers made 2.9 contacts with a company while attempting to resolve problems, according to the firm’s 2020 National Customer Rage Study, which polled 1,026 consumers about problems with products or services in the past 12 months. A whopping 58% of respondents who complained got nothing — zero, zilch — as a result of their efforts. So perhaps it’s not surprising that 65% of those who had a problem experienced consumer rage.
If you want to improve your odds of getting results, and lower your blood pressure, consider the following tips for complaining effectively.
Broetzmann urges people to “pick their battles,” given how much effort is typically required to solve problems and how often they occur. The 2020 study found 66% of American households had at least one problem with products and services they purchased during the past 12 months, compared with 56% in the 2017 version of the survey.
“You will put yourself into a place of exhaustion and depression if you complain about every single thing that went wrong,” Broetzmann says.
Kevin Doyle, an editor at Consumer Reports, suggests people gather all the documentation they might need before reaching out to a company. That could include account, confirmation and order numbers, warranties and notes from previous interactions with company representatives, for example. Missing information could force you to start over on whatever phone or digital system you’re using to complain.
People who make complaints are about as likely to use digital tools such as email, live chats, company websites and social media as they are to pick up the phone, the 2020 study found.
Social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter have the advantage of being public, which puts some pressure on the company to resolve the problem. Posting your complaint on social media also bypasses the chatbots, phone trees, hold times and malfunctioning voice recognition software that can make customer service such a trial.
But of the 14% of respondents who used social media to complain about their worst problem, nearly half didn’t receive a response from the company, according to the study. So if you’re tempted to turn to social media first, be ready to have a backup plan that involves connecting with a human by phone, email or chat.
Part of your preparation should be boiling down your complaint to the essentials, including what happened and — more importantly — how you want the company to fix it. Too many consumers aren’t specific about what they want from the company, Broetzmann says.
Just make sure the remedy you suggest is commensurate with the problem, Doyle says. If the seatback TV didn’t function on your flight, don’t ask for a free ticket; ask for a credit for a drink or a meal on your next trip, he suggests.
“Are you going to get it? Who knows? But chances are, you’re not going to get it unless you ask,” Doyle says.
Resist the urge to explain every twist and turn of your journey, or to overstate your distress for dramatic effect. Extraneous details and exaggerations could make you easier to dismiss.
“Stick to the facts,” Doyle says. “Embellishing it is going to diminish your credibility.”
Being civil or even nice can win you points with weary reps too often exposed to abusive or aggressive customers. Doyle suggests building on that connection by asking the rep to put themselves in your shoes.
“If you invite them to imagine how they would feel, it can be effective,” Doyle says.
If the rep can’t seem to help you, try asking for a supervisor or simply calling back to get a different agent. (I recently had to call a bank three times before I found a rep who was willing to connect me to the department that could finally solve my problem.)
Anger is an understandable response when you get the runaround. But try to remember that the customer service rep is a human being too and didn’t cause the original problem, Doyle notes.
“You want to keep your cool,” Doyle says. “Because that’s the old adage: You really do catch more flies with honey.”
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) – No. 6 Texas took a key step toward moving past the Chris Beard era on Saturday. Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, was fired Thursday. Texas said in a letter to his attorney that Beard was “unfit” for the position.With interim coach Rodney Terry at the helm, the Longhorns focused on basketball. Marcus Carr scored 12 points in Texas’ 56-46 win over Oklahoma State, and Texas (13-2, 2...
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) – No. 6 Texas took a key step toward moving past the Chris Beard era on Saturday.
Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, was fired Thursday. Texas said in a letter to his attorney that Beard was “unfit” for the position.
With interim coach Rodney Terry at the helm, the Longhorns focused on basketball. Marcus Carr scored 12 points in Texas’ 56-46 win over Oklahoma State, and Texas (13-2, 2-1 Big 12) improved to 6-1 under Terry.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Terry said. “And I said to them the other day, probably more than any team in the country, this group has really stuck together and persevered through some adversity and some challenges. … They’ve really focused on what they can control and I think just kind of locked in and enjoyed playing with each other and being around each other every day.”
Texas bounced back from Tuesday’s 116-103 loss to Kansas State, despite shooting just 31.5% from the field against Oklahoma State. The Longhorns held the Cowboys to 30.4% shooting.
“We said that we needed to have a gritty team today,” Terry said. “You know, the team that was going to come in and play their hardest today and really try to max out defensively was going to have a chance to win this game today.”
Kalib Boone had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for Oklahoma State (9-6, 1-2), which narrowly lost to now-No. 3 Kansas on Dec. 31 and had a solid win over West Virginia before Saturday’s loss.
Oklahoma State’s Moussa Cisse, the 7-foot-1 forward who leads the Big 12 with 9.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, missed the game with an ankle injury.
“We missed him throughout the overall game, both offense and defense,” guard John-Michael Wright said. “He’s a big presence.”
Texas led 32-24 at halftime despite shooting 32.1% before the break. Eight Longhorns scored in the first half, but none posted more than five points. Texas held Oklahoma State to 33.3% shooting and outscored the Cowboys 12-7 from the free-throw line in the first 20 minutes.
An alley-oop dunk by Boone cut Texas’ lead to 43-41, and Caleb Asberry followed with a 3-pointer that finally gave the Cowboys a 44-43 lead with 8:20 remaining.
Oklahoma State didn’t make another field goal. A 3-pojnter by Texas’ Brock Cunningham with about two minutes remaining put the Longhorns up 53-46, the highlight of their 12-1 run over the final six minutes to end the game.
BIG PICTURE
Texas: It was a good defensive effort for the Longhorns coming off a game in which they gave up the most points they had ever allowed in a Big 12 game.
“We won this game on Thursday, not today on Saturday,” Terry said. “We won it back in Austin. You know, we came off a tough loss at home and we didn’t play very good defense in that ballgame and kind of got away from our identity.”
Oklahoma State: Even without one of their top players, the Cowboys hung tough against a top-10 team that had been averaging 84.1 points per game.
BLOCK PARTY
Even without Cisse, Oklahoma State blocked 12 shots. Boone’s six swats matched a career high and forward Tyreek Smith matched his career best with three.
UP NEXT
Texas: Hosts TCU on Wednesday.
Oklahoma State: Visits Kansas State on Tuesday.
The Dallas Mavericks play against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom CenterThe Dallas Mavericks are spending $7,336,244 per win while the Oklahom...
The Dallas Mavericks play against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center
The Dallas Mavericks are spending $7,336,244 per win while the Oklahoma City Thunder are spending $8,435,630 per win
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST on Sunday January 8, 2023
Broadcast Info
Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free) NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Free trial
National TV: N/A Home TV: Bally Sports OK Away TV: Bally Sports SW-DAL Home Radio: WWLS/WKY Away Radio: 97.1 FM / S: 99.1 FM
When the game is underway, you can follow it here!
Dallas Mavericks @dallasmavs Check out our Top Plays of the Week! @att | #MFFL pic.twitter.com/qqegMBmJ2X – 12:56 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS A thought on the Lakers doing the whole “let’s wait and horde our picks for a star” thing. By my count, there are at least seven teams doing the same thing: the Knicks, Mavs, Thunder, Rockets, Grizzlies, Jazz and Pelicans. All of those teams have more to offer. So does Miami. – 12:47 PM
Dallas Mavericks PR @MavsPR Luka Dončić recorded his 50th career 20-point triple-double last night, good for 8th in @NBA history. Last night was also the 50th career 30-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist game for Dončić, which ranks 10th in @NBA history. pic.twitter.com/RWJ3rLrTng – 12:22 PM
Dallas Mavericks @dallasmavs Can’t stop thinking about that No-Luka dime @bedgear #NBAAllStar https://t.co/v2OE03X0Ew pic.twitter.com/HLX0RRGj5F – 11:33 AM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs Mavs open a 5 game road trip tonight in OKC, and the road is where the West is going to be won this yr. Mavs are 7-11 on road, but have won last 4. No team in the West is >500 (DEN & MEM 10-10, SAC 9-9). @PeasRadio pre at 5:30. Tip w/Brad & me at 6:10 @971TheFreak – 11:20 AM
Oklahoma City Thunder @okcthunder we play basketball today pic.twitter.com/4zOuGlkWT3 – 10:45 AM
Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto “Last year I fell into the trap of trying to prove to people that I could shoot the ball …” How Josh Giddey, with help from Chip Engelland, changed his mindset as much as his mechanics. oklahoman.com/story/sports/n… – 10:35 AM
Dallas Mavericks @dallasmavs Last night through the lens @TIAA | #MFFL pic.twitter.com/6qDPTXXyN7 – 10:30 AM
Oklahoma City Thunder @okcthunder Sunset Sunday! Dallas Mavericks @PaycomCenter https://t.co/urId1g2BQO 6PM CT @BallySportsOK @sportsanimal #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/0gMxwBKMp4 – 10:19 AM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com Luka Doncic was tired of casual alley-oops, so he decided to spice some things up @NBATV pic.twitter.com/fwn6gpHSIC – 9:50 AM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com Luka Doncic says he watches more EuroLeague games than NBA pic.twitter.com/cG5rk9AqCE – 9:00 AM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet You can take Luka out of the #EuroLeague, but you can’t take the EuroLeague out of Luka #NBA eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/14… – 4:44 AM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype Luka Doncic says he watches more Euroleague than NBA pic.twitter.com/DtV7Bu32YF – 4:01 AM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com In his spare time, Luka Doncic hardly watches what his fellow candidates for the NBA MVP award are doing. The Slovenian star prefers to follow another league instead basketnews.com/news-183468-lu… – 2:05 AM
For Vance Klassen, the path from growing up in the small farming community of Lehigh, Kansas — "a town of 125 people on a good day" — to becoming a New York City-based singer, dancer and actor went right through Oklahoma City University."All these performance colleges are East and West Coast, these huge thousand-mile-away places — and I had never been out of state for anything longer t...
For Vance Klassen, the path from growing up in the small farming community of Lehigh, Kansas — "a town of 125 people on a good day" — to becoming a New York City-based singer, dancer and actor went right through Oklahoma City University.
"All these performance colleges are East and West Coast, these huge thousand-mile-away places — and I had never been out of state for anything longer than a vacation. So, I was looking for something a little bit more close to home, and, obviously, OCU popped up as one of the top 10," Klassen recalled.
"So, my junior year of high school — I didn't even wait 'til I was a senior to go on a tour — I dragged my dad and we visited campus. I checked out the programs ... and it became a dream of mine. I didn't really care where I ended up as long as it was OCU. That's where I needed to be."
The 2021 OCU graduate is ringing in 2023 by ringing doorbells in his old college town: Klassen is a member of the ensemble and an understudy for the lead role of Elder Price on the new national tour of the musical comedy "The Book of Mormon." The hilariously satirical 2011 Tony Award winner for best musical follows two young missionaries — dedicated go-getter Elder Price and truth-bending nerd Elder Cunningham — who are sent to Uganda to try to convert the residents of a small, remote village to the Mormon religion.
Boasting a gleefully crude and clever book, music and lyrics by “South Park” instigators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and “Avenue Q” co-writer Robert Lopez, the irreverent nine-time Tony-winning show is returning by popular demand to Oklahoma City, where it will play a limited run that's an add-on to the OKC Broadway 2022-2023 subscription season. A huge hit in its one-week OKC runs in 2018 and 2014, "The Book of Mormon" will say "Hello" again Jan. 13-15 at Civic Center Music Hall.
"It's only five shows in three days, but I'm gonna soak in every moment," Klassen said. "Kansas and Oklahoma City are my home. Unfortunately, we don't get to go anywhere in Kansas for this leg of the tour, so Oklahoma City is my true home theater. So, my heart is full. There's no way to describe it, being able to come back and be in the community that taught me so much and that gave me such a foundation."
During a recent tour stop in Palm Desert, California, Klassen talked about traveling with the famously profane show, finishing his degree during a pandemic and more.
"Yes. We were the first graduation back in person — it was socially distanced — and then they paired it up with the class of 2020. For the year before, they had their's the day prior, and then we actually had our ceremony the next day. So, they did a two-for-one graduation.
"My junior year, I was sent home for spring break and was told we would not be returning for the rest of the semester. So, I completed a little bit of Zoom university for that semester and then came back to in-person classes senior year and was able to finish out that way. ... But I stayed very active at the music school, where I think I did nine shows and an opera."
"Like with the spring break program OCUNYC, they provide you master classes, workshops, dance classes, mock auditions, mock interviews, all at this very discounted rate for you to spend your spring break learning in the city. That was something completely new to me. I never would have expected that I would be going to those things, but that really ended up helping me a lot with ... bridging the gap between what I thought I knew and what I definitely did not know at all."
"This is my first national tour. When I graduated, I did a luxury cruise line where I was a vocalist for five production shows there; I did that for about six months. But this was my first big thing on land, which is always nice.
"This show has just been a dream since it opened in 2011, and it's been running for so long because it is such a good show. It has everything you could ask for: It's comedy, it's heart and soul, it's spectacle, it's dance. It's life. It breathes in a sort of freshness, I think, that's always relevant.
"I think 2014 was the first time I'd seen it. I looked on stage and realized, 'There is a space for me there. There is a story for me to tell; there's something that I can actually contribute to and share with this.' And, thankfully, people have believed in me enough to give me that chance. So, when I say this is a dream come true, this is years in the making. I'm very blessed to be here doing what I love."
"It's really interesting, because for this tour, we go to around 30 cities that have never had this show before. ... So, we've made the show very accessible to a lot of communities that would have simply just not had it, which is exciting. It's lively, that's for sure."
"It's always interesting whenever an understudy or swing gets the call that you're going on. You go through every emotion possible, from absolutely scared and shaking in your boots a little bit to stepping up. Once the spotlight turns on, everything changes. It's a completely different world. It's two hours of play, excitement, joy.
"And then the bows come, and it's just a moment of celebration between the audience and the cast members that took extremely good care of me in the moments that I needed help. ... I made my debut (as Elder Price) on Oct. 25 when we were in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it was a rush, my first time leading a national tour. It was a big, celebratory moment, full of tears. My mom got to visit — she got to fly (in) from Kansas — so it a special day, for sure."
Features Writer Brandy "BAM" McDonnell has covered Oklahoma's arts, entertainment and cultural sectors for The Oklahoman for 20 years. Reach her at [email protected],www.facebook.com/brandybammcdonnell and twitter.com/BAMOK. Support her work by signing up for herSee & Do Oklahoma newsletter and subscribing to The Oklahoman.