Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles

Official Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles logo

The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) has been a notable part of the Southern California performing arts community. Formed July 12, 1979 as a volunteer effort of 99 gay men from all over the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, GMCLA has grown in size, gained professional artistic and administrative staff, toured nationally and internationally, released fourteen CDs, and appeared with numerous stage, film and television celebrities including Billy Porter, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Malcolm Gets, Doris Roberts, Jerry Herman, Melissa Manchester, Mary McDonnell, Levi Kreis, Joanna Gleason, Alex Newell, Amber Riley, Charles Pierce, Miss Coco Peru, Valarie Pettiford, Jane Lanier, Randi Driscoll, Margaret Cho, Michael Jeter, Stephen Schwartz, Liz Callaway, Lance Bass, Jennifer Holliday, Tierney Sutton and LeAnn Rimes. The Chorus has appeared on several television broadcasts including the 85th Academy Awards, Access Hollywood, Will & Grace, $#*! My Dad Says, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Mad TV, and a six-episode arc on Six Feet Under.

Notable Performances

GMCLA became the first gay chorus to tour central Europe in 1991. That historic tour was featured in a documentary entitled "Out Loud" and was broadcast on the PBS television network.

GMCLA became the first gay men's chorus ever to perform for a sitting President of the United States, Bill Clinton. In September 2011, GMCLA sang for President Barack Obama at a fundraiser in West Hollywood, CA.

GMCLA became the first openly gay performers ever to be broadcast nationally over Russian television during their 1999 concert tour (sold out concert in Tchaikovsky Hall, Moscow).

In 2006, GMCLA was the first openly gay chorus to tour South America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile), performing at some of the most revered theatres and concert venues. Repertoire included North American and European classical and popular music from Bacharach to Verdi, as well as new works commissioned for the tour by Daniel Catán, Rosephanye Powell, and Daniel Alfonso. New music for the Tour was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the James Irvine Foundation, and Los Angeles County Arts Commission. In each of the four countries, the Chorus raised money for LGBT and HIV organizations, as well as helping to start the first gay chorus in South America, in Rio de Janeiro.

Each year the Chorus presents three mainstage concerts in such venues as the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California, Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, California and the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale, California; GMCLA performed over 100 times on the Alex stage since 1994, more than any other musical group in the theater's history.

In 2010 GMCLA recorded a music video of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" as part of the It Gets Better campaign in support of gay and lesbian teens.^[1] Singers LeAnn Rimes and Sheryl Lee Ralph joined the Chorus in December 2010 for their "Comfort and Joy" concerts, which also addressed bullying and teen suicide.^[2]

In 2013 GMCLA performed in the 85th Academy Awards, now the Oscars, in the opening musical sequence "We Saw Your Boobs" with host Seth MacFarlane. The following year they were featured at the Hollywood Bowl in "The Simpsons Take The Bowl"^[3] with Conan O'Brien, Beverly D'Angelo and the cast and creators of The Simpsons, celebrating the show's 25th Anniversary.

References

External links

• Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles Official website
• Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles on Facebook
• Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles at AllMusic
• It Gets Better Tour Official website