CHICAGO, May 9, 2019 — Chicago Gay Men's Chorus presents their annual spring show Stonewalled: 50 Queer Years. The show will be performed May 17-19, 2019 at three different venues in the Chicagoland area. Stonewalled is a choral celebration for the 50th anniversary of the historic Stonewall Riots. Tickets and more information are available online at cgmc.org/spring.
Join over 150 singers, 20 dancers, and experience two fully staged scenes straight out of Stonewall! The chorus will enlighten the audience through questions posed in Act One, and then educate allies and each other about the LGBTQ+ community's history in Act Two. Rehearsals have been underway since January 2019. "It has been a whirlwind of emotions and new thoughts and conversations," said James J. Morehead, Artistic Director of CGMC. "The chorus has achieved many gentle moments as well as many powerful, bombastic sounds."
Enjoy music like Fleetwood Mac's Don't Stop, Glory from the movie Selma, Matchbox 20's How Far We've Come, Origin of Love from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, FOUR new commissions by local composers, En Vogue's Does Anybody Hear Me? and many more. In regards to programming the show's music, Morehead mentioned that, "It is important to know our history so that we can move forward, and it is important to honor those who came before us."
Stonewalled focuses on celebrating and educating audiences on LGBTQ+ history: The Stonewall Riots took place in 1969 and were a reaction to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. Act Two of the show features a brand new work, Quiet No More, commissioned and performed by queer choruses across the country, honoring the continued fight for equality for all. "This 50th Anniversary celebration shouldn't be celebrated alone, and we are excited to join our siblings in song across the country with this piece," said Morehead.
Based on the latest research from researchers and archives across the US, Quiet No More aims to tell the story of Stonewall to those who have never heard it, to tell previously untold stories, and to reveal how the spirit of Stonewall could not be more relevant today and in the future. Composers involved in the creation of Quiet No More include: OurLadyJ ( Transparent, Pose ); Julian Hornick ( Dear Evan Hansen ); Ann Hampton Callaway; Michael Shaieb ( Through a Glass Darkly ); Michael McElroy ( Rent, Broadway Inspirational Voices ); Jane Ramseyer Miller ( AD GALA Choruses, One Voice Mixed Chorus ).
Morehead hopes that audiences take away a feeling of solidarity, "Solidarity to our community to keep working. Solidarity from our allies for their support. Solidarity to all of us to be the best people the world can afford."
Audiences can enjoy this one of a kind show by visiting cgmc.org/spring to purchase tickets!
WHEN/WHERE
Friday, May 17, 2019 at 8 p.m.
Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 8 p.m.
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 60077
Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 3 p.m.
Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St, Chicago, IL 60655
TICKETS
Tickets are currently on sale and range from $25 - $40 with additional per ticket fees. All sales are final — no refunds or exchanges. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.cgmc.org/spring .
ABOUT CHICAGO GAY MEN'S CHORUS
The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus ( CGMC ) has been an integral part of Chicago's cultural and gay communities since 1983. For more than three decades, the chorus has entertained audiences across the continent with innovative musical programming exploring everything from love to politics to the sometimes fabulous, sometimes challenging world of being gay; often all at the same time. Our always-memorable performances have included original musical revues; full-length book musicals; traditional choral concerts and intimate cabaret presentations; all punctuated with our signature joyous irreverence.
Most recently, CGMC represented Chicago's LGBT community at Mayor Rahm Emanuel's second-term inauguration ceremony. The chorus proudly sang "America the Beautiful" for the Illinois Marriage Equality Act bill-signing ceremony and was the featured guest choral performer for the star-studded concert, Broadway Rocks, with the Grant Park Music Festival in 2011. Chicago Gay Men's Chorus was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2001 and currently has four cd-recordings available. CGMC has performed the National Anthem multiple times at world-famous Wrigley Field and for the WNBA Chicago Sky and Chicago's professional soccer team, Chicago Fire.
—From a press release
