2009, Part 2: OEBGMC Tenth Anniversary, Halloween in the Castro, Christmas Crap-Array

Reach Out and Bring Happiness: Oakland East Bay Gay Men's Chorus 10th Anniversary, September 12, First Congregational Church, Alameda, CA. We were the guests of OEBGMC as they celebrated their Tenth Anniversary. Together we sang "How Can I Keep From Singing" to open the concert and "The Awakening" and "What a Wonderful World" which was arranged by Thaddeus Pinkston to end the concert. On our own we sang the whole of "Lambscapes" and "I Do" by Eric Lane Barnes and in the second half we did scenes from "Halloween in the Castro" as a way to promote it. This was another wonderful collaboration between our chorus and OEBGMC.

Halloween in the Castro - A Horror Opera, October 23, 24, 29, 30, 31, MCC. This was a major undertaking for the chorus to put on a show in the opera tradition with many solos and duets and a chorus as the townspeople of the Castro. It was also a big commitment from the chorus to put on five performances. This was based on the history of Halloween in the Castro as it changed over the years from a neighborhood gathering with many people of costume to show off to the huge crowds of later years and violence against gays and lesbians who were there just to have a good time. Our Dr. Mark played Sister Chiquita Piccata Mundi, one of the central figures of the opera who tells tales of Halloweens past when the queer nuns turned the night into a highly successful annual fundraiser. But by the second show Mark had developed a bad case of laryngitis but in the tradition of the theatre the show must go on and he did his best. We all came together after many weeks of rehearsal and put on a memorable show for our audiences. In a quote from a review by Sister Dana Van Iquity, "Composer and librettist Jack Curtis Dubowsky has created a monster of a hit show featuring the LGCSF and some spectacularly spooky soloists conducted by Stephanie Lynne Smith. The changing scenery, props, and costumes are fully operatic." By doing this show, the chorus grew in many ways artistically and in our coming together to give our all for the love of the music.

3rd Annual Christmas Crap-Array, December 17, 18 and 19, EXIT Theatre on Eddy. Unfortunately I do not have a program for this show but again Miss Smith led her elves through a night of naughty holiday songs and some great choral singing as well. That is it for 2009 and next will be the first half of 2010. I do hope you all are enjoying this blog.