Chicago can take pride in not one, but two, prestigious choruses of gay men. And this is the week to catch performances from both.
The Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus-150 singers who rehearse at least once a week -has four shows in the next three days: 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 3:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, all at Lake View Presbyterian Church (corner of Addison and Broadway). Tickets for “The Boys Are Back in Town” are $25. Call 773-296-0541.
On Sunday, from its float in the parade, the 30-member Windy City Gay Chorus will reprise “Songs That Define Us” from its recent concert at the Center on Halsted. Listen for standards from Cole Porter, Ethel Merman and Judy Garland.
Both groups are scheduled to perform in mid-July at the GALA Choruses International Festival in Miami.
Each more than 20 years old, these choruses have shared in some of the toughest and brightest times in Chicago’s gay history.
“In 1979, gay choruses were a bit of a novelty as well as a safe haven for gay men to congregate without worrying about being offended, hurt or killed,” says Alan Wellman, music director of Windy City Performing Arts.
“It was also during the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the ’80s. During that time and now,” says Wellman, an Edgewater resident who used to live in Oak Park, “our chorus has been a wonderfully supportive group … Chicago has been at the forefront of gay-friendly cities and always a very welcoming place to participate in a gay men’s chorus.”
In 1979, Windy City Performing Arts, the nonprofit umbrella group for Windy City Gay Chorus and for the 15-member women’s ensemble, Aria, was formed; it incorporated in 1983-the same year that Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus first performed.
“I’m proud of the environment that the chorus creates,” says Patrick Sinozich, artistic director of Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, who also lives in Edgewater. “It is … an environment that has helped many through the coming-out process, as well as with their personal grieving when losing a loved one; it has also helped many celebrate new loves.”
In September 2003, the ensembles of Windy City Performing Arts made history by becoming the first choruses in a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender group to sing the national anthem at an Illinois professional sporting event. They sang for the White Sox at the Chicago Free Press-sponsored “Out at the Ballgame” Day at U.S. Cellular Field.
In 2001, the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus was inducted into the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
Both choruses perform at commitment ceremonies, memorial services and Cubs games.