(OUTscene NW) RE-view: SMC's 'Our Gay Apparel' is one of their GAYEST in YEARS!

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by MK Scott

The Seattle Holiday Season has started in High Gear and of course one of the biggest traditions is of the Seattle Men's Chorus' Holiday Concert cleverly titled, Our Gay Apparel, and it lives up to the name and makes this the BEST and GAYEST Concert in Years. Not since 2012's Baby, It's Cold Outside concert and 2012's Boy Band concert have I enjoyed it more.

The problems in the past came from the lack of Balance of the 2 acts, but not the case in this one.

Act ONE shined with their traditional and favorite, God Rest ye Merry Gentleman, followed by a hilarious tune about Holiday Sweaters. From traditional, Fum, Fum, Fum to a parody of Sugar Plum Fairies with the Black swan and dancers in pink tutus. The audience loved it. Another the audience loved was Special Guest, Linda Eder (a Bonafide Broadway Star). If you listen to the Broadway Radio on Sirus or pay attention to her CDs, you know her. Most of the audience did not prior, but now will never forget her. Eder's range is similar from Streisand and Idina Menzel to Kristin Chenoweth, a voice you never forget as she belted out Broadway show tunes from Evita's Don't Cry for me Argentina, and title song from Man from La Mancha.

The First Act had everything except for Kevin Gallagher, the ALS interpreter, who has left the chorus after 30 plus years. I did see Kevin during intermission and told him how he will be missed.

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In Act TWO, the chorus changed from their Gay Apparel to Black Tuxes and got serious as they honored the 100th anniversary of World War ONE with It came upon a midnight clear to a German version of 'Silent Night/Stille Nacht with their traditional ALS signing (Without Kevin Gallagher).

Eder then came back to sing 'Oh Holy Night' and Sound of Music's Climb every mountain.

Then they introduced a new commissioned piece from German Composer, Ola Gjello with Charles Silvestri, called New Year's Carol.

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Captain Smartypants didn't disappoint either with Late Bloomer and Waltz for Teddy. 

From the Traditional Silver Bells to the Campy Holiday concert in the sky with a Carousel of Dead celebs from Andy Warhol to Elaine Stritch to Joan Rivers.

The encore was the Fab mash up of I Love You/It's a wonderful world starting with a duet by Daniel Strommen and Ryan Spady to the chorus walking up the aisles and singing a Fab ending to a great show. So Far, SMC's 35th Anniversary season is looking FAB!

Our Gay Apparel with the Seattle Men's Chorus continues through December 22nd. Click HERE for more info.