(OUTscene NW) RE-view: SMC celebrates 'Legacy', one of their Most Inspirational Concerts in Years!

Deshon, Lippa and Lasentia in the MILK Finale 

by MK Scott

During this past weekend at Seattle's McCaw Hall, the Seattle Men's Chorus once again came together for 2 One ACT shows, celebrating 2 very different Men. The first ACT was called "Tyler's Suite", the story of a Tux-clad, Tyler Clementi's life set to music. Clementi was the Rugter's music student, who was "Outed" by his roommate and jumped off the the GW Bridge in the Fall of 2010. In Act 2 in "I am Harvey Milk", went from a Jewish, Tux-clad opera lover from NY to starting a new open life as a community leader in San Francisco until his tragic murder in the late-1970's.


On the night of Milk’s death in November 1978, according to a SMC Press Release,  the national gay choral movement was born when a group of men, who would later become the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, performed at Milk’s candlelight vigil. A few months later, in 1979, Seattle Men’s Chorus was formed.


On September 21, 2010, spurred by a growing number of gay teen suicides across the country earlier in the year, Seattle Stranger Editor Dan Savage recorded his landmark It Gets Better video. One day later, on September 22, 2010 Tyler Clementi jumped to his death as a result of cyberbullying and the locally grown It Gets Better campaign snowballed into a worldwide movement.

Before the curtain rose, Dennis Coleman, along with the long awaited return of their long time, ASL interpreter, Kevin Gallagher, got a standing ovation. Kevin has been missed. Coleman then introduced, Tyler Clementi's Mom and Brother, who spoke about their mission for the Clemeni foundation. It reminded me of when I was still in the chorus in the Fall of 2001 at the old Opera House, when Judy Shepard spoke and the Chorus was asked perform one song at the event.

Pokorny as Tyler                                           Facebook

Tyler's Suite, presented in collaboration with the Tyler Clementi Foundation is an eight-piece choral movement that tells of Tyler Clementi’s too-short life and tragic death, portrayed through music by violinist, Corentin Pokorny. The project was brought together under the musical leadership of Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked, Pippin), who also composed one of the pieces, "Brother, Because of You". Other composers who contributed to Tyler's Suite are Lance Horne's Incredible, "a Wish", and Ann Hamilton Callaway's "I Love you More", sang by special guest, Rachel Deshon, and Finally the haunting Heggie and Stewart piece, "The Narrow Bridge".

To open Act 2, Mayor Ed Murray, spoke about how Harvey Milk's legacy, who opened the door for his mentor, Cal Anderson (The first openly Gay politician in Washington State) and eventually opened the doors to the House Position to Gay Leaders for the next 30 years. Murray, who took over, Anderson's seat and quickly moved up the ranks to Mayor, owes a huge debt to Milk.

Lippa as MILK                  Facebook

I am Harvey Milk is a gripping oratorio written and performed by Tony and Grammy Award nominated composer Andrew Lippa (Big Fish, The Addams Family) and includes the last recorded words by the civil rights icon  Part choral work, part musical theatre Andrew Lippa explains his decision to take on the project, “As I saw it, it was my turn. Harvey was 48; I’m 48. Harvey was born Jewish; I was born Jewish. Harvey was gay; I’m happy. Most of all, I wanted to find out how I felt -what I really felt, thought, needed, wanted, dreamed about, feared, loathed, craved -when it came to being a gay man, a gay man in a world made much better because of people like Harvey Milk.”

From the Beginnings as a youth to the adult he became,from the Powerful (I am the Bullet) to the Fun (Friday Night in the Castro) to the Shocking (Sticks and Stones, where the chorus sings every Gay Slur in the Book) to the Pride (San Francisco) to the Inspirational  (Leap, performed by Deshon).

The Last song, "Tired of Silence" was a powerful message as the wall flashed Magazines covers or photos of Celebs Coming OUT in the past 30 years.

Overall, both pieces were reminiscent to the years when chorus had a message and theme through out the show and stayed with the theme throughout. The Message was Clear.

Old Harvey embraces Young Harvey                               Facebook