(OUTview NW) Concert RE-view: Coleman's Farewell SMC Season Sparkles with Home for the Holidays' Greatest Hits!

DIVA: Saving the Best performance for his Final Season!

by MK Scott

The Dennis Coleman 35th Season and Final Seattle Men's Chorus Holiday show premiered this past Saturday and it was a Greatest Hits show of his favorite songs from Holiday concerts past.

By tradition, the first 2 performances featured an appearance by a special guest and this years was no exception with Broadway turned comedy star, Tituss Burgess (The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and the running joke of the night was no rain in Seattle and Titus was unhappy with the weather. From the song King of the world to Mr. Grinch to the soulful, A Gift to Be Simple, brought down the house.

In Act ONE, it started with half of the chorus on stage and the other half singing and walking down the aisle with Noel by Smith/Holmes and then followed by the very funny Jingle Bells Hallelujah (Hallelujah Chorus withe lyrics of Jingle Bells) then 2 Coleman favorites Ave Maria, and O Magnum Mysterium (one of my faves) to 2 upbeat numbers including Soul Cake that featured the first appearance of an SMC Staple: The Dancers.

Looking Good after 14 years!          (SMC)

Then we were transported back to 2001, when Greg Bowman was back in the same drag role, 14 years later with a PC Christmas. You know the nightmare of planning an Office Christmas party with the Seattle Men's Chorus as the entertainment and besides singing Christmas carols, having to honor Hanukkah then Kwanzaa, then the Moon Goddess from Winter Solstice! CLASSIC!

Act ONE concludes with a bonafide Classic from 1999 with the 'What If'' carols from Sondheim's Santa Claus is coming to town to Kander and Ebb's I saw Mommy kissing Santa (with a solo by our pal, Michael Bahnmiller) and Jerry Herman's We Three Kings (Hello Liberace)! 

Mommy is on the Prowl!    (SMC)

Act TWO followed with a rare solo performance by Dennis Coleman himself in a 'Twas the night before Christmas' skit. Never in my 17 years of SMC concerts has Coleman set down the baton to sing or perform in which he showed he has an incredible voice.

a Mercury Christmas?           (SMC)

Other Act TWO Highlights were 2006's Not in our Town with solo by Daniel Cords, Believe with solo by Matthew Sherman and the Christmas Rhapsody with Chris Hoffman as Freddie Mercury.

Captain Smartypants performed the Ho Hum, Text Me Merry Christmas in Act ONE but really hit the mark with the Jewish cowboy song of Kislev Cowboys in Act TWO.

The Encore was the 2012 Holiday show's iconic, "Mele Kalikimaka" and the men even stripped down to shorts and Hawaiian shirts. 

The show was about 98% (despite some technical and costuming issues) perfect and fitting to Dennis Coleman's Legacy. 

The SMC's Home for the Holidays at Benaroya Hall continues through December 21st. Click HERE for Tix and Info!

Jewish Cowboys or Captain Smartypants?                     (SMC)