Show added due to overwhelming demand!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND THE SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS ANNOUNCES ADDED PERFORMANCE OF THE 35th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CONCERT "HARVEY MILK 2013"

Concert to feature world premiere of "I AM HARVEY MILK" with music and words by Andrew Lippa

June 26, 27, & 28, 2013

San Francisco, CA (MAY 7, 2013)— Due to overwhelming demand, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) announced today an added performance of their 35th-anniversary celebration concert Harvey Milk 2013. Harvey Milk 2013 will feature the world premiere of I Am Harvey Milk, a new choral work, with music and words by Tony® and Grammy Award nominee Andrew Lippa, at The Nourse Theatre (201-299 Hayes Street, San Francisco). The added performance will be on Wednesday, June 26 at 8 p.m.. The production, which coincides with the 35th anniversary of Harvey Milk’s assassination, was originally scheduled to run for two nights only - Thursday, June 27 and Friday, June 28. The opening night gala will take place on Thursday, June 27. Tickets for all performances of Harvey Milk 2013 are available now, online at SFGMC.org or through City Box Office at (415) 392-4400. Tickets range in price from $25 - $60.

Starring Mr. Lippa as Harvey Milk and Tony® Award-winner Laura Benanti (Gypsy, NBC’s “Go On”) as the Soprano soloist and Noah Marlowe (Mary Poppins, Fun Home) as young Harvey, I Am Harvey Milk is directed by Noah Himmelstein, conducted by Dr. Timothy Seelig, orchestrated by August Eriksmoen, video and projection design by Andrew Lazarow and will feature the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus accompanied by the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony. I Am Harvey Milk is produced by Bruce Cohen, in association with Robb Nanus and Jessica Leventhal. Harvey Milk 2013 will also feature the debut of I am the Legacy, featuring a variety of performance pieces celebrating the legacy of Harvey Milk submitted by artists from around the San Francisco Bay Area.

I Am Harvey Milk weaves the story of Harvey Milk’s life – from boyhood to his rise as the first openly gay man to hold public office in California to his assassination. Part choral work, part theater piece, I Am Harvey Milk is an emotional celebration of an American icon.

I Am Harvey Milk was commissioned by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, along with Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus, Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus, and Heartland Men's Chorus. Following this World Premiere Event, the piece will be made available for choruses to perform from coast to coast.

Tickets for Harvey Milk 2013 range in price from $25-$60 and are available online at SFGMC.org or through City Box Office at (415) 392-4400.

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ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS
For 35 years, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus has courageously served as the international standard bearer for a powerful and accomplished mix of high-caliber performance, human rights, community activism, empowerment and inclusiveness, establishing it as an icon among LGBT organizations. Founded in 1978, it was the first organization of its kind and is credited with starting the LGBT choral movement, galvanizing and changing the course of LGBT history. It continues to rally and inspire other arts-based community organizations around the world. Under the leadership of Artistic Director and Conductor Dr. Timothy Seelig, SFGMC has in recent seasons established a heightened level of performance standards receiving audience and choral acclaim, increased its touring and recording profile and broadened its impact and reputation in the community while maintaining its signature blend of humor, personality and high-voltage performances. For more information about the performances and SFGMC, visit sfgmc.org. Follow SFGMC on facebook.com/sfgmc and twitter.com/sfgmc.

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Andrew Lippa Contacts: Rick Miramontez [email protected] Andy [email protected]

SFGMC Contact: Julie Richter, Charles Zukow Associates 415.296.0677 or [email protected]

SFGMC Appoints George A. Thompson as New Executive Director

The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) announced today that they have appointed George Thompson as Executive Director. Mr. Thompson joins SFGMC during their current 35th anniversary season and- with Artistic Director Dr. Timothy Seelig– will lead the institution to new levels of organizational growth and artistic excellence. Download the press release now (PDF). With over 25 years of senior level management experience, Thompson has worked previously as both a presenter and producer at nationally recognized institutions. Most recently he was the Director of the Office of the Arts at Georgia Institute of Technology in which he initiated cross college collaborations and artist residency programs integrating the arts and technology and secured first time funding from both Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Foundation. From 2005 to 2009 he served as the Conservatory General Manger at the American Conservatory Theatre here in San Francisco, and was responsible for the overall operation of the conservatory and also line producing 14 shows annually. He was the Senior Vice President of Programming and Operations for Omaha Performing Arts and the Executive Director of The Washington Ballet. He served for seven years as the Executive Vice President, General Manager and CFO of the Straz Performing Arts Center in Tampa Bay. While there, he grew Straz into the fifth largest performing arts center in the U.S. It was during this time in Tampa that he first saw the SFGMC as part of the Gala Choruses Festival. George was raised in Greenwich, Connecticut and began his arts career as a professional dancer with Joffrey II, Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theatre, and American Ballet Theatre, touring internationally and working with George Balanchine, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Antony Tudor, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Jerome Robbins, and Agnes DeMille. He has a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase College and attended graduate school at Fordham University and American University in Washington DC, studying arts administration. As an arts administrator, he also worked for PepsiCo Summerfare, and international festival of the arts and at the Purchase College Performing Arts Center.

World Premiere of "I Am Harvey Milk" Announced

World premiere of "I AM HARVEY MILK" with music and words by Andrew Lippa will headline SFGMC's 35th Anniversary Celebration Concert on June 27 and June 28. I Am Harvey Milk, the new oratorio with music and words by Tony® and Grammy Award nominee Andrew Lippa, will have its world premiere at The Nourse Auditorium (201-299 Hayes Street, San Francisco) as part of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus 35th Anniversary Celebration concert, “Harvey Milk 2013.” The special two-night engagement will take place at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 27 and Friday, June 28.

Starring Mr. Lippa as Harvey Milk and Tony® Award-winner Laura Benanti as the Soprano soloist, I Am Harvey Milk is directed by Noah Himmelstein, conducted by Dr. Timothy Seelig, orchestrated by August Eriksmoen, Video and Projection Design by Andrew Lazarow, and will feature the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus accompanied by the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony. I Am Harvey Milk is produced by Bruce Cohen, in association with Robb Nanus and Jessica Leventhal.

I Am Harvey Milk was commissioned by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, along with Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus, Vancouver Men's Chorus, and Heartland Men's Chorus. Following this World Premiere Event, the piece will be made available for choruses to perform from coast to coast.

I Am Harvey Milk weaves the story of Harvey Milk’s life – from boyhood to his rise as the first openly gay man to hold public office in California to his assassination. Part choral work, part theater piece, I Am Harvey Milk is an emotional celebration of an American icon.

Harvey Milk 2013 will also feature the debut of I am the Legacy, featuring a variety of performance pieces celebrating the legacy of Harvey Milk submitted by artists from around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tickets for Harvey Milk 2013 range in price from $25-$65 and are available now online or through City Box Office at (415) 392-4400.

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Buy Tickets Now

Download Press Release

VISIT IAMHARVEYMILK.COM

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Snow White & Her Merry Men

Two iconic San Francisco institutions– the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon– come together for the first time in "Snow White & Her Merry Men." Snow White continues her search for “Prince Charming” with the help of SFGMC, whose dynamic sound and signature “choralography” create a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience.

In this never-before-seen collaboration, the 300 men of the Chorus are joined by the cast of Beach Blanket Babylon singing classic favorites and a few custom songs created especially for this show. The show-stopping numbers will be infused with spectacular costumes, dazzling hats and appearances by some of Beach Blanket Babylon’s beloved characters including King Louis, Glinda the Good, Pineapple Princess, Banana Carmen, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, James Brown and Barbra Streisand.

“The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus is honored to bring the talent of these two iconic San Francisco institutions together on the Davies stage for the first time,” said Dr. Timothy Seelig, SFGMC Artistic Director. “It is sure to be an ‘Only in San Francisco’ evening!”

“Beach Blanket Babylon is very excited to be collaborating with the renowned San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus,” said Jo Schuman Silver, producer of Beach Blanket Babylon. “We are thrilled to come together with this Bay Area institution to create an evening of pure San Francisco entertainment.”

Monday March 25 and Tuesday, March 26 at Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. Tickets are available now!

DOWNLOAD RELEASE

FREE Download - "Angels in Seven" by SFGMC

Listen to the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus perform "Angels in Seven" from Joyous, Jolly, Jingles. Add this free track to your iTunes music library now!

Recorded live on December 8, 2011 at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco. Free download is compatible with iPod/iTunes.

Download Song

SantaConcert Video!

Ever wonder what 250 Santa's look like dancing and singing? Well, here's your chance to get a sneak peak of SantaConcert and see Santa, like you've never seen him before!

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE - Castro Theatre at 5, 7 & 9PM Christmas Eve.

This year, we salute Santa, the quintessential icon of the holidays. We'll be wearing our red suits and joining the millions of people that take part in SantaCon each year (which, by the way, started right here in SF). That's right, over 250 gay men dressed in red- it’s our most festive and spectacular holiday show ever!

• MONDAY, DEC. 24 at 5PM, 7PM, & 9PM

• Come home for the holidays with us to the Castro Theater on Christmas Eve!

FREE Download - "O Magnum Mysterium" with Melody Moore

We'd like to give you the gift of music this holiday season! SF Opera superstar soprano Melody Moore soars as she joins the Chorus in this breathtaking performance of Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium." Recorded live on December 8, 2011 at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco.  Free download is compatible with iPod/iTunes.

Download Song

Get your SantaConcert tickets soon- they're going fast!

This year, we salute Santa, the quintessential icon of the holidays. We'll be wearing our red suits and joining the millions of people that take part in SantaCon each year (which, by the way, started right here in SF). That's right, over 250 gay men dressed in red- it’s our most festive and spectacular holiday show ever!  

• THURSDAY, DEC. 6 at 8PM

• Davies Symphony Hall

• Special Make-A-Wish concert event benefit!

• With the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony Orchestra

• MONDAY, DEC. 24 at 5PM, 7PM, & 9PM

• Come home for the holidays with us to the Castro Theater on Christmas Eve!

SF Opera superstar soprano Melody Moore joins SFGMC - Video

Take six minutes out of the hustle and bustle of your frenetic holiday season this Thanksgiving by joining the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus in a stunning musical experience. This week, soprano Melody Moore stepped into the leading role of the San Francisco Opera's opening night production of TOSCA. One review said "she received an ovation that shook the walls of the War Memorial Opera House." Another newspaper said, "A Star is Born." Melody joined the Chorus in both our holiday and spring concerts last year and wowed everyone. This video features Melody with the Chorus in the mesmerizing "O Magnum Mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen. She can also be heard on the SFGMC recording "Enchantingly Wicked" singing two arias by Stephen Schwartz. We are beyond thrilled and honored to have shared the stage with this incredible woman and artist.

Free download- it's our holiday gift to you!

Download nowDownload "O Magnum Mysterium" to your iPod/iTunes music library for FREE. Hear Melody soar in this breathtaking live recording!

SFGMC partners with Make-A-Wish foundation.

We are proud to announce our partnership with the Make-A-Wish foundation, an organization whose volunteers have brought joy to countless numbers of sick children. Join us on December 6th for SantaConcert --a special Make-A-Wish concert event at Davies Symphony Hall.

Meet Michael: Our own Make-A-Wish Child

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SFGMC Tenor Michael McGovern received a "wish" of his very own during a battle with cancer. Here is his story, as told by his father: During the summer of 1986, we were vacationing on Nantucket Island. Marcie’s parents were on a three-week trip in Europe, and the empty house on the water was too inviting to pass up for a quick getaway. 2 ½-year-old Michael and his older brother Phil were horsing around in the breakfast nook one evening when Michael fell back onto the edge of the bench, hit his shoulder, and started crying. Mom discovered a suspicious lump on his shoulder and took him to the doctor the next day. The doctor was very concerned by the lump and rather emphatic that we should see our pediatrician as soon as possible. We arrived at Dr. Norman Weinberger‘s office first thing on Monday. He looked at the lump on Michael’s shoulder and scheduled a consultation with Dr. Sue McIntosh at Yale New Haven’s oncology practice, who had one look at Michael’s lump and scheduled surgery to determine the pathology of the tumor. The attending surgeon, Dr. Seashore, reported that Michael had a rare form of muscle cancer: rhabdomyosarcoma. Michael was a brave soldier and submitted to multiple invasive procedures and horrible elixirs in preparation for the follow-up surgery the next day. They removed the bulk of the muscle on his scapula bone and several “involved” lymph nodes around his shoulder and down his right arm. Michael was immediately started on an aggressive regimen of three specific chemotherapy drugs sequencing in one-, two, and three-week protocol timetables and a week off, plus 25 radiation treatments over 18 months. In the months following his treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital, the staff in Dr. McIntosh’s office referred us to the Make a Wish (MAW) Foundation of Connecticut. We were not too familiar with MAW Foundation, but the MAW volunteers did a fantastic job dealing with our very emotional response to their proposal and reminded me that the MAW Foundation approach was for our son. He wanted to see Mickey and all the Disney characters (prompted by Phil, I’m sure), and we began planning his “wish,” which became something Michael started looking forward to. At 3 years old he was beginning to see the relationship his wish had to his many visits to the doctor’s office and the ever-present needles, blood work, and tests. We are one of the fortunate families, and we thank God every day for our blessings. Michael got his wish, and it helped give him the strength to beat the odds. He graduated with honors from high school, and has a BS in Biology/pre-med from The University of San Francisco. Gymnastics classes and tennis mitigated much of the debilitating effects of the surgery and radiation treatments. Michael turned 28 last January and is a smart, attractive, gifted young man with great passion for music and performance, and has been able to spend time “giving back” for all his blessings, dedicating time and resources to worthy charities and foundations.

Favorite One - Holiday Video

[wp_lightbox_anchor_text_html5_video link="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/sfgmc_favoriteone-960-2mbps.mp4" width="960" height="540" text="FAVORITE ONE VIDEO"] The chorus performs FAVORITE ONE in this video to help you get ready for SANTACONCERT -- it's going to be our most festive and spectacular show ever!  Don't forget to get your tickets after you watch the video -  on-sale now!

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Call for Auditions: Harvey Milk 2013

Harvey Milk 2013: Living the Legacy will be presented by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus on Thursday June 27 & Friday June 28, 2013 at the Nourse Theater in San Francisco. The music is taken from the life and words of Harvey Milk and set to music by Broadway composer Andrew Lippa. Three lead roles will be cast. You may request a live audition & we will also be accepting video submissions. Those requesting a live audition may email [email protected] for an appointment. If you are providing a video, please send a high quality video file or URL to [email protected]

Mr. Lippa will be present for the auditions.

DETAILS

• Saturday, October 13, 2012

• 10:00am - 2:00pm

• The Baha'i Center of SF

• 170 Valencia Street, SF, CA 94103

MORE INFORMATION

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Downloadable PDF with character descriptions & additional information.

Visit the Milk 2013 Page

Introducing Season 35

Watch the SEASON 35 VIDEO and learn how the icons that make San Francisco unique-- SantaCon, Beach Blanket Babylon and Harvey Milk-- help us celebrate our 35th anniversary season.

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Season 34-- Highlights Video

Ever wonder what an entire season of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is like? If you got 4 minutes, we can show you-- here's a video look-back at Season 34, SENSATIONAL

Season 35 starts with Dan Savage & Joe Jervis at Crescendo!

The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus opens its Iconic 35th Season with Crescendo, its wildly anticipated annual fundraising gala. SFGMC will present two gay icons with its Champion Awards: Dan Savage, co-founder of the It Gets Better Project, will receive the Human Rights Champion Award for his contributions to Stephen Schwartz's "Testimony", which was premiered by the Chorus last March. Blogger and activist Joe Jervis will receive the Media Champion Award for continued support of the chorus on his widely-read blog, "Joe.My.God."
[pl_raw] [wp_lightbox_ultimate_fancy_gallery class="lightbox_fancy_grid_view_gallery"] [wp_lightbox_prettyPhoto_image link="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/savage_082312.jpg" source="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/savage_082312_150.jpg" title="Dan Savage, It Gets Better Project" gallery_group="s35-crescendo-1" class="lightbox_img_frame_fancy1"] [wp_lightbox_prettyPhoto_image link="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jervis_082312.jpg" source="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jervis_082312_150.jpg" title="Joe Jervis, Joe.My.God." gallery_group="s35-crescendo-1" class="lightbox_img_frame_fancy1"] [wp_lightbox_prettyPhoto_image link="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/lippa_082312.jpg" source="http://www.sfgmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/lippa_082312_150.jpg" title="Composer Andrew Lippa" gallery_group="s35-crescendo-1" class="lightbox_img_frame_fancy1"] [/wp_lightbox_ultimate_fancy_gallery] [/pl_raw]

Dan Savage, Creator
It Gets Better Project

Joe Jervis, Blogger
Joe.My.God.

Andrew Lippa, Composer
The Addams Family Musical

“This time-honored event supports the Chorus in raising both awareness and the crucial funds necessary to build and sustain our broad repertoire of social endeavors," said Sean Livingston, SFGMC Chairman of the Board and Crescendo Co-Chair. "We look forward to a fun afternoon filled with inspiration, as we continue to share our mission of changing lives through the power of music." At the event, guests will mix and mingle with family, friends and local Bay Area personalities and will hear a glorious and entertaining preview of selections from SFGMC’s upcoming Iconic Season 35 which includes SantaConcert, Snow White and Her Merry Men and Harvey Milk: Living The Legacy. Crescendo further delights with a classic Sunday champagne brunch, silent and live auctions overfilled with faraway exotic destinations, extra special events, distinctive food experiences, rare treats and Crescendo's signature Wall of Wine. For more information and tickets, please visit the Crescendo web-site.

The Ground-- Video Performance

See and hear the chorus' breathtaking performance of Ola Gjeilo's THE GROUND. This special video was recorded live in Denver, Colorado at this year's GALA Festival of Choruses. Originally part of the composer's Sunrise Mass for mixed chorus, a men's version of "The Ground" was commissioned specifically for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

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Harvey Milk 2013: Living the Legacy

The chorus's 35th Anniversary Concert, Harvey Milk 2013: Living the Legacy, commemorates the historic connection between Harvey and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

Living the Legacy features the World Premiere of "I am Harvey Milk" by Broadway composer Andrew Lippa. This dramatic new work challenges each of us to find a part of Harvey in ourselves.

Three years in the making, Harvey Milk 2013: Living the Legacy is a musical celebration honoring the death of one icon, and the birth of another.

• THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2013 at 8PM

• FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013 at 8PM

• Nourse Auditorium

SantaConcert

This year, we salute Santa, the quintessential icon of the holidays with SANTACONCERT. It's our most festive and spectacular holiday show ever!

SantaCon is global sensation that started in San Francisco in 1994. Hundreds flocked to the streets dressed as Santa, making it the ultimate expression of holiday cheer.

• THURSDAY, DEC. 6 at 8PM

• Davies Symphony Hall

• With the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony Orchestra

• MONDAY, DEC. 24 at 5PM, 7PM, & 9PM

• Come home for the holidays with us to the Castro Theater on Christmas Eve!

Crescendo

Season 35 opens with Crescendo, one of the City’s most anticipated social mixers and annual chorus fundraiser. This delightful brunch at the Four Seasons Hotel includes an enticing and elaborate auction, fabulous entertainment, and prestigious awards.

Our Silent Auction begins promptly at noon, followed by brunch and entertainment at 1PM, and concludes with our special awards.

• SUNDAY, OCT. 14 at 12PM

• Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco

Snow White & Her Merry Men

Snow White is still looking for love, and we're going to help her find it. For the first time in 30 years, the cast of Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon joins the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus for an extravagant, hilarious spectacle that's can only be described as pure, over the top entertainment. The costumes, the parodies, the music and THE HATS!

• MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 at 8PM

• TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 at 8PM

• Davies Symphony Hall

Get ready for Unplugged!

SFGMC presents UNPLUGGED on June 15 and 16 with special guests Deke Sharon, Vocal Producer of the NBC hit "The Sing Off," and the internationally acclaimed beatboxer, Kid Beyond. Join the nearly 300 voices of the San Francisco Gay Men's chorus for an evening of fresh cappella pop hits and beautiful classic and contemporary choral music that shows just how versatile, and beautiful, the chorus can be. You've never heard SFGMC like this before.

UNPLUGGED. Serious Fun.

TICKETS & SHOWTIMES