The New York City Gay Men's Chorus is a

choral A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

organization in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

that has been presenting an annual concert season for more than four decades.

History

The New York City Gay Men's Chorus (NYCGMC) was founded in August 1980 by Ed Weaver who having moved to NYC had been a member of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Their first season culminated in a sold-out concert with the

Riverside Symphony Riverside Symphony is a New York-based professional orchestra founded in 1981 by conductor George Rothman and composer Anthony Korf. The orchestra performs an annual three-concert series at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center and is recognized for ...

Alice Tully Hall Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The hall is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and Philanthropy, philanthropist whose donations assis ...

in June 1981 which featured new pieces or newly arranged works by

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; born Louis Bernstein; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was th ...

, Jack Gottlieb, Calvin Hampton, John Mueter,

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

, and Glen Vecchione. Music critic

Allen Hughes Allen Hughes (28 December 1921 – 16 November 2009) was an American dance and music critic. Born in Brownsburg, Indiana, Hughes started his career as a critic in 1950 when he joined the staff of ''Musical America''. In 1955, he became a music c ...

in his review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote:

The chorus is less than a year old, having been organized last August, but there was nothing about it that suggested immaturity. Musicianship and diction were exemplary, the dark tuxedos worn by all singers made for neat appearance, and the entrances and exits had been planned to achieve optimum efficiency, dignity and style.

In 1982 the chorus became one of the founding members of the

GALA Choruses The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses ("GALA Choruses") is an international association of LGBT choruses founded in 1982. In its inaugural performance 14 choruses performed together in September 1982 in San Francisco as part of the first Gay ...

along with The Stonewall Chorale, the

Anna Crusis Women's Choir The ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir is the longest-running feminist choir in the United States, founded in 1975 by Catherine Roma, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. History Catherine Roma formed the Anna Crusis Women's Choir in 1975 after moving to P ...

, the

San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) is the world's first openly gay chorus, one of the world's largest male choruses and the group most often credited with creating the LGBT choral movement. The chorus was founded by gay music pioneer Jo ...

and a handful of other choruses and the following year the chorus was host to the "first national gay choral festival" presented by GALA at Alice Tully Hall. In addition to the NYCGMC, the festival featured performances by gay choruses from Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, Madison, Wis., Anaheim, Calif., and New Orleans. The final performance included performances by New York's Stonewall Chorale and NYCGMC. Included on the NYCGMC performance was a commissioned work by composer John David Earnest, with the world premiere of "Only in the Dream." The festival concluded with the combined choruses and featured two world premieres:

Libby Larsen Elizabeth Brown Larsen (born December 24, 1950) is a contemporary American classical composer. Along with composer Stephen Paulus, she is a co-founder of the Minnesota Composers Forum, now the American Composers Forum. A former holder of the Pa ...

's ''Everyone Sang'' and

Ned Rorem Ned Miller Rorem (October 23, 1923 – November 18, 2022) was an American composer of contemporary classical music and a writer. Best known for his art songs, which number over 500, Rorem was considered the leading American of his time writing i ...

's ''Whitman Cantata''. In 1984 the chorus performed at the Eastern Division Conference of the

American Choral Directors Association The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting the field of choral music A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Lat ...

(ACDA). It was the first time that the ACDA had featured a gay chorus at one of its conventions. In 1985 the NYCGMC participated in a high-profile

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

Benefit, ''The Best of the Best: A Show of Concern,'' at the Metropolitan Opera House; appearing alongside

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. Start ...

Mikhail Baryshnikov Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov ( rus, Михаил Николаевич Барышников, p=mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf; ; born January 27, 1948) is a Latvian and American dancer, choreographer, and actor. He was the preeminent male ...

Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1944) is an American lyricist, singer, songwriter, and painter. Early life and career Carole Bayer was born in New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She gradu ...

Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, singer and writer. Burnett has played dramatic and comedic roles on stage and screen. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carol Burnett, nu ...

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Colleen Dewhurst Colleen Rose Dewhurst (June 3, 1924 – August 22, 1991) was a Canadian-American actress mostly known for theatre roles. She was a renowned interpreter of the works of Eugene O'Neill on the stage, and her career also encompassed film, early dra ...

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, and

Dr. Ruth Westheimer Karola Ruth Westheimer (née Siegel; June 4, 1928 – July 12, 2024), better known as Dr. Ruth, was a German and American sex therapist and talk show host. Westheimer was born in Germany to a Jewish family. As the Nazis came to power, her paren ...

. The chorus has continued to perform regularly in benefits for a variety of organizations and causes, including arts education funding for New York schools. Throughout its history the NYCGMC has been committed to supporting contemporary composers. In 1985 the chorus established an annual choral competition, the first winner of which was

John Burge John David Bryson Burge (born 2 January 1961) is a Canadian composer, music educator, and pianist. He has won a number of awards for his compositions, including the Alberta Culture Award (1982), the William Erving Fairclough Scholarship (198 ...

's ''Songs of War''. In a July 1985 review music critic

Bernard Holland Bernard Peabody Holland, III (born 1933) is an American music critic. He served on the staff of ''The New York Times'' from 1981 until 2008 and held the post of chief music critic from 1995, contributing 4,575 articles to the newspaper. He then b ...

wrote: "The creation of homosexual singing ensembles in recent years provides more than just a sense of cultural community. Good music for concerted male voices has occupied major composers only marginally in the past, and enthusiastic performers such as the New York City Gay Men's Chorus are providing an outlet and an inspiration for new music." As of 2011 the NYCGMC has commissioned more than 100 choral works, including

Conrad Susa Conrad Stephen Susa (April 26, 1935 – November 21, 2013) was an American composer. Born in Springdale, Pennsylvania, Susa studied at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the Juilliard School, where his teachers included William Bergsma, Vin ...

's ''The Chanticleer's Carol'' (1981), Stuart Raleigh's ''Words for the Future'' (1985),

David Conte David Conte (born 1955) is an American composer who has written over 150 works published by E.C. Schirmer (a division of ECS Publishing), including six operas, a musical, works for chorus, solo voice, orchestra, chamber music, organ, piano, guita ...

's ''Invocation and Dance'' (1987), and

Frank Ferko Frank Ferko (born June 18, 1950) is an American composer. Born in Barberton, Ohio, Ferko played piano from childhood, and worked as an organist and conductor in his teens. His first compositions were primarily liturgical in nature, with Lutheran ...

's ''Humoresques'' (1987).

European concert tours

In 1988 the NYCGMC became the first American gay chorus to tour Europe with performances in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Germany and Paris. The performances were all used as benefits for the local communities to raise funds to combat the AIDS crisis in those cities. In London, the concert was hosted by

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cu ...

and featured

Eartha Kitt Eartha Mae Kitt (née Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress. She was known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby" ...

. The chorus would return to Europe in 1991 to promote its third recording, ''Love Lives On''. This tour featured performances in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin, Munich and Paris. Again the performances raised funds for local AIDS charities. In London the host for the concert was

Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English actor. Known as a character actor on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including an Olivier Award and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for two BAFT ...

. In Amsterdam the chorus performed in a concert benefit for the Dutch National AIDS Fund. The concert, Friends For Life, featured soprano Roberta Alexandra and the Dutch National Police Band. The concert was recorded as well as televised on national television. The chorus toured Europe a third time in 1998, sharing the stage with the

Seattle Men's Chorus Seattle Men's Chorus (SMC) is an LGBTQ community chorus based in Seattle, Washington. The group was founded in 1979, and today is, along with Seattle Women's Chorus, the largest community choral organization in North America. SMC is a member of ...

. This tour covered Barcelona, Spain, Paris, Amsterdam and London. In addition to their own performance in Amsterdam, the choruses also took part in the cultural part of the Gay Games V. In June 2014, the chorus returned to London once more to perform with the

London Gay Men's Chorus London Gay Men's Chorus is a gay choir that was founded in 1991 by a group of nine gay men. The group now has around 200 singing members at any one time and over 300 members in total. Introduction With a widely varying repertoire from classi ...

. The performance was at the Southbank Centre,

Queen Elizabeth Hall The Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) is a music venue on the South Bank in London, England, that hosts European classical music, classical, jazz, and avant-garde music, talks and dance performances. It was opened in 1967, with a concert conducted by ...

. While in London, the chorus also performed at the US Embassy at a reception hosted by US Ambassador Matthew W. Barzun. After its performance in London, the chorus traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to take part in the European LGBT Choral Festival, Various Voices. The chorus took part on the festival stage and also performed at the US Embassy in Dublin. The

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (originally the Grand Canal Theatre) is a performing arts venue, located in the Dublin Docklands, Docklands of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is Ireland's largest fixed-seat theatre. It was designed by Da ...

was the site for a special performance of Big Gay Sing: Club Night Out as a benefit performance to raise funds for the marriage equality drive in Ireland. A check for €30,000 was presented to Marriage Equality in Ireland.

Music directors/artistic directors

There have been eight music/artistic directors of the chorus in its history. * Gary Miller, 1980–1998 *Barry Oliver, 1998–2001 *Jeffrey Maynard, 2001–2005 * Gary Miller, Casey J. Hayes, co-directors, 2005–2007 *Dr. Charles Beale, 2007–2019 *Gavin Thrasher, 2019–2021 *Brayton Bollenbacher, interim 2021–2022 *John J. Atorino, 2022–present

Recordings

The chorus has produced eight recordings. The first two recordings were the first ever given to a gay chorus by a major label. They were on the Pro Arte label. The third and fourth recordings were on the Virgin Classics label. The fifth, seventh and eighth were independently produced by the chorus. The sixth recording was on the DRG label. *''Festival of Song'', 1984 *''New York, New York'', 1984 *''Christmas Comes Anew'', 1991 *''Love Lives On'', 1991 *''Look to the Rainbow'', 1998 *''Gay Century Songbook'', 2000 *''Holiday Homecoming'', 2002, recorded live at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

*''Classically NYCGMC'', 2007, recorded at

Merkin Hall Merkin Hall is a 449-seat concert hall in Manhattan, New York City. The hall, named in honor of Hermann and Ursula Merkin, is part of the Kaufman Music Center, a complex that includes the Lucy Moses School, a community arts school, and the Spec ...

Notable guest artists

Many notable entertainers and ensembles have performed with the NYCGMC as guest artists or hosted NYCGMC concerts, including the following: * Nick Adams *

Roberta Alexander Roberta Alexander (born March 3, 1949) is an American operatic soprano. She began her career as a lyric soprano in 1975 and spent the next three decades performing principal roles with opera houses internationally. Particularly celebrated for her ...

Mitchell Anderson Mitchell Ogren Anderson (born August 21, 1961) is an American character actor and chef. Anderson was born in Jamestown, New York, to a retail store owner mother and a businessman father. He attended Jamestown High School and Williams College ...

* Jim Bailey *

Kaye Ballard Kaye Ballard (November 20, 1925 – January 21, 2019) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. Early life Ballard was born Catherine Gloria Balotta in Cleveland, Ohio, one of four children born to Italian immigrant parents, Lena (née Nac ...

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generation" and a "tornado of art and activism", they first achieved prominence under the pseud ...

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* Dean Butler *

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* David Carroll *

Joyce Castle Joyce Castle (born Lillian Joyce Malicky, on January 17, 1939, in Beaumont, Texas) is an American mezzo-soprano who has had an active opera career for the last four decades. She earned degrees in music from The University of Kansas and the Eastman ...

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Victoria Clark Victoria Clark (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress, musical theatre soprano, and director. Clark has performed in numerous Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television works. Her voice can also be heard on various cas ...

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* Jim David *

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* Denny Dillon *

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* The Flirtations *

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* Joy Franz *

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* Kevin Gray *

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* Jimmy James *

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Larry Kert Lawrence Frederick Kert (December 5, 1930 – June 5, 1991) was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He is best known for his role of Tony in the original Broadway production of the musical ''West Side Story''. He was nominated for a Tony A ...

Nancy LaMott Nancy LaMott (December 30, 1951 – December 13, 1995) was an American singer from Midland, Michigan, popular on the New York City cabaret circuit in the 1980s and breaking out into radio and the national and international scene in the 1990s. ...

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...

Jenifer Lewis Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957) is an American actress. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler before appearing in films ''Beaches'' (1988) and '' Sister Act'' (1992). L ...

Dorothy Loudon Dorothy Loudon (September 17, 1925 – November 15, 2003) was an American actress and singer. She won the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical in 1977 for her performance as Miss Hannigan in '' Annie''. Loudon was also nominated for T ...

Greg Louganis Gregory Efthimios Louganis (; born January 29, 1960) is an American Olympic Diving (sport), diver who won gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics on the springboard and platform. He is the only man and the second ...

Lorna Luft Lorna Luft (born November 21, 1952) is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of Judy Garland and Sidney Luft, the sister of Joey Luft and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli. Early life Luft was born on November 21, 1952, at Saint Jo ...

Rebecca Luker Rebecca Luker (April 17, 1961 – December 23, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and recording artist, noted for her "crystal clear operatic soprano" and for maintaining long runs in Broadway musicals over the course of her three-decade-lo ...

Heather MacRae Heather MacRae (born October 5, 1946) is an American actress known for her role in the Woody Allen 1972 comedy '' Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)''. Early years MacRae is the daughter of motion picture ...

Karen Mason Karen Mason is an American musical theatre actress and singer. She has appeared on stage in Broadway theatre, notably as Norma Desmond in ''Sunset Boulevard,'' and is a multiple award-winning cabaret performer. Career Mason was born in New Orlean ...

Armistead Maupin Armistead Jones Maupin, Jr. ( ; born May 13, 1944) is an American writer notable for '' Tales of the City'', a series of novels set in San Francisco. Early life Maupin was born in Washington, D.C., to Diana Jane (Barton) and Armistead Jones Maup ...

Andrea McArdle Andrea McArdle (born November 5, 1963) is an American singer and actress best known for originating the role of Annie in the Broadway musical '' Annie''. Career McArdle appeared on '' Al Alberts Showcase'', a local televised talent show in Phila ...

* Liz McCartney *

Maureen McGovern Maureen Therese McGovern (born July 27, 1949) is an American singer and Broadway actress, well known for her renditions of the songs " The Morning After" from the 1972 film '' The Poseidon Adventure''; " We May Never Love Like This Again" from ' ...

Sir Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cul ...

John McMartin John Francis McMartin (August 21, 1929 – July 6, 2016) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. He made his off-Broadway debut in '' Little Mary Sunshine'' in 1959, and acted on Broadway for more than 50 years. He won a Theatre W ...

Terrence McNally Terrence McNally (November 3, 1938 – March 24, 2020) was an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. Described as "the bard of American theater" and "one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced," M ...

Julia Michaels Julia Carin Michaels (''Birth name, née'' Cavazos; born November 13, 1993) is an American singer and songwriter. She has received six Grammy Award nominations, including twice for Grammy Award for Song of the Year, Song of the Year and Grammy A ...

Marilyn Michaels Marilyn Michaels (born Marilyn Sternberg, February 26, 1943) is a comedian, singer, actress, impressionist, author, and composer. Family Marilyn Michaels was born in Manhattan to Russian Jewish émigré parents. Her mother was cantoress and actr ...

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...

Liliane Montevecchi Liliane Dina Montevecchi (October 13, 1932 – June 29, 2018) was a French actress, dancer, and singer. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in the original Broadway production of '' Nine'', and was nominate ...

Melba Moore Beatrice Melba Smith (born October 29, 1945) known by her stage name Melba Moore, is an American singer and actress. Biography Early life and education Moore was born Beatrice Melba Smith on October 29, 1945, in New York City to Gertrude Melba ...

Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. With a career spanning eight decades she is known for her roles on stage and screen, and is one of the last remaining stars from t ...

Julia Murney Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, also known for television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway, becaus ...

Mystery Date ''Mystery Date'' is a 1991 American dark comedy film directed by Jonathan Wacks, and starring Ethan Hawke, Teri Polo, and Brian McNamara. Shock-rockers Gwar have a brief cameo in the film. Plot Tom McHugh quickly learns that his perfect big ...

Holly Near Holly Near (born June 6, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, teacher, and activist. Family Holly Near was born in Ukiah, California, United States, and was raised on a ranch in Potter Valley, California. She has two sisters, Ti ...

Bebe Neuwirth Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her roles on stage and screen, she has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and two Drama Desk Awards. ...

Phyllis Newman Phyllis Newman (March 19, 1933 – September 15, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She won the 1962 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Martha Vail in the musical '' Subways Are for Sleeping'' on Broadway ...

Marni Nixon Margaret Nixon McEathron (February 22, 1930 – July 24, 2016), known professionally as Marni Nixon, was an American soprano and ghost singer for featured actresses in musical films. She was the singing voice of leading actresses on the s ...

Kelli O'Hara Kelli Christine O'Hara (born April 16, 1976) is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages. An eight-time Tony Award nominee, O'Hara won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her perfor ...

Robert Osborne Robert Jolin Osborne (; May 3, 1932 – March 6, 2017) was an American film historian, author, actor and the primary television host for the premium cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM) for over twenty years. Prior to hosting at TCM, Os ...

Our Lady J Our Lady J is a screenwriter, best-known for her work on '' Pose'', '' Transparent'', and ''American Horror Story''. She is the first out trans woman to perform at Carnegie Hall, as well as the first out trans writer to be hired in a television w ...

* Panti Bliss *

Anders Paulsson Anders Paulsson (born 14 October 1961) is a Swedish soprano saxophonist. Since his Carnegie Hall debut in 1992, Anders Paulsson is widely recognized as one of the finest soprano saxophonists in the world. His pioneering musicianship has inspired ...

Rosie Perez Rosa Maria Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress. Her breakthrough came at age 24 with her portrayal of Tina in the film '' Do the Right Thing'' (1989), followed by '' White Men Can't Jump'' (1992). Perez's performance in '' Fear ...

Roberta Peters Roberta Peters (May 4, 1930 – January 18, 2017) was an American coloratura soprano. One of the most prominent American singers to achieve lasting fame and success in opera, Peters is noted for her 35-year association with the Metropolitan Oper ...

* Billy Porter *

Faith Prince Faith Prince is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on Broadway in musical theatre. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in ''Guys and Dolls'' in 1992, and received three other Tony nominations. Life and career Prince wa ...

Sondra Radvanovsky Sondra Dee Radvanovsky (born 11 April 1969) is an American and Canadian soprano. Specializing in 19th-century Italian opera, Radvanovsky is widely regarded as a leading interpreter of bel canto, verismo, and works by Giuseppe Verdi. Her repertoi ...

Ron Raines Ron Raines (born December 2, 1949) is an American actor. He is known for the role of Alan Spaulding on the television soap opera ''Guiding Light''. Raines also performs in musical theatre and in concert with symphony orchestras. Career Early y ...

Lee Roy Reams Lee Roy Reams (born August 23, 1942) is an American musical theatre actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director. Early life and career Born in Covington, Kentucky, Reams earned a Master of Arts degree and was awarded an honorary doctor ...

Rex Reed Rex Taylor Reed (born October 2, 1938) is an American film critic, journalist, and media personality. Raised throughout the southern United States and educated at Louisiana State University, Reed moved to New York City in the early 1960s to begi ...

Ann Reinking Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer, and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as ''Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodti ...

Caroline Rhea Caroline Gilchrist Rhea (; born April 13, 1964) is a Canadian actress and stand-up comedian, who is best known for her role as Hilda Spellman in the ABC series ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'', and for voicing Linda Flynn-Fletcher in the Disney Ch ...

Alice Ripley Alice Ripley (born December 14, 1963) is an American actress, singer, songwriter and mixed media artist. She is known, in particular, for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' Next to Normal'' (2009 T ...

Chita Rivera Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero (January 23, 1933 – January 30, 2024), known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awa ...

Bobby Rivers Robert Bennett Rivers Jr. (September 20, 1953 – December 26, 2023) was an American television and radio personality and actor. Rivers was the host of the ''Top 5'' show on the Food Network, and ''Watch Bobby Rivers'', a prime-time celebrit ...

Joan Rivers Joan Alexandra Molinsky (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedienne, actress, producer, writer and television host. She was noted for her blunt, often controversial comedic persona that w ...

* Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson *

Jai Rodriguez Jai Rodriguez is an American actor and musician best known as the culture guide on the Bravo network's Emmy-winning American reality television program ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy''. He also co-wrote a book with the other ''Queer Eye'' ho ...

* George Rose * Justin Ross *

Michael Rupert Michael John Rupert (born October 23, 1951, Denver, Colorado) is an American actor, singer, director and composer. In 1968, he made his Broadway debut in '' The Happy Time'' as Bibi Bonnard for which he received a Tony Award nomination and t ...

Vito Russo Vito Russo (; July 11, 1946 – November 7, 1990) was an American LGBT activist, film historian, and author. He is best remembered as the author of the book '' The Celluloid Closet'' (1981, revised edition 1987), described in ''The New York Ti ...

Roz Ryan Roz Ryan (born Rosalyn Bowen) is an American actress, singer and comedian who has worked for productions in film, television, and Broadway theatre for over 40 years. Ryan's first role on Broadway was in '' Ain't Misbehavin, a Fats Waller-influ ...

Camille Saviola Camille Saviola (July 16, 1950 – October 28, 2021) was an American actress and singer. She appeared in numerous films, television series, plays and musicals. Early life Saviola was born in The Bronx, New York City, New York, the daughter of ...

* Sia *

Christopher Sieber Christopher Luverne Sieber (born February 18, 1969) is an American actor. Known primarily for his extensive roles on stage in musicals, he has received nominations for two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards ...

* Randy Skinner *

Marilyn Sokol Marilyn Roberta Sokol (born February 22, 1944) is an American actress, musician, comedian, and producer, perhaps best known for her roles as Lulu Brecht in ''Can't Stop the Music'' (1980) and as Ma Otter in ''Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas'' (19 ...

David Staller David Staller (born November 16, 1955) is an American theatre director and actor. He is the founding artistic director of the Off-Broadway theatre company, Gingold Theatrical Group. Early life Staller was born in Glencoe, Illinois. He attende ...

Elly Stone Elly Stone (May 30, 1927 – June 11, 2020) was an American singer and actress best known for her interpretations of the music of Jacques Brel. Biography Stone was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended the High School of Music & Art in Man ...

Elaine Stritch Elaine Stritch (February 2, 1925 – July 17, 2014) was an American actress, singer, and comedienne, known for her work on Broadway and later, television. She made her professional stage debut in 1944 and appeared in numerous stage plays, music ...

Jo Sullivan Elizabeth Josephine Sullivan Loesser (née Sullivan; August 28, 1927 – April 28, 2019) was an American actress and high lyric soprano singer. She became a musical theatre star with her performance in the original production of '' The Most Happ ...

KT Sullivan KT Sullivan is an American singer and actress known for her performances in cabaret and musical theatre. Early years Born Kathleen Sullivan in Coalgate, Oklahoma to Elizabeth, a poet and composer, and James A. Sullivan, a director of the Agricult ...

Terry Sweeney Terry Sweeney is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He was a writer and cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' in the 1980s, co-wrote the 1989 film ''Shag'', and has written for the television ''series MADtv'', '' Hype'', and '' Tripping ...

Sylvia Syms Sylvia May Laura Syms (6 January 1934 – 27 January 2023) was an English stage and screen actress. Her best-known film roles include '' My Teenage Daughter'' (1956), '' Woman in a Dressing Gown'' (1957), for which she was nominated for a BAFTA ...

John Tartaglia John Nicholas Tartaglia (; born February 16, 1978) is an American puppeteer, actor, and singer. Early life Tartaglia was born in Maple Shade Township, New Jersey, and graduated from Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, i ...

Benita Valente Benita Valente (born October 19, 1934) is an American soprano whose career has encompassed the operatic stage as well as performance of lieder, chamber music and oratorio. She is especially lauded for her interpretations of Mozart and Handel, but ...

Danitra Vance Danitra Vance (July 13, 1954 – August 21, 1994) was an American comedian and actress who was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (SNL) during its eleventh season in 1985. Raised in Chicago's South Side, ...

Robert Verdi Robert Verdi (born August 28, 1968) is an American Entrepreneur and TV personality. He is considered a leading style expert in fashion and home design. Verdi is known as the "friendly fashionista" and gained popularity hosting the home renovatio ...

Bruce Vilanch Bruce Gerald Vilanch (born November 23, 1947) is an American comedy writer, songwriter, and actor. He is a two-time Emmy Award-winner. Vilanch is best known to the public for his four-year stint on ''Hollywood Squares'', as a celebrity participa ...

Deborah Voigt Deborah Joy Voigt (born August 4, 1960) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung roles in operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss. Biography and career Early life and education Deborah Joy Voigt was born into a religious Southern Baptist f ...

Frederica von Stade Frederica von Stade (born 1 June 1945) is a semi-retired American classical singer. Best known for her work in opera, she was also a recitalist and concert artist, and she recorded more than a hundred albums and videos. She is especially associa ...

Martha Wash Martha Elaine Wash (born December 28, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter. Known for her distinctive and powerful voice, Wash first achieved fame as half of the The Weather Girls, Two Tons O' Fun, along with Izora Armstead, as they sang b ...

Elisabeth Welch Elisabeth Margaret Welch (February 27, 1904July 15, 2003) was an American singer, actress, and entertainer, whose career spanned seven decades. Her best-known songs were " Stormy Weather", " Love for Sale" and "Far Away in Shanty Town". She was ...

Lillias White Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is particularly known for her performances in Broadway musicals. In 1989 she won an Obie Award for her performance in the off-Broadway musical '' Romance in Hard Times''. ...

Terri White Terri White is an American actress and singer. The daughter of traveling musicians Bill White and Gertrude Hughes, White has appeared in '' Nunsense 2: The Sequel'' (1994), '' Ain't Misbehavin (1978), '' Barnum'' (1980), '' Welcome to the Clu ...

Margaret Whiting Margaret Eleanor Whiting (July 22, 1924 – January 10, 2011) was an American singer of popular music who gained popularity in the 1940s and 1950s.Mapes, Jillian.Margaret Whiting, Iconic Standards Singer, Dies at 86. ''Billboard'', January 12, ...

Julie Wilson Julie May Wilson (October 21, 1924 – April 5, 2015) was an American singer and actress widely regarded as "the queen of cabaret". She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1989 for her performance in ''Leg ...

BD Wong Bradley Darryl Wong (born October 24, 1960) is an American actor. Wong won a Tony Award for his performance as Song Liling in '' M. Butterfly'', becoming the only actor in Broadway history to receive the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Crit ...

Rachel York Rachel York (born August 7, 1971) is an American actress and singer. She is known for stage roles, including award winning performances in ''Camelot'', '' Hello, Dolly!'', ''Into the Woods'', and ''Anything Goes''. She also has performed in film ...

Karen Ziemba Karen Ziemba (born November 12, 1957) is an American actress, singer and dancer, best known for her work in musical theatre. In 2000, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in '' Contact''. Biography Zie ...

References

External links

*{{official website, http://www.nycgmc.org/
25th Anniversary Journal
Choirs in New York City Gay culture in New York (state) Gay men's choruses Musical groups established in 1980 1980 establishments in New York City LGBTQ organizations based in New York City 1980 in LGBTQ history LGBTQ choruses in the United States