Photo Flash: Gay Men's Chorus of LA 30th Anniversary
By: Rachel Schwartz Sep. 04, 2008
It was a packed house in Los Angeles's Walt Disney Hall on Monday night, August 25th, as Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles celebrated their 30th anniversary season with the stunning Joely Fisher as host/performer. Fans and friends on hand for the celebration were Florence Henderson, Loni Anderson, Donna Mills, Dee Wallace, Ber Fox, Clay Adkins, Tippi Hedren, Channing Chase, Kate Linder, Alison Arngrim, Henry Polic, Cassandra Peterson, Johnny Mathis and cast members of Sordid Lives.
In 1978, while cars burned in the plaza outside San Francisco's City Hall to protest the sentencing of Harvey Milk's killer, a small group of men joined the demonstrations-and began to sing. That's how the modern gay choral movement was born.
Today there are over 150 transgender, gay, lesbian and mixed choruses across the United States, joined in song and coördinated through the work of GALA of which GMCLA is a proud co-founder. In July 1979, Los Angeles joined the growing choral civil rights movement when 99 men gathered in Plummer Park-and the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles was born. The upcoming 30th Anniversary Gala Concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall on August 25, 2008, will launch a year of celebration to mark this achievement. GMCLA will sing and dance their way through a season both rich in memories but with an eye to the future.
Donzaleigh Abernathy with Joely Fisher and Tippi Hedren
Ber Fox and Donna Mills
Carol Burnett, Erin Hamilton and longtime family friend Florence Henderson
AMC's Mad Men star Channing Chase with husband Daniel Saxon
Christine Chavez with GMCLA
Donzaleigh Abernathy with gala producer Chris Verdugo and Tippi Hedren
Donzaleigh Abernathy, Kate Linder, Alison Arngrim and Tippi Hedren
Donzaleigh Abernathy
Della Reese and Donzaleigh Abernathy
Erin Hamilton performing One World
Erin Hamilton and Carol Burnett
George Takei and Brad Altman announce their wedding plans
GMCLA Executive Director Hywel Sims, Della Reese and GMCLA Artistic Director/Conductor Bruce Mayhall
Hywel Sims (GMCLA Executive Director), Joely Fisher (Host) and Bruce Mayhall (GMCLA Artistic Director/Conductor)
John Anderson and Erin Hamilton
Jenny Carreon and Christine Chavez
Kate Linder and Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson, Hollywood Publicist Harlan Boll and Donna Mills
Michael Verdugo of HGTV's Design Star and Trish Beaudet
Alison Arngrim and husband Bob Schoonover, with Hywel Sims (GMCLA Executive Director)
Photo Credits: Drew Paonessa, Daniel Kane, Marc Colburn, Bill Bow
Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)
9.2% of votes
2.
HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)
5.2% of votes
3.
HEATHERS (Backyard Playhouse: Treetop Production)
5.1% of votes
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