FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: 
Peter Zimmerman | San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
(415) 865-3650 ext. 306 | peter.zimmerman@sfgmc.org

SAN FRANCISCO (May 4, 2017) – Today, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) and Dr. Timothy Seelig, Artistic Director, announced the summer concert for Season 39: Community, featuring three performances of The Gay Kitchen Sink, running June 16-17 at the Nourse Theater (275 Hayes Street, San Francisco 94102). Performances are Friday, June 16 at 8 p.m., and Saturday, June 17 at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets range in price from $25-65 and are available now on www.SFGMC.org or by calling City Box Office at (415) 392-4400.

The Gay Kitchen Sink features the 250 men of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus in what promises to be a spectacular, over-the-top Pride Month celebration as only SFGMC can do. In addition, the Chorus welcomes special guest artists the Kinsey Sicks – “America’s Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet.”

“The ‘kitchen sink’ idiom felt like the perfect way to describe this concert,” writes Dr. Timothy Seelig, Artistic Director. “We’re throwing down the gauntlet with this one — we’re taking a topic that may seem like a big ‘duh’ for San Francisco and turning it into something that is fresh, exciting and thoroughly entertaining. And we’ll be tossing in the kitchen sink for good measure — leaving nothing to the imagination!”

The Gay Kitchen Sink comprises major LGBT anthems from across many generations, from Holly Near’s folk protest song “Singing for Our Lives” (written in response to the assassination of Harvey Milk) to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” The concert runs the gamut, from Cyndi Lauper and Elton John to Patsy Cline, Kander & Ebb, and Gloria Gaynor. The Chorus also digs into some very recent additions to the canon from major gay icons like Sara Bareilles, Taylor Swift, Destiny’s Child and Robyn, while also paying homage to the community’s “newest” gay superstar Barry Manilow.

In celebration of this year’s 50th Anniversary of the “Summer of Love,” SFGMC opens the concert with a stunning medley of favorites from this era. The concert includes two phenomenal world premieres — “Progress is Not a Straight Line” by Jeff Marx (Avenue Q) and “It’s Not as Much Fun Being Gay,” an uproarious, comedic new work by Bay Area favorites Clark Sterling and Nolan Gasser. The Chorus will also present a few selections from its upcoming Lavender Pen Tour, which journeys to six Southern states this October to spread the Chorus’ message and music of hope, tolerance, and acceptance.

“Pride in San Francisco isn’t complete without SFGMC’s huge summer show,” writes Chris Verdugo, Executive Director. “Nothing celebrates the end of our 39th Season, our prestigious selection as Pride’s Community Grand Marshal and ushers in our 40th Season like The Gay Kitchen Sink. It embodies the essence of SFGMC celebrating the divas that have called us to dance floors for decades while also raising our voices in songs of protest and power as we prepare to take our message of compassion and community into the south this October with the Lavender Pen Tour. This concert is a celebration of our beautiful, diverse, rainbow-filled community."

For The Gay Kitchen Sink, the Kinsey Sicks joins the Chorus as special guest artists. Heralded as “America’s Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet,” the group has been an essential part of the LGBT community for nearly 25 years. The group has performed to wild critical acclaim, with The Washington Post writing, "If you haven't made the acquaintance of The Kinsey Sicks, it's high time you did... Uproarious... brilliant... authentically joyful,” and KQED calling them “The Royal Shakespeare Company of drag performance.

For more information about The Gay Kitchen Sink, please visit https://www.sfgmc.org.

About San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus

For nearly 40 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, visit www.sfgmc.org and @sfgmc (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram).

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