Just in time for Halloween, the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) announces the release of a new video highlighting the group’s flair for dramatic dress and underscoring how beloved the holiday is by the LGBTQ community. Video watchers will also come away with fabulous costume ideas (with masks, naturally) for this weekend.
The lighthearted 15-minute video features three past BGMC performances curated by Music Director Reuben M. Reynolds III: Ricky Martin’s pop hit “Cup Of Life,” which features dancers clad in rainbow plumage (and little else); Culture Club’s classic “Church of the Poison Mind,” a veritable fashion parade of clever clerical garb; and “Raise You Up/Just Be” from the musical “Kinky Boots,” in which the BGMC dancers and guest soloist Todrick Hall kick up their thigh-high heels.
“For many LGBTQ people growing up, Halloween was the one time of year they could express the gay or gender non-conforming aspects of themselves relatively safely—whether it was a teenage boy dressing in drag for the first time, a little girl in a football uniform, or the transgender kid in a dinosaur costume trying to break free of societal gender norms,” said Reynolds. “BGMC intentionally makes concert costume choices in that same spirit of authentic personal expression, and these song selections reflect that. Besides, Halloween is the second gayest holiday after Pride so we wanted to give people a fun seasonal escape since reality is scary enough right now.”
“Reuben’s Picks for Halloween” is the latest in a series of videos released by BGMC since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the chorus to halt live performances for public health reasons.
“The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus has been sharing stories through song about our community to audiences around the world for more than 38 years now,” said BGMC Executive Director Craig Coogan. “We can’t perform for live audiences right now, but we can still sing and share our stories in other ways that inspire change, build community and celebrate difference.”
In May, BGMC launched BGMC Online to showcase BGMC@Home virtual videos, which include “From Our Home to Yours: Everything Possible,” “Pride 2020 Selections by Music Director Reuben Reynolds III,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Born This Way: Virtual Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, “Reuben’s Picks, Fourth of July,” and most recently the web series “Celebrity Spotlight.” BGMC Online also features highlights from BGMC’s archive of more than 400 video performances that are viewed more than 1.5 million times annually. Playlists include BGMC’s most popular videos from YouTube, its most recent Pride concert titled “God Save the Queens,” its most recent spring concert, titled “Raise You Up,” and playlists from its tour of the Middle East in 2015 and tour of South Africa in 2018.
About the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus
The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus is one of New England’s largest and most successful community-based choruses. Founded in 1982, the 200-voice ensemble is celebrated for its outstanding musicianship, creative programming, and groundbreaking community outreach. Under the dynamic leadership of Music Director Reuben M. Reynolds III, the BGMC sings a wide spectrum of classical and popular music and creates social change by providing a positive, affirming image of the gay and lesbian community. The Chorus is heard live by more than 10,000 people each season and thousands more through recording, television and internet broadcasts. CBS-WBZ named the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus one of the “top 5” choruses in the city of Boston. The Boston Business Journal in 2018, 2019, and 2020 named BGMC one of the top performing arts organizations in the city. BGMC is a Cultural Ambassador — being the first LGBTQ chorus to perform in Poland in 2005, the Middle East in 2015 and in South Africa in June 2018.