A Fun Choral Weekend

The photo above shows the Capital Pride Singers community chorus, which performed two concerts this weekend. On Saturday evening, 5-30-09, we sang at the Saratoga Springs Methodist Church. On Sunday afternoon, 5-31-09, we sang at the Unitarian Universalist church in Albany. The theme was "Time Line" and we sang American music from the 1920's to the 2000s. Everyone in the chorus dressed in costumes from the various decades and the songs were sung in chronological order, preceded by a short reading from one of the members which included the story of gay and lesbian rights (or lack thereof) in the decade. There were 1920s flappers, 1930s knickers and Gatsby caps, 1940s and 1950s housewives, a 1940s WWII sailor, 1960s hippies, 1970s and 1980s period costumes, a 1990s punk rocker with pink hair and 2000s people also. And a bit of gender bending. There were also more, of course, but I can only remember some of them.

I've always felt that it's more important to show the audience a good time, especially to bring some laughter into their lives than it is to show them how exquisitely talented we are (especially when we aren't). This concert was a big hit, bringing both guffaws and tears. And lots of enthusiastic applause.

I was in two ensemble pieces. The first, from the 1930s, was "A Tisket A Tasket." Three of us performed it in period costume and put a humorous twist to the lyrics. I'll attach a video of the performance below.

This lovely 1950s couple sang Patti Page's big hit, "Old Cape Cod" with a second verse extolling the virtues of Provincetown. The demure and dainty lady in poodle skirt, tattoos and work boots is someone closely associated with this blog. She and her handsome beau have just come from the malt shop. I'll attach a video of this song at the end of this post.

Above is a handsome WWII sailor boy flirting with the 1950s person in Dame Edna glasses. How could he possibly resist such feminine pulchritude?

And the videos of my two ensemble performances. The first is "A Tisket A Tasket." The second is "Old Cape Cod" which includes part of the chorus piece which followed it, "Forever Doo-Wop." Alas, the batteries died before the end of the piece. Well, we can only do what our batteries allow us. Ain't that a metaphor for life?!?