Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates 40 years with Alan Cumming, Laura Benanti, Shangela and more
GMCW honors a "big, bold, beautiful milestone" at its virtual Spring Affair concert
In recent years Alan Cumming has invited the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington to support him in cabaret-style performances at the Kennedy Center. The group is returning the favor, inviting the Tony-winning star to serve as the emcee for the organization’s Spring Affair 2021.
Cumming is just one among a handful of celebrities featured at the all-star, all-virtual show. The lineup includes five-time Tony-nominated actress Laura Benanti, also known for her uproarious impersonation of former First Lady Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert; the triple-threat entertainer Lea Delaria, a veteran musical comedy and jazz/cabaret singer and actor known for playing “Big Boo” in Orange is the New Black; Todrick Hall, who parlayed early success on American Idol and YouTube to become a performer and pop artist; and Shangela, the iconic three-time Drag Race contestant who has found success in music and in acting and has gained greater recognition for her work as co-host and consulting producer of We’re Here, HBO’s Emmy-nominated drag makeover series.
“This year’s theme is ‘A Ruby Jubilee’ for our 40th anniversary,” says Artistic Director Thea Kano. “We want our celebration to be fitting for this occasion — big, bold, and beautiful for this milestone — especially since we are all celebrating at home this year.”
The celebration also includes a silent auction with a variety of prizes up for bid starting Monday, April 26, and concluding Sunday, May 2. The slate includes a number of enticing travel packages — “A Greek Island Adventure,” “New Orleans Cruise,” and “Escape to Key West,” among them.
The GMCW Spring Affair is Saturday, May 1, at 7 p.m. Free with advanced registration. VIP Packages, offering a pre-event wine tasting, a wine, and dessert reception the night of the event, commemorative stemless wine glasses, and “extra special perks for VIPS,” range in price from $150 to $400. Visit www.gmcw.org.
Read More:
SONiA disappear fear honors Lesbian Visibility Day with a livestream performance
Dance Place previews “CLASS,” a documentary about visionary co-founder Carla Perlo
Sixth and I’s upcoming discussions include Malcolm Gladwell, Amy Klobuchar, and “Rabbi vs. Jedi”
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
