Find the show program here!

Throughout history, religion has been used far too often as a force to divide. People have used religion as an excuse to start wars, to discriminate against minorities, to prop up patriarchies, and to control the masses for the benefit of the few. For the LGBTQ+ community in particular, religion has been used as a cudgel to shame, resulting in lasting pain and division from other communities. But if one moves past the way people have misused religion for their own benefit, the core of every major religion is trying to teach the same things -- how to be good to each other in this world; how to love all people; and how to create peace.

“Returning to the Root” is a concert about the golden rule that is central to both religious and secular communities. The concert will focus on the concept of a loving relationship between people within a sacred context (particularly LGBTQ+ loving relationships), rather than on the more traditional religious concept of a personal, loving relationship with a higher power. The concept for the concert stems from a recent conversation between the AGMC’s artistic director and conductor, Donald Milton III, and Israeli singer and composer, Ofer Callaf. Mr. Callaf shared that he had recently set to music a text by Rabbi Shmuel Hanagid, who was not only the most influential Jew and Talmudic scholar living in Muslim Spain in the 11th century, but who also wrote a great deal of homo-erotic poetry. This is significant not only because of the time and location, but also because of the lack of openly LGBTQ+ Hebrew poetry between the middle ages and the 20th century.

And what would a Gay Men’s Chorus concert be without a little Broadway. Returning to the Root features three songs from RENT and two songs from Kinky Boots. Both of these works center around the deep spiritual connection we find with people who love, understand, and accept us for exactly who we are. In “La Vie Boheme” we’ll sing about people, ideas, and symbols that are inspirational and life affirming. The concert closes with “Raise You Up” and “Just Be” from Kinky Boots. They may seem like secular songs but they encompass the ideals of this concert: Pursue the truth. Learn something new. Accept yourself and you'll accept others too. Let love shine. Let pride be your guide. You change the world when you change your mind!