NYC Gay Men's Chorus to Honor Our Lady J and #BoysDanceToo Movement with Robbie Fairchild and Travis Wall

The New York City Gay Men's Chorus (NYCGMC) and Youth Pride Chorus, today announced that HARMONY, the annual Valentine's Day fundraiser that supports NYCGMC and Youth Pride Chorus, will honor the legendary Our Lady J and the #BoysDanceToo movement with Robbie Fairchild, Sam Quinn, Travis Wall, Charlie Williams and Alex D. Wong. Entertainment at the February 14th event will feature four Broadway heartthrobs Sidney DuPont (Beautiful), Henry Gottfried (Waitress), Adam Hyndman (Hadestown, Once on This Island), Devin Ilaw (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables), and Vishal Vaidya (Groundhog Day) at Current, Pier 59.

Also featured that evening, NYCGMC's own pop a cappella ensemble Tonewall, reigning Northeast champions of the International A Cappella Open, and the always-inspiring Youth Pride Chorus made up of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight young people ages 13-22.

This year Harmony will help ring in the 40th Anniversary of NYCGMC in style as a celebration of the power music has to bring people together, pitch perfect for Valentine's Day and its ruby anniversary. The performances will combine with dinner and cocktails along with live and silent auctions with extraordinary items including vacations to Bali, Tuscany, Hawaii, and California's Wine Country. Smaller items include fitness packages, gourmet dinners, and Broadway theater tickets.

Harmony 2020 honors James D. Matte and J. Christopher Beck, Our Lady J, and #BoysDanceToo - Robbie Fairchild, Sam Quinn, Travis Wall, Charlie Williams and Alex D. Wong (see this video from the event in Times Square). James and Chris will be the inaugural recipients of the newly created Fortissimo Award, presented for strong and sustained support of NYCGMC and YPC. Our Lady J will receive the Gary Miller Award, presented annually to an artist who has contributed substantially in the world of LGBTQ arts. #BoysDanceToo and Robbie Fairchild, Sam Quinn, Travis Wall, Charlie Williams and Alex D. Wong will receive the Arts in Action Award, presented annually to an artist or arts organization dedicated to sharing their talents and passion to make the world a more inclusive home for all people.

The gala will feature

· live and silent auctions

· Performances by:

o Broadway heartthrobs Henry Gottfried (Waitress), Adam Hyndman (Hadestown, Once on This Island), Devin Ilaw (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables), and Vishal Vaidya (Groundhog Day)

o Tonewall, NYGMC's own pop a cappella ensemble and Youth Pride Chorus

· Harmony will be held at Current, Pier 59 from 6-11pm; tickets and online bidding available HERE.

· Harmony sponsors: JetBlue and Tito's Handmade Vodka

About Our Lady J

Our Lady J is an Emmy-nominated writer and producer, currently writing on Ryan Murphy's hit TV series "Pose." After a career of making music in both the pop and classical worlds (Sia, American Ballet Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Group), Our Lady J transitioned to writing and producing on the Golden Globe ® and Emmy ®-winning series Transparent. Our Lady J holds the honor of being the first out trans woman to perform at Carnegie Hall, as well as the first out trans writer to be hired in a television writers room. She has been awarded two Peabody Awards, two American Film Institute Awards, and has been nominated for three Writers Guild Awards and an NAACP Image Award.

About #BoysDanceToo

The "Good Morning Ballet" event was created to stand up to bullying that was demonstrated on Good Morning America against male dancers in August of 2019. Over 300 dancers gathered outside the studio in Time Square to take a ballet class together to begin the conversation of not only male dancers in the industry but to show the world what happens when a community stands together, united, to support one another. This sparked an international highlight on male identifying dancers and continues to be a wildly talked about topic. Starting with a Facebook post by Sam Quinn calling for action, Charlie, Travis, Robbie and Alex all jumped on board to bring this event to life. Our mission is to show the world strong examples of male dancers and the incredible effect that dance has had on our lives to inspire other dancers to join and support such an impactful community of the arts. We stand up against bullying of any kind and encourage children to explore their own interests free of shame and ridicule. Dance is for everyone, everywhere, without restriction, label, or ridicule.

About the New York City Gay Men's Chorus

New York City Gay Men's Chorus is a world-class, world-renowned New York institution and a pioneering voice for the LGBTQ community. NYCGMC is comprised of more than 250 talented singers of various ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Together, we produce a vibrant sound and energy that audiences can feel and connect with. Through the power of this sound, and our spectacular performances, we are fearless champions for love, equality, and acceptance. Founded in 1980, NYCGMC has formed a strong bond with devoted followers and continues to make lasting connections with new and diverse audiences. We sing in every style from classical to pop, Broadway to gospel, and from cultures all over the world. As artists, we listen to the changing world around us and transform what we hear into music. We sing to challenge perceptions of the LGBTQ community, to combat fear and hatred, encourage compassion and human connection, and to thrill with the superb quality of our sound. Through our music, audiences mourn losses, cheer victories, find unconditional acceptance, and celebrate life. We perform in a variety of settings, including special, private, and corporate events, concerts, television appearances, festivals, Broadway/theatre productions, conferences, weddings, parties, fundraisers, and community events. nycgmc.org

About the Youth Pride Chorus

New York City's Youth Pride Chorus harnesses the power of the performing arts to engage lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight young people ages 13-22 as agents of change. YPC fights homophobia, bullying, and all forms of hate by boldly asserting-through music-the joy, diversity, strength, and pride of today's youth. YPC singers discover their own power by empowering others in schools, online, and in the broader community through electrifying, high caliber singing and performances. youthpridechorus.org

About Big Apple Performing Arts

Big Apple Performing Arts is the non-profit management company for the New York City Gay Men's Chorus and Youth Pride Chorus. With over thirty years of history, innovative programs, and service to the LGBTQ community, Big Apple Performing Arts is renowned for producing legendary performances, commissioning new works, and taking a leading role in the movement for social justice. From Carnegie Hall to City Hall, from the AIDS crisis to the struggle for marriage equality, as well as today's gender and identity politics, the choruses of BAPA have been leaders and activists in the New York City community since 1980.

Photo Credit: Michael R. Dekker