Photo Coverage: NYC Gay Men's Chorus Holiday Spectacular at Carnegie Hall

NYCGMC's annual Holiday Spectacular is always one of the most anticipated highlights of the holiday season in New York. This year, with "Celebrate Me Home," NYCGMC gathered with friends and family to share the holiday spirit, while continuing its steadfast efforts to celebrate the LGBT community through song. 

[title of show], a self-described musical about two nobodies named Hunter and Jeff who decide to write a completely original musical starring themselves and their attractive and talented ladyfriends, Susan and Heidi, was the hit of 2004 The New York Musical Theatre Festival. Shortly afterward, the show opened at off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre before opening on Broadway for a brief but beloved run earlier this season. 

The New York City Gay Men's Chorus Holiday Spectacular "Celebrate Me Home" also payed tribute to the amazing work of PFLAG, the organization for parents, friends and families of Lesbians and Gays as well as the Ali Forney Center which helps provide homes for the up to 25% of LGBT teens who are turned away by their families and find themselves homeless on the streets of New York.

The New York City Gay Men's Chorus' 2008-2009 Season is made possible with the generous support of Norman Hanson. The New York City Gay Men's Chorus Holiday Spectacular "Celebrate Me Home" is additionally receiving support from Time Warner, American Airlines, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The Manhattan Monster, Darden Restaurants, Next Magazine, HX Magazine, The New York Blade, and Lips Restaurant.

THE NEW YORK CITY GAY MEN'S CHORUS is an auditioned, 250-voice male chorus serving the gay community and the greater community at large by the performance of classical and contemporary male choral music as proud and openly gay men. In addition to their regular concert series, NYCGMC also performs at a variety of local and tri-state area functions, benefits, and performances. For 29 years, NYCGMC audiences have filled auditoriums including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls to standing room only. Unanimously acclaimed by America's leading music critics, the Chorus has sung with some of the world's brightest stars, commissioned and premiered many major works, made celebrated television appearances, and sold recordings worldwide. NYCGMC continues to serve the community each day through its education and AIDS outreach programs. Youth Pride Chorus, a free program for LGBTQ young people and their allies between the ages of 14-21, is the first program of its kind to be sponsored by an adult mentor chorus. NYCGMC has appeared with guests artists including Academy Award winners Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, Grammy Award winners Marilyn Horne and Cyndi Lauper, Tony Award-winning actors Carol Channing, Harvey Fierstein, Faith Prince and Kristin Chenoweth and Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Luganis, as well as joint performances with Stonewall Chorale, Lavender Light Gospel Choir, Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Gay Men's Chorus of Washington D.C., Noot an der Mann (Amsterdam), and Schola Cantorosa (Hamburg) and other choruses from around the world. As the membership continues to grow and diversify, the Chorus will continue to extend its message of love, compassion, and positive examples of gay lives for many years to come.

Photos by Peter James Zielinski