BWW Preview: KANSAS CITY CHRISTMAS Opens the 29th Season of the Heartland Men's Chorus

The Heartland Men's Chorus celebrates all things Kansas City December 5-7 with their holiday concert Kansas City Christmas. The first concert of their 29th season takes the stage at the Folly Theater under the direction of the Heartlands new artistic director Dustin S. Cates.

The program contains a mix of traditional carols, sacred music, and the outrageous humor of the chorus. The Saturday evening performance will feature a "sly" surprise, with special guest Kansas City Mayor Sly James. Mayor James, a longtime supporter of the arts in Kansas City, will perform a solo in "I'll Be Home for Christmas."

"Pride in our city and our community is at an all-time high," says Cates. "It seems like every week Kansas City is included on a 'Top Ten List' of the best places to live, to work, or to visit. And the performance of the Kansas City Royals in the World Series has renewed pride in our city like I've never experienced before. I wanted my first concert as artistic director to reflect the spirit, flavor, and music of my hometown."

The holiday concert, Kansas City Christmas, features music written and arranged by local composers. The chorus will perform "Gloria," written by Eugene Butler, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Variations on Jingle Bells" arranged by Mark Hayes, and arrangements of "Bashana Haba 'ah" and "Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming" by John Leavitt. "I Saw Three Ships" by Lyndell Leatherman and "Three Messiah Settings for Men's Chorus" by Jacob Narverud will be debuted in the productions.

Other performers include Dustin Rapier, Soprano Sarah Tannehill Anderson, and the Park Hill South High School Drumline will perform a choreographed interlude to "The Little Drummer Boy." From the world of drag, DeDe Deville joins the chorus in a tribute to the ubiquitous Disney film "Frozen" and Genewa Stanwyck appears as "Angie, The Christmas Tree Angel."

The Heartland Men's Chorus is Kansas City's gay men's chorus, regularly performing with more than 120 singers. Evening performances on Friday and Saturday begin at 8 p.m. and the Sunday performance at 4 p.m. Purchase tickets by calling 816-931-3338 or online at the Heartland Men's Chorus website. Photo courtesy of the Heartland Men's Chorus.