Brian Justin Crum & Alaysha Fox to Join GMCLA's QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) announced today that "America's Got Talent" breakout star Brian Justin Crum (Broadway's Wicked and Next to Normal) and LA Opera's rising star Alaysha Fox (LA Opera's Aida) will be special guest stars for QUEEN of the night, featuring the greatest hits from the critically acclaimed, legendary band Queen. This long-awaited rock extravaganza is mixed with opera and high-energy dance numbers performed by the Chorus. GMCLA is thrilled to present its second concert of Season 43 at Royce Hall after the Chorus's successful engagement of A Holiday Homecoming at UCLA's premier venue. QUEEN of the night is scheduled for two concerts only: Saturday, April 2 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available at GMCLA.org.

The full Chorus sings more than a dozen iconic songs from Queen and Freddie Mercury. Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love and We Will Rock You are among the best pop/rock anthems ever written, and the Chorus brings them to life as you've never heard before. This two-act show features four production dance numbers that only GMCLA can truly deliver, including I Want to Break Free (previously banned on MTV). A sprinkling of gorgeous arias and Mercury's exquisite Barcelona round out a spectacular mash-up of rock and opera. GMCLA Music Director & Conductor Ernest H. Harrison will conduct the Chorus, with choreography by Janet Roston.

"We've been trying to have Brian Justin Crum join us for the last three years, and it has finally happened! Anyone who's seen him on 'America's Got Talent' knows that he's got a monster voice, and in the Queen canon he has very few equals," said GMCLA Executive Director & Producer Lou Spisto. "His speaking his truth on one of the biggest shows on television seen around the world was huge for the LGBTQ+ community, and that makes his appearance with GMCLA even more significant. Alaysha Fox is part of the incredible LA Opera and a rising star in the opera world who just keeps winning important vocal competitions. We can't wait to introduce her to our audience. Brian will join the Chorus to sing lead in several of Queen's songs and Alaysha will join in beloved arias - when they come together with GMCLA for Freddie's Barcelona we will Raise the Roof in Royce Hall."

Brian Justin Crum became a viral sensation with his cover of Radiohead's Creep on "America's Got Talent,"amassing over 100 million views online, and Somebody to Love and Never Enough, which entered the iTunes Pop Charts. He has had an expansive career in the arts, getting his start on Broadway at just 18 years old in Wicked. He starred alongside Tony Award winner Alice Ripley and Brian d'Arcy James in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal, and Queen's rock theatrical We Will Rock You, where he got to perform alongside original band members Brian May and Roger Taylor, as well as Grease and The Addams Family. His first single, Show Me Love, reached #2 on the Billboard Dance Charts and was named in the top 10 dance records alongside Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Ed SHeeran. He will make his return to the musical stage this fall starring in Stephen Schwartz's Children of Edenopposite Deborah Cox and Norm Lewis in Chicago.

Soprano Alaysha Fox is an emerging artist based in Los Angeles. Currently Ms. Fox is a member of LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program. This fall she makes her LA Opera mainstage debut in Verdi's Aida as the Priestess. This past summer Ms. Fox joined the Santa Fe Opera's Apprentice Program for Singers, where she sang the role of Bridesmaid in Le Nozze di Figaro. Recently Ms. Fox was seen as Erstes Mädchen in Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen with the LA Philharmonic.

QUEEN of the night will be presented Saturday, April 2 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. at UCLA's Royce Hall, 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095. Tickets are available at GMCLA.org starting at $30. Intermission refreshments will be on sale at Royce Hall's beautiful West Terrace. For detailed venue information go to RoyceHall.org/visit.

All patrons attending a performance at UCLA's Royce Hall will be required to provide proof of up-to-date vaccination against COVID-19 (primary series of vaccination and booster, if eligible for the booster) or provide proof of a negative lab-based PCR test within 48 hours or a negative lab-based antigen test within 24 hours of entering the venue. Medical grade surgical mask or higher-grade respirator are required to be worn at all times. More information on COVID-19 safety and health policies at Royce Hall is available here.

GMCLA's Season 43 concludes with a milestone event, TAKING FLIGHT, on August 13-14, 2022, featuring aGMCLA co-commission and Los Angeles Premiere, Songs of the Phoenix. This major new work was curated by Grammy- and Tony-nominated composer Andrew Lippa (I Am Harvey Milk) and written by 13 diverse and talented lyricists and composers, including legends Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim. The Chorus also performs additional music from the world of musical theatre and contemporary composers. Songs of the Phoenix celebrates the beauty of the fight - it's about heart, the return of laughter, light and the lifting of voices. Special guest artists and single ticket on-sale will be announced at a later date.

A digital streaming presentation of QUEEN of the night will be available soon after the live performances. Details will be announced at a later date at ..

GMCLA Season 43 is supported by a major grant from the LA Arts Recovery Fund.

Additional support for GMCLA is provided by Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture; Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles; and WeHo Arts, City of West Hollywood.

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