VIDEO: The Valley Villagers Choir Performs 'The Story Goes On'

The Valley Villagers Choir had to stop rehearsing and performing together when the Covid pandemic hit. But that hasn't stopped their leaders from getting people to keep singing. Founders Eric Andrist and Jeff Rizzo created a "virtual" division for the choir and recently released their second virtual choir video, this time for Grandparent's Day.

The duo gathered 48 singers, mostly musical theater performers from across the U.S. to sing "The Story Goes On" from the David Shire and Richard Maltby, Jr. Broadway musical "Baby." The song is about realizing that life is bigger than just ourselves; that we come from long lines of other people, and many of us will continue that line into the future.

The Valley Villagers "Virtual" Choir released their first video in June, Eric Carmen's "All By Myself" which has soared to over 4,000 views, and has 7 more songs coming out, 4 of those for Christmas. Later this month they will debut "Into the Fire" from "The Scarlet Pimpernel," with special guest performer Douglas Sills the original star of the show on Broadway. Following that they have 2 songs for Halloween, Radiohead's "Creep" and "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd." Then for Christmas they'll have a video with 4 holiday tunes combined.

Several celebrities have joined the group and several more are lined up for future videos including Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue), Connie Jackson (NCIS), David Engel, Larry Raben and Stan Chandler from the original companies of "Forever Plaid," Mary Gordon Murray from "One Life to Live," NY Cabaret singer, Karen Mason, E.J. Cardona from the hit acapella group Voctave, Gregory Jbara from "Blue Bloods," singer Sam Harris, and are in talks for a big name from the Opera world to join them for Christmas.

Everyone performs for free and their love for singing and making music.
The cast for "The Story Goes On" includes: Ruthie Baker, Eileen Barnett, Karen Benjamin-Chapman, Kym Chambers Otto, Kristin Charney, Glory Crampton, Julie Garnyé, Devon Hadsell, Maura Knowles, Devyn Kontur, Christine Negherbon, Joanne O'Brien, Keri Rodau, Dana Shaw, Julie Carrillo, Pamela Dayton, Elaine Davidson, Ally Gishi, Sydne Lyons, Mihaela Caldarescu, MaryJo Mundy, Katie Okane, Valerie Perri, Cathy Susan Pyles, Alli Spotts-DeLazzer, Catherine Fries-Vaughn, Diane Vincent, Mark Barrett, Rob Blaney, Victor E. Chan, Morgan Hollingsworth, Alex Mackyol, Bear Manescalchi, Parnell Damone Marcano, Chuck Rosen, Bobby Traversa, Paul Wong, Eric Andrist, Mitch Barrett, Jason Chacon, Ben Ginsberg, Shelby Grimm, Rick Kleber, Gary Mortimer, John Sloman, Charles Swan, Joseph Torello, Robert Yacko, with Marjorie Poe on piano.

The composers have granted Rizzo the right to publish the choral arrangement for "The Story Goes On" for other choirs to perform.

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