PROGRAM:
Music selections will be introduced from the stage.

BIOS:
Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles is celebrating its 46th season of moving hearts and minds through the power of music. GMCLA continues to garner acclaim for artistic excellence while remaining deeply rooted in service to the LA community by promoting civil rights, tolerance, and acceptance through music. Founded in 1979 during the emergence of the gay rights movement, GMCLA spreads its message with concerts across the globe and has raised its collective voice in the movement toward equality and social justice, the HIV/AIDS crisis, the fight for marriage equality, and representing all those seeking to find their own voice.

Dr. Ernest H. Harrison, he/him (Music Director & Conductor) is a poet, musician, and teacher, committed to the intersection of music and social justice. A graduate of Tuskegee University, Auburn University, University of Missouri and University of Southern California, Ernest has been with GMCLA since 2019. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine College, the University of Southern California, and Columbia University. He has performed as a conductor and vocalist with several Grammy award winning ensembles including the National Children’s Chorus and Conspirare and is currently a professor of Ethnomusicology at California State Polytechnic Pomona.

Amelia Thompson, she/her (Principal Accompanist) is a Southern California native and a graduate of the USC Thornton School of Music. An accomplished vocalist, Thompson has sung backup vocals for artists such as Barry Manilow, Kyenie King and the Rolling Stones. As an accompanist, she has worked with the National Children’s Chorus, Long Beach Camerata Singers and the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. She is the Collaborative Artist and Assistant Conductor for Fullerton Union High School. She is also the pianist at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Beverly Hills and sings with the Pacific Chorale in Orange County.

GMCLA SINGERS:

Tenor 1
James Lau

Tenor 2
Matthew Alexander, he/him
Tim Bowman
Christopher Plata, he/hun
Jan Redondo, he/him

Baritone
Kevin Rhodes, he/him
Daray Berry
Jon Mauren, he/him
Tim Reynolds, he/him
Eugene Salandra
Noé Sandoval, he/him
Lee Stickler, he/him
Terry Takeda, he/him
Adyr Villavicencio, he/him
Lawrence Weisberg, he/him
Jonathan Williams, he/him

Bass
Thomas Franklin, he/him
Donald Giddings, he/him
Lucky Nguyen, he/him
David Reimer, he/him
Brian Roskam

For more information about GMCLA concerts, events and membership, visit www.gmcla.org

To donate, visit https://www.gmcla.org/donate

Runtime: 35 mins
Setting: Set in the City of Los Angeles while fires rage after an explosion.

CAST:
Stacey Patiño as Veronica
Sierra Santana as Simone
Marlene Beltran as Chloe
Catherine Palacios as Eddie
Alex J. Alansalon as Tony
Abe Zapata Jr. as Kevin

CREATIVE TEAM:
Abe Zapata Jr. – Writer
Ana Bernal – Producer

BIOS:
Stacey Patiño (she/they) is a Mexican American actress and artist based in Los Angeles. She earned her BA in Theatre Performance at CSULB where she participated in acting intensives across the globe including the Lir Academy of Performing Arts in Dublin, Ireland and Villa Corona, Mexico. Credits include Liz in Pureflix’s County Rescue, Elizabeth in Oscar Shortlisted Bienviendos a Los Angeles and Maria in LMN’s Keeping Up with the Joneses.

Sierra Santana (she/her) is a Xicana actor, producer, and storyteller whose work spans film, TV and live performance. She’s appeared in viral Buzzfeed videos, modeled for brands like Savage X Fenty and Target, and co-founded Las Tóxicas LIVE, an all-Latina comedy show at UCB LA. Her producing credits include Coast, Images, Sounds, and Feelings, and the Hollywood Climate Summit, where she worked with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to bridge entertainment and climate storytelling.

Marlene Beltran (she/her) is a first generation Chicana, born and raised in Los Angeles. A multidisciplinary artist; actor, director, singer, songwriter and theatre arts educator. She is an alumna of Cal Arts where she received her BFA in acting. She mostly recently performed in Homeboys; A Musical at Casa O101 in Boyle Heights. In 2019 she appeared as a lead actor in the HBO featured film La Serenata directed by Adelina Anthony, which won the Best Short Film Imagen Award in that same year and which will soon be released as a feature. As a musician, she is a member of the Chicana native song and drum group In Lak Ech; and the lead singer of the world soul band Cuicani, whose music can be found on all major music streaming platforms.

Catherine Palacios (she/her) is a Latinx, LGBTQIA+ actor based in Los Angeles. She is from the Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas and is a University of Texas alumni with a degree in Theatre and Dance, as well as a minor in Japanese. Her background in theater is mostly with devised work, heavily incorporating movement and dance to theatre and film projects alike. Currently Catherine is studying with Howard Fine in his personal scene study class.

Alex J. Alansalon (he/they) is so excited to make his Los Angeles debut with this wonderful team! Regional: Scuttle, The Little Mermaid (Sierra Rep), Patrick Star, Spongebob Square Pants (Merc Playhouse), Alan, A Chorus Line (Gallo Center), Emperor/Bao, Magic Paintbrush (TheRev Theatre). Television: English V.O, Love Never Lies & Deep Fake Love (Netflix). Alex would love to thank his family and friends for their infinite love and support. IG: alexjalansalon

Abe Zapata Jr. (he/him) is an award-winning playwright, a Lambda Literary fellow, and Read Latinx Writer’s Initiative writer based in Los Angeles, CA. His work has gone up at Highways Santa Monica, Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA, Son of Semele, Houses on the Moon and many more places around LA and Southern California. His full length works include Borracho: Spanish for Drunken Bum, REBOOT, and strings, most notably Borracho was a . Currently Abe is the program coordinator for Q Youth Foundation, as well as the Literary Manager for Playwrights’ Arena focusing on putting up new works by LA based artists. IG: abezapatajr

Ana Bernal (they/them) is the Executive Director of Q Youth Foundation an LGBTQIA2-S+ non-profit organization in Los Angeles. Ana is good at organizing and co-producing performing arts programs with the Q Youth team.

To donate, visit https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/2369246

To donate, visit https://www.classroomofcompassion.org/donate

Run time: 35 mins

CREATIVE TEAM:
Directed by Gina Lamb in collaboration with Icon Sean/Milan™ and Armond Anderson Bell
Produced by Tyrone Carter and Gina Lamb
Executive Producer: REACH LA

Assistant Directors: Jonathan Burrows, Miranda Perry, Lisa Ratner
Writers/Poets: Armond Anderson Bell, Katura Croney, & Gene Scott

Website: www.ovahnessarchive.org

BIOS:
Icon Sean/Milan™ Garcon is a performance artist, advocate, and one of the pioneering founders of the West Coast House and Ballroom Scene. Sean has constructed programs that bridge artistic creation, HIV education, and wellness development for queer and trans youth of color in Los Angeles. This includes founding and producing the annual Ovahness Ball, the longest-running Ball on the West Coast (2006-2019)

In conjunction with painter Laura Owen’s mid-career retrospective, Icon Sean Milan has also served as an artist-in-resident at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Through his performance and advocacy work, Icon Sean/Milan has partnered with a variety of institutions including Macy’s, 356 S Mission Gallery, The Box Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, City of West Hollywood Arts Commission, USC, UCLA, Occidental College, Cal State Long Beach, Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, World of Wonder, LA Pride, and DTLA Proud.

To donate, visit www.ovahnessarchive.org

CAST:
Heather Damage (he/she/any)
Odious Ari (he/him)
Corey Saucier (they/them)
Calico Spritz (she/her)
Moe Roberts (they/them)
Kirby LaBrea (he/him)

CREATIVE TEAM:
Ian MacKinnon, Co-producer (he/him)
Travis Wood, Co-producer (he/him)

BIOS:
Heather Damage (he/she/any) is a drag queen of 12 years who performed at dozens of venues all over Southern California. She is known as a lip- sync artist specializing in dialogue pieces spanning a century of Hollywood media.

Odious Ari (he/him) is the world’s most revered 103-year-old Vaudevillian, creating a bazillion seminal works for the stage and screen including The 12 Days of Depression , Flirtin’ with Disaster , An Evening in the Bunker with You , and Some Folks’ll Have to Die . He has received an uncountable number of prestigious accolades, awards, and grants such as the MacArthur Genus Homo Grant, The Herb B. Nickles and Katherine P. Pickles Foundation Grant, The Tony Award (for his groundbreaking tour de force Capitalism: The Musical), and the Third Runner-Up Ribbon for Calhoun County Fair’s 3-Legged Race, 1972.

Corey Saucier (they/them) is a Lyrical Philosopher and a Black Queer Christian Poet, Author, and Playwright. Through workshop, performance, and scribbles on paper, Corey cultivates their personal histories into a public voice that echoes themes of intersectional Minority Identity, Fem empowerment, Queer Faith, and the unspoken Crystal-Meth Epidemic. (GreenEyedGrin on all platforms).

Kirby LaBrea (He/Him/His) is a Boylesque Showboy and Exotic Entertainer who is remembered for being a finalist of GoGo for the Gold on OutTV and a past winner of Mr. Hollywood in the Hollywood Burlesque Festival . He’s the High priest of Heels & Reveals, and with your consent, your hearts he’s gonna steal!

Born backstage in a community theatre, and raised in the bathroom of your favorite punk venue, Calico Spritz (she/her) is a sparkly little fool from the desert bringing glitz, wits, and tits to the stage. Say her name three times at the bar and you may end up with her signature cocktail in your hand, and your best friend’s mouth on your mouth (in a gay way!)

Influenced by decades of rock, Moe Roberts (they/them) begins their artist journey with their debut single “Waste My Youth” coming soon!

Ian MacKinnon (he/him) is a GLAAD award-nominated artist who has performed all across California at theaters, festivals, universities and more. He has produced and curated countless shows independently and for The City of West Hollywood, Grand Park DTLA, Antioch University and more including: LA Voices PROUD Stories , The Gay Hist-Orgy , The Discount Cruise to Hell , and more. Ian co-created Planet Queer , The Adonis Project , NSFW Film Fest , and Get More Gay Performance Workshops, all of which have helped to showcase emerging talent and support the LGBTQ+ community.

Travis Wood (he/him) is the co-creator and producer of Planet Queer . He’s also an accomplished performance artist and film-maker having graced clubs, alleys, street corners, theaters, and festivals throughout California. As a lifetime member of The Dream Circus Theatre, Travis has contributed to countless productions and experiences within the circus and electronica scene. He’s also produced The Adonis Project, NSFW Film Fest (creator and producer), and Get More Gay Performance Workshops.

Special thanks: to all our queer ancestors who have fought to get us this far! Performance is activism!

www.planetqueer.org

SETTING:
Los Angeles, CA
NYE 2015 and 1990’s

CAST:
Diego Huerta as Lucio
Luis Ceja as Ms. Martin
Milton David as Adan
Chrissi Erickson as Angelica
Amy Melendrez as Orpha
Alex Honorato as Johnny
Julian Amaya as Jerry
Bimei Flores as Suzen
Sammy Kohler as Gilbert
Veronica Fernandez as Bambi
Michael Berkhart as Gene
Ethan Trejo as Ensemble
Casey Alcoser as Erik
Stephy Rojo as Ensemble
Angelica Ornelas as Ensemble

CREATIVE TEAM:
Abel Alvarado – Playwright/Producer
Rigo Tejada – Director
Patricia Zamorano – Dramaturg/Producer
Ben Larson – Music Director/Composer
Jerry Blackburn – Production Manager
Gabrielle Maldonado – Lyricist

ARENA: A HOUSE MUSIC-al was originally developed and produced at CASA 0101. Special thanks to the office of Senator Maria Elena Durazo, Conrado TerrazasCross, DJ Irene, Steve Flores, Louis Campos, our supporters who keep coming back and all the Club Kids, Ravers, Misbehavers, Gay Gangs, and Party Crews who in the face of adversity, always kept dancing and joy alive — GRACIAS!