North Coast Men’s Chorus History

In 1987 an event occurred that started something amazing — the gay men’s chorus from Detroit came to Cleveland to present a concert.  There was a lot of enthusiasm and excitement in the audience — we should do this here! So, during the intermission and after the concert, signup sheets were available to start a similar chorus in Cleveland.   The interest was great enough to go forward with the idea of a Cleveland Chorus.

Rick Fuller was the guiding light who kept the desire and enthusiasm going, and by January 1988 a formal organization was in place, holding its first board meeting and the first rehearsal.  Robert Bellisario and Thomas Scott began as dual music directors, and James Wallace was the first accompanist. So, in April 1988, the North Coast Men’s Chorus, named for its Lake Erie locale, made its first appearance at Case Western Reserve University’s Gay and Lesbian Conference.

The gay and lesbian choral movement had been growing for some time.  Stonewall Chorale had been formed in New York City in 1976, and soon other major cities followed suit.  In a time when many gay people remained fairly closeted, the gay chorus provided a place to meet people other than a bar, a way to ease out of the closet in a secure setting, a stage for would-be singers and actors to perform, and a means of simply having fun.  (In a few years, the choruses would take on another task: drawing attention to and consideration for the AIDS epidemic).

Bob Bellisario became the Music Director in 1989.  The Chorus began its pattern of two shows a year, usually one in December and one in spring. The repertoire was a mix of classical and popular music and was mostly performed in area churches.  NCMC recognized its role in the gay community, and performed for many service organizations and gay community events, including the Health Issues Task Force of Cleveland, The Northern Ohio Coalition, Inc., The Community Center, the NAMES Project Cleveland, Friends of PWAs, and the Western Reserve AIDS Foundation.  Sadly though, Rick Fuller died of AIDS in 1989, and did not survive to see his dream grow and prosper.

In 1991 The Coastliners, a double quartet, was created.  It was originally formed for performance at smaller gatherings, and it soon became known for its tight harmonies and over-the-top comedy routines. Directed by Rich Cole, the group has recreated itself again and again as voices came and left.  Jerry Zak is the only original member of The Coastliners that is still singing with the group. In recent years, The Coastliners have been a fundraising arm of the Chorus as well as ambassadors of NCMC. In 2012 the group reached two significant milestones: performing for Independence Day celebrations in Cleveland’s Public Square to an audience of over 30,000 people; and issuing their first CD recording, Happy Hour. In recent years, The Coastliners have welcomed several additional voices, increasing their numbers to 10, and have been performing out in the community from Lake County to Lorain to Akron, and of course at home around Cleveland more than ever!

In September 1993 Tim Robson became the new music director.  Through this time the Chorus had performed twice with the national touring company of Heart Strings, a musical that promoted AIDS awareness.  It was during Tim’s tenure that the Chorus presented “concept” shows such as “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and “Jerry’s Boys,” and performed with gay duo Romanovsky and Phillips and renowned gay a cappella group The Flirtations.  The Chorus was now producing three concerts per season, moving the spring show to an earlier date, and rounding out the calendar with a June show to coincide with Gay Pride weekend. The Chorus continued performing for other organizations: The Lesbian Gay Center of Cleveland, Gay Pride opening ceremonies, Cleveland AIDS Walk, and the Human Rights Campaign.

Rich Cole first served as interim director of NCMC for the second half of the 1997-1998 season, and was then named Artistic Director the following season.  Under Rich’s direction, the Chorus gave greater attention to staging and showmanship, building a choral concert into an entertainment experience. One of his trademarks is the “Rich Cole Emotional Rollercoaster.”  Rich loves to do a few bouncy numbers, then change the mood with an exquisitely wrought song that not only leaves the audience breathless, but also likely in tears. And then he follows that up with a comedy number that also brings tears, but of the hysterical laughter sort.  The result is a folding together of unrelated music into one memorable event, both for the audience and for the performers.

It was also during this time in Rich’s tenure that choreography became a primary element of our productions. 

 Enter Lora Workman, who took a group of guys with two left feet (and on risers yet!) and taught them cheesy moves to Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made for Walkin’,” for the 2000 GALA Choruses festival.  The result was an absolute “Standing O” moment. Since then she has channeled Bob Fosse in “Big Spender”, and Michael Bennett in “One” from A Chorus Line.   She has out-Madonna-ed Madonna for “Vogue,” and out-Gaga-ed Lady Gaga for “Born This Way.”   And most recently she created a take-no-prisoners riff on a James Bond medley that included the most erotic ballet sequence ever experienced by NCMC audiences.  Now choreography is an integral part of every NCMC concert.

2000 also introduced Robert Day as Principal Accompanist to the North Coast Men’s Chorus.  Our longest-serving pianist has built a repertoire of accompaniment that is simply daunting.  And he has often also arranged music for the Chorus, creating settings that are a bear to learn but result in beautiful, tight choral blends.

We received an invitation in 2004 from Transitional Housing, Inc. to perform as back-up singers for a Christmas concert.  With no hesitation, the Chorus said, “Yes!” to performing with Linda Eder and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Eder’s voice is as big as a house, and performing with her was a wonderful experience, made greater with the look of appreciation she gave us during one of our joint numbers.  The additional thrill was the opportunity to sing at Severance Hall, one of the premier acoustic settings in the United States. It was as if we celebrated two Christmases that year.

By now, an ongoing goal for the Chorus was the creation of a CD recording, and so, immediately after each concert, the Chorus would come together and record selections from that show to be banked for a future CD effort.  It had been decided that the first CD would have a holiday theme, and in late 2003 the first North Coast Men’s Chorus CD, Behold!, was debuted.  When we all held our copies of that first CD it felt like an Olympic accomplishment – we were a real singing group now!  It was followed in 2004 by The Human Heart, a mélange of some of our best work; another Christmas CD, Sugar Plum Fairies, appeared in 2006, with cover art of a ballerina’s foot shod in a pink high-top sneaker; and Think Pink!, the title number being from a memorable (and oh, so gay) musical segment in the movie Funny Face, was produced in 2008. Our latest CD, Swingle Bells, is a live recording of the 2008 holiday program, released in 2011.

When the Chorus turned 20, it was decided that we would invite two artists to Cleveland.  Our first was almost too impossible to be true: Bernadette Peters. An icon of the gay community, Peters is not only a star of Broadway, film and television, but also a strong supporter of The Gay Men’s Health Crisis and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.  In March 2008 we once again appeared at the Allen Theatre with a true legend. Ms. Peters’ performance was simply incredible, and working with her the stuff of dreams.

Then in June 2008 we performed with Armistead Maupin in Tunes from Tales, a concept show by Dennis Coleman and David Maddux, based on Maupin’s Tales of the City novels. As we sang, Armistead read snippets of the stories of some of the most lasting characters in gay fiction, whose life experiences have often mirrored those of many of the audience members.  It was another evening of laughter, of tears, and of community.

In 2009, we moved our Holiday Concert to the Hanna Theatre, another in the PlayhouseSquare complex.  This bijou of a theatre, with intimate seating and superb technical support is a stunning venue, and it gives us marvelous versatility for the most popular show of our season.   And, having an annual presence at Playhouse Square enables us to reach much broader audiences.

As part of our 25th anniversary anticipation, NCMC played the Palace Theatre!  We shared the stage with another guest Brian Stokes Mitchell, Broadway star and Tony winner.  “Stokes”, as he prefers to be called, is a dynamic performer and unbelievably kind, and he made each chorus member feel very, very special. We wrapped up our 25th Season with a gala dinner and concert with comedian Leslie Jordan of “Will and Grace” and “Sordid Lives” fame. Most recently, NCMC celebrated its 30th Anniversary with special guest Maureen McGovern. Maureen wowed the audience with soulful inspirational music, powerful jazz vocals, and of course all her classic hits from the silver screen!

In addition to all the excitement NCMC has been a part of in Northeast Ohio, we have also had many chances to travel to the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) festivals to perform and share in camaraderie with many of the hundreds of LGBT choruses from around the world.  The Chorus participated in GALA festivals in Tampa (1996), San Jose (2000), Cincinnati (2002), Montreal (2004), Miami (2008), and Denver (2012 & 2016).

In the past 25 years, NCMC has been served by dozens of Board members, both singers and members of the broader community.  Along with many dedicated volunteers the Board members have done much of the day to day administration of the Chorus. As operations grew more complex, the need for administrative staff became apparent.  In 2007 the NCMC board selected James McPeak as its first Executive Director. He was followed in this role by Barbara Ragon and Ray Jasinski.  Most recently, Jon Kozesky, who joined us as a Development Specialist, has taken on the role of Executive Director on an interim basis. Along with the growth of NCMC, there has been growing recognition from the broader community.  The Chorus has been fortunate to receive increasing support from local media and grant support from Ameriprise Financial Services, the Ohio Arts Council, and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture in recent years.

Over the course of Chorus history there have been many, many men who came to sing with NCMC.  Some only stayed for a single show or season, others drifted in and out, still others made their marks and then moved on.  Some tragically, are no longer with us, and others stayed, finding a home for their talents and for themselves. But one came to the first rehearsal, and never left.  

Jerry Zak has the special honor of having appeared in every single concert of the North Coast Men’s Chorus, and the Chorus in turn has had the unique honor of sharing in his inspired looniness.  We have been awestruck by his Suzy Snowflake on roller skates, his disco Mother Nature, his pregnant bride a la Fanny Brice, and his drunken Liza Minnelli molesting a hapless Santa Claus. He embodies the enthusiasm and zeal that the other chorus members strive to mimic.

As the Chorus looks to its future, the question begs to be asked, “What new roles will the North Coast Men’s Chorus fill?”  We are now at a time when HIV/AIDS, though not cured, is managed by drug regimens as a chronic condition. Same sex marriage has become a reality all across our great nation.  Gays are allowed to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces. The Boy Scouts has voted to include boys who identify as gay, and Gay-Lesbian-Trans-Straight alliances are appearing in more and more school systems. More people than ever before are gay-aware, and gay-accepting.  So where do we go from here?

The answer is found in the mission of NCMC, which was formulated years ago, yet still holds the key to our continuance:

The North Coast Men’s Chorus

• Provides a supportive environment for its members and participants – we embrace the commonalities that bring us together, and celebrate the differences that make us individuals.

• Presents high quality musical entertainment for diverse audiences – regardless of the intricacies of the latest media, nothing can duplicate the exuberance and excitement of live performance, and nothing unites us better as a people than laughing, crying, applauding together.

• Promotes a positive influence within and beyond the gay community – no matter how accepted and absorbed into society we become, the gay community will remain, well, gay – finding continuous creative ways to put our own unique spin on the world and its workings.

We will continue to come together, to risk it all, to sing our hearts out, to love each other as kindred souls, and to grow in ways we never dreamed possible.  And we’ll call ourselves The North Coast Men’s Chorus.