The welcome note in the program for Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC’s The Holiday Show reads: “We sing for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we sing for the rights for all people to be treated fairly and with dignity.” Not needing to state the obvious about the world we are currently living in, nor give a platform to forces that function in opposition to the mentioned qualities, the GMCW program gave its full voice to an impassioned testimony to the principles it embraces.
The diversity of the GMCW family was shown by its participating groups: GenOUT Youth Chorus, 17th Street Dance, Rock Creek Singers, Cherry Blossom District, Potomac Fever, and Seasons of Love.
Throughout the show, 17th Street Dance maintained the necessary level of whimsy that kept the audience smiling. Their inclusion in the show’s closing musical selection — “Hallelujah” — gave a wink and a nod to liturgical dance and amped up the spectacle of this already flamboyant arrangement of a tree-topper of a piece from Handel’s Messiah.
While the seasonal music leaned towards Christmas, there was room for “Ocho Kandelikas,” a song from the Sephardic Jewish tradition celebrating Hanukkah.
The Christmas music included carols to be sung in the snow (like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Winter Wonderland”); carols to be sung at a pageant (like “Innkeeper,” which was performed by the inspiring GenOUT Youth Chorus); carols to be sung in cathedrals (like “O Holy Night”); carols to be sung in monasteries (like “Gaudete”) or the boudoir (like “Santa Baby”).
GMCW leaned most into the connecting and empowering possibilities of this season’s music by its commitment to learning from the music that helped Africans who were involuntarily brought to this country survive in the face of their hostile treatment. After a warm, reassuring, and suavely executed opening performance of Kirk Franklin‘s arrangement of “Go Tell It On the Mountain” (featuring soloist Val Flores), artistic director Thea Kano let the audience know that many of the GMCW performances at this year’s Holiday Show would have gospel arrangements. Well, children, let me tell you. The last third of this year’s show was authentically rooted in the music and words of African American gospel faith traditions. This segment was shepherded mainly by assistant conductor Ronté Pierce, who clearly knows what the gospel tradition is about and who understands that it’s not primarily about “selling” the songs. The segment started with “The Word,” a text by theologian Howard Thurman entitled “The Work of the Holidays,” set to music by Steve Huffines, which was followed by P. J. Morton‘s “Do You Believe,” which was followed by the incomparable Richard Smallwood‘s “Holy Thou Art,” and topped off by the Mervyn Warren/Michael O. Jackson/Mark Kibble arrangement of “Hallelujah” from The Soulful Messiah. The audience did not seem accustomed to spontaneously responding to music presented in a concert setting that moved them wholeheartedly. But they did clap in rhythm when given permission to do so. And they were thrilled. This kind of music evolved to uplift and motivate, which it did. GMCW concluded its Holiday Show by sending its audience out of the Lincoln Theatre onto U Street NW, better prepared and inspired to try to be better citizens and live in their truth, while walking to the rhythm of resistance.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.
The Holiday Show plays again on December 20, 2025, at 3 pm (sold out) and 8 pm, presented by Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, performing at the Lincoln Theatre – 1215 U Street NW, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets (starting at $26) online.
The program for The Holiday Show is online here.
