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Diverse Harmony's powerful Freak Show |
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| Diverse Harmony's powerful Freak Show | ||
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by Scott Rice -
SGN Contributing Writer Freak Show May 15-16, 8 PM Seattle First Baptist Church I recently attended a rehearsal for Diverse Harmony's upcoming production Freak Show. I sat down expecting to be charmed by a group of idealistic young songbirds. What I witnessed was a powerful performance by a seriously talented group of young artists that nearly brought me to tears. After they performed, these young people were so engaging and enthusiastic that during the subsequent interview, the few notes I took were unintelligible. I was so enthralled by what they had to say and moved by their performance, I think I just wanted to sit back and absorb their formidable energy. This troop, along with Artistic Director Brent McGee, is amazing. Diverse Harmony is Seattle's own Gay/Straight Alliance Youth Chorus. The group is open to youth aged 13-22 and was founded by Rhonda Juliano six years ago. Juliano decided an LGBT youth chorus was needed, so she formed the group mostly with kids from the high school where she taught. Diverse Harmony performs a couple of shows each year and attends various Queer music festivals. They rehearse once per week and their productions are a unique blend of music and theater. Diverse Harmony's current mix of talent accurately reflects the diversity indicated in the name. It's a lovely blend of Queer identities, and they even have a straight dude (and, unfortunately for all the Gay boys who'll swoon at the show, he's really cute). Artistic Director McGee is a high-energy creative force who obviously relishes his job. While he picks the music and develops the show, the group has final approval. However, given the rapport between McGee and the performers and the savvy musical choices he makes, I don't think they'll be refusing him anytime soon. The youngsters are a dedicated group who take their music seriously. One young man sat with a box of Kleenex under his seat, blowing his crimson nose between singing parts. They sing the central song of Freak Show ("Come Look at the Freaks" from the musical Side Show) with an intensity that grips you and demonstrates their collective dedication and intensity. They have something to say and they seem determined to refuse to allow their audience to turn away. Freak Show, though realized as a collaborative effort, is the brainchild of McGee. The show evolved from his personal experiences feeling like the only "Gay" at the party. "I was the one answering questions like, 'When did you first know you were Gay? Are you the boy or the girl in the relationship?'" While the attention was fun in the beginning, the constant reminders of his difference soon began to make him feel uncomfortable. McGee says, "I started feeling like I should be in a zoo with a little information placard outside my cage: homo eroticus, a rare species of human who tends to live on Capitol Hill and eat salads. Yucky, was how it started to feel." Freak Show aims to confront Queer stereotypes and see what might be lurking underneath. The first part of the production portrays a traveling freak show from the perspective of the fictional audience. The actual audience watches the freaks (the stereotypical Queer identities) perform on stage. The second half of Freak Show takes place backstage, where we get to see the real identities of the freak performers, the real identities of the people behind the personas. It's all superbly post-modern and absurdly fun. Though I didn't get to see the entire production, I did get to see - and hear - enough to know this is something special. Freak Show performances are Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. in the downstairs performance space at Seattle First Baptist Church. You may visit the Diverse Harmony website (diverseharmony.org/index.html) for more information and to purchase tickets or making a contribution. PERFORMER OFFERS INSIGHTS TO VALUE OF DIVERSE HARMONY Jenni is a quiet young woman with blond hair and a soft voice. She didn't say much during my group interview with six members of the group after the rehearsal I attended. I sent out a follow-up e-mail after the interview to get a bit more information. Though Jenni didn't say much to me in person, I was impressed by her articulate, thoughtful, and dynamic answers in print. Below are her unedited answers to my e-mailed questions. Scott Rice: Why did you join Diverse Harmony (DH)? Jenni: I decided to join DH after one of the former singers came to my high school and did a presentation about the choir. I joined because I started singing in middle school and loved it, but couldn't continue at my high school because my high school doesn't have a music program. I was also drawn to DH by the fact that it is a GSA choir, because at that time, my sexuality was a big part of my life and I was still exploring what it means to be Queer. Rice: How long have you been with DH? Jenni: Since my freshman year of high school - January of 2006. Rice: What is your favorite thing about performing with DH? Jenni: I love being able to express myself through music. I also really appreciate the fact that I really relate to the concerts DH does, because they contain themes and material that are relevant to my life. Rice: What would you say to someone considering joining DH? Jenni: Join! Actually, first I would tell them to just drop by and check out a rehearsal, because if someone doesn't want to jump in right away, that's totally fine. I would tell them that they'll find an overall great group of people, some of whom they'll get along with and some of whom they won't, but all of whom will support them and their singing aspirations, as well as their sexuality. Rice: How has DH changed you? Jenni: DH has made me a lot more comfortable with my sexuality, because I've been able to see that there really is a culture associated with the Queer community, and it's a beautiful and incredible thing. It has also changed me because it has greatly enhanced my singing skills. Because of DH, I'm looking forward to continuing to sing when I move to the other side of the country for college in the fall. Rice: What would you like the Queer community to know about DH? Jenni: DH isn't a choir for Gay kids. It's a choir for everyone - Gay, straight, Trans, Bi, whatever. It doesn't really matter, as long as you're up to standing up for equal rights for everyone and supporting your peers. At DH, we welcome everyone. We often examine our world from a Gay perspective, but we also examine other points of view and try to put together shows that will reach and affect everyone, not just the Queer community. It's especially important that we reach people beyond the Queer community because that's the only way that anything is going to change. Rice: What does DH do for you? Jenni: DH gives me a safe place to be myself - whether I'm ecstatically happy over being accepted to college or really unhappy about someone I love moving away, I can go to rehearsal and know that the people there will give me the space and time to work through those issues, while supporting me at the same time. Having music and being able to sing makes it a lot easier for me to handle the stresses in the rest of my life as well, because for three hours a week I can relax and feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. I go home more relaxed and happier, and that helps me succeed in the rest of my life. Rice: What does DH do for our community? Jenni: DH strives to show the Queer community that we can't separate ourselves from the rest of the world anymore - that's precisely what incites homophobia and intolerance and inequality. DH also gives hope to older generations of both the Queer and straight communities because we're able to show them that as young people, we're dedicated to striving for equality until we get it, and we're able to be out and proud about our dreams without being afraid of harassment. |
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