MenAlive Presents 'The One, The Music of Elton John'

MenAlive, the Orange County Gay Men's Chorus, invites us to follow them down the "Yellow Brick Road" for a night showcasing the music of Elton John.

"Elton John is our very own Diva," says Artistic Director Bob Gunn. Gunn is a founding member of MenAlive, and a professional musician with over
25 years of experience as a pianist, keyboardist, singer, producer, conductor, arranger, orchestrator and recording artist.

Paying tribute to John is second nature to Gunn. "His piano playing made a huge impression on me as a 13 or 14-year-old kid. I went to his concert at Dodger Stadium in 1976. I knew I was attracted to boys at the time, but was scared to death of it. Elton was flamboyant on stage and got away with it. He is a larger than life persona, and his music has something for everyone, from racy to family sweet."

Creative Manager Robb Neale is delighted with their show's theme. "Not only have we and the world been fans of his music, but he has made a special point to include and validate us as a community. He has helped the LGBT community down the road of acceptance. Elton John is rock'n'roll and gay royalty. He has one of the highest gay men's profiles in the world."

John's career now spans 48 years and 30 albums. He has consistently been part of the soundtrack of our lives and inspired us toward living an authentic, out life with our families. The lives of MenAlive reflect a shared experience.

There is a hidden gem on the MenAlive website, a page honoring Men in the Spotlight. Both Gunn and Neale want to celebrate Elton John's commitment to charity because "MenAlive is more than arts and entertainment. We promote understanding and acceptance for the LGBT community, countering the fear and discrimination that threatens all of society, especially youth. We do this through the love of performance, community outreach and friendship."

The group sentiment is, "The men in our chorus mirror the history of our times. They've experienced discrimination first-hand, been forced to hide in order to be accepted and dealt with society's stigma that being healthy and gay was an oxymoron. Our chorus members have experienced the cold perception that dedication to serving your country is only honorable if you are straight, but the realization that if you're lucky and resilient, time may provide opportunities to reconcile the wrongs.

"They've demonstrated that family - however one defines it - is a crucial anchor for all men. That relationships in the gay community are loving and lasting, and that sexual orientation does not limit the ability to raise happy, well-adjusted children."

If you have never attended a MenAlive show before, get ready! Their performances are full productions that combine song, dance and theatrics, to create shows of enormous popular appeal for all ages and backgrounds.
"The One, The Music of Elton John" will feature over a dozen songs, including "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Daniel" and "The Bitch is Back."

The concert could just as easily be a semi-tribute to lyricist Bernie Taupin. They have been quite the songwriting team, with Elton John composing music and lending unique voice play to Taupin's lyrics. For example, in the song "Bennie and the Jets," Bernie Taupin, who wrote the lyrics, told Esquire, "It was Elton's idea to stutter the vocal... 'B-B-B-Bennie.' That's a little quirk of the song, which I'm sad to say I had nothing to do with."

MenAlive's The One concert marks the organization's 14th season. Since its first rehearsal in September 2001, MenAlive has grown from 13 singers to more than 130 singers today, with a support team of more than 50 volunteers.

Gunn says, "Through entertainment and musical excellence, the Chorus serves as an ambassador of the gay community to the general public, spreading harmony and goodwill and a message of acceptance."

Throughout the year, they volunteer and raise funds for many local causes. It's our turn to support them and share in their joy as they celebrate our #1 Diva, Sir Elton John.

MenAlive's "The One, The Music of Elton John" offers three shows on Friday and Saturday, June 26 and 27, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive. For tickets and more information, email them at [email protected], call 866.636.2548, or go to menalivechorus.org