Show Review: It Gets Better Tour

It was a magical evening this past Friday night as the It Gets Better tour hit the stage for its west coast premiere.  What followed was an emotional night of laughs, tears, beautiful music, amazing performances, and inspirational stories.

These are the stories that happen to a community and to see them brought to life is powerful.  In fact, it is the stories that make for the most powerful moments.  Sporadically through the show the story pauses, the characters fall away, we meet a cast member and we hear their story.  It's these few moments where you realize just how important this type of an event is.  These stories make everything real and they will touch the audience in a way that not much else can because they are real experiences and the pain and sadness that they experienced comes through and it hits home.

Eyes will be opened by this show and it is extremely important to get as many eyes as possible on it.

But don't worry it's not all sad stories and tears.  This show packs a lot of laughs and it mixes the emotions and the laughs brilliantly.

That brilliant mixture comes not only from the well written script courtesy of Liesel Reinhhart, but also from the stellar cast:  Tyler Houston, Jason Currie, Tod Macofsky, Mario Mosley, Sacha Sacket, and Drew Tablak.  They all embodied their characters and brought them to life flawlessly.  These are brave brave performances, especially for those that had the chance to tell their own stories, many of which had me in tears.  Of course by the end of this show I was in tears anyway.

Every cast member delivered brilliantly.  I can't single one out because they were all great.  What I can say is that I was shocked by Drew Tablak.  His story was one we haven't heard much of and it was riveting and then he sang and I was just in awe.  I just wasn't expecting it and it was magic.

There are two more scheduled performances for this tour and I can only hope that more is added and they hit many many more cities.  This is a show that must be seen.  The message is so important.  If just one persons heart or mind can be swayed then it's a success but I think that many many minds will be changed and many hearts touched by the beautiful songs, amazing performances, and personal stories that the It Gets Better tour is delivering.

If you get the chance, take everyone you can to experience this incredible show.

For tour dates and more information please visit itgetsbettertour.org.

February 16, 2013

Lawrence, KS
Presented by:  Lied Center of Kansas, University of Kansas
Venue: The Lied Center

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February 23, 2013

Seattle, WA
Presented by:  Seattle Theatre Group
Venue:  The Moore

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It Gets Better Tour Kicks Off Feb 1 in Los Angeles

I'm really excited to not only share this event with you guys but to attend it as well!  The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles is kicking off a national tour of the it gets better tour on February 1st here in LA with some great guests already announced (LeAnn Rimes and LILY TOMLIN!) and more to come.

If you can attend, please do so.  It Gets Better is an important message and this show is sure to be amazing.

Click HERE for tour dates and keep reading for the official press release!

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF LOS ANGELES, IT GETS BETTER PROJECT AND AT&T PARTNER ON ANTI-BULLYING MUSICAL PROJECT

One-Night-Only LA Performance, Co-Presented by LeAnn Rimes and The Ben Patrick Johnson Foundation with Rimes and GMCLA to Perform



LOS ANGELES (January 14, 2013) - The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) kicks off its nationwide production, it gets better tour, inspired by the It Gets Better Project™ on Friday, February 1st at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre at 8pm, with a solo performance by LeAnn Rimes, along with GMCLA to perform two songs and star studded attendance; tickets range from $50 – 150; for more information, please visit: www.itgetsbettertour.org

“It is so important to continue to get the message that ‘It Gets Better’ to everyone out there that has ever felt like an outcast, struggled with their sense of self or felt alone,” Rimes said. “As a longtime supporter of the GMCLA, I jumped at the chance to be a part of this night and this significant message.”

Written and directed by Liesel Reinhart with musical direction by Morton Kier, the it gets better tour features an ensemble cast of six actors (Jason Currie, Tyler Houston, Tod Macofsky, Mario Mosley, Sacha Sacket, and Drew Tablak) whose real-life stories of growing up gay are woven into the production.

In the week leading up to the performance of the musical it gets better, the creative team of actors and director will work in the community and at Los Angeles area schools with an outreach program designed exclusively for this production. In addition to performing excerpts from the musical, smaller groups will meet discussing the issues of bullying and acceptance. Students will watch It Gets Better videos and respond with their own videos and stories.

The it gets better tour features a combination of original songs and songs by a who’s who of popular recording artists, including Rimes, Gnarls Barkley, Kelly Clarkson, Alanis Morissette, and songwriter Diane Warren. The show premiered at the University of Iowa in October to rave reviews and will head out on a nationwide tour following the Los Angeles performance with stops including Lawrence, Kansas; Seattle, Washington; and at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania, among others.

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About Gay Men’s Chorus Los Angeles

Over 33 years, Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles has built an international reputation for musical excellence while remaining deeply rooted in service to the community. Hailed by the L.A. Times as “one of the last important links to a glorious tradition in music,” GMCLA has over 200 members, a full-time professional and artistic staff, and tours nationally and internationally. They have released thirteen compact discs, commissioned more than 300 new works and arrangements and appeared frequently on national television. The Chorus donates over 60,000 volunteer hours annually to make GMCLA’s mission of musical excellence and community partnership a reality. They have performed for 2 sitting US Presidents, sung with award winning guests such as Melissa Manchester, LeAnn Rimes, Jerry Herman and Jennifer Holliday in venues from the House of Blues to Walt Disney Concert Hall and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. GMCLA's Alive Music Project brings music education and anti-bullying workshops to Los Angeles schools.  In partnership with the It Gets Better Project, GMCLA's original production 'It Gets Better' begins a US tour this fall, giving hope and support to LGBT youth and furthering their mission to change hearts and minds through the power of music. www.gmcla.org

About the It Gets Better Project

 

The It Gets Better Project™ began in September 2010 when syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage created a YouTube video with his partner Terry Miller in response to a number of students taking their own lives after being bullied in school. Less than 18 months later, the It Gets Better Project™ has turned into a worldwide movement, inspiring more than 30,000 user-created videos viewed more than 40 million times. The project includes submissions from President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Adam Lambert, Anne Hathaway, Colin Farrell, Ellen DeGeneres, Suze Orman, the employees of The Gap, Google, Facebook, Pixar, and many more.  www.ItGetsBetter.org

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