Singers supporting a community in a time of deep grief and struggle - 'The Normal Heart'

Last night, HBO screened Ryan Murphy's passionate and at times gut-wrenching movie version of 'The Normal Heart' by Larry Kramer, which includes a scene featuring the New York City Gay Men's Chorus. They are singing my arrangement of ‘The Man I Love’.

The scene is a reconstruction of the first ever fundraiser for GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis)  at the Paradise Garage in April 1982. New York City Gay Men's Chorus sang at this early fund-raiser.

The producers knew the story, and we were honored to be asked to participate in the movie alongside Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts and Jim Parsons, essentially playing ourselves. Glee-style, the chorus sings the whole of Gershwin's 'The Man I Love'. Below is a picture of Peter Criswell, our Executive Director, and I representing NYCGMC at HBO, for the cast and crew screening.

It was weird to see ourselves on screen, but the chorus looked amazing! It was also my first movie credit as an arranger. The movie is a very truthful, compelling and at times harrowing account of the early days of HIV/AIDS in New York, and left the audience with one of those deep silences after which you can't speak for a few minutes.

We are a chorus founded to change the world through educating people about the lives and challenges gay men face through song. It could not be more apt that we were able to be a part of this important project. 

I am very proud, and so grateful to all the NYCGMC members for their faith in me, and for giving up their time to take part. We rock!

Check out reviews of the movie from the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, NPR and Entertainment Weekly.

— with Peter Criswell.