Will You Be Our Prom Date?

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HMCKC presents Evening of Note: The Prom! U.B.U. All the things you’ve come to love about Dinner of Note have evolved to become more experiential and more engaging. You’ll enjoy a dynamic setting complete with black tie hors d’oeuvres, crafted cocktails, silent and live auctions, and plenty of “recess” – social time to see and be seen. Later in the evening, we will crown our Prom Court, including our Heroes of Note – those individuals and organizations who inspire us all. Finally, we will close the night out on the dance floor.

Join us for this extraordinary Prom event designed to ensure the chorus is able to continue fulfilling its mission to build community, celebrate pride, and empower authenticity in true HMCKC style!

Buy your tickets here: hmckc.org/theprom

HMCKC Become Leading Men of Broadway

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Here is your next chance to see members of the chorus on stage before our next concert!

The Heartland Men’s Chorus joins your Kansas City Symphony for BROADWAY’S LEADING MEN – the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and more. Jack Everly conducts, September 23-25 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Jack Everly, guest conductor
Heartland Men’s Chorus, Shawn Cullen, artistic director/conductor
Ben Crawford, guest vocalist 
Jim Hogan, guest vocalist 
Jacob Dickey, guest vocalist 
Shereen Pimentel, guest vocalist 

Friday, September 23, 2022 8:00 PM – Sunday, September 25, 2022 2:00 PM

More info and tickets at https://tickets.kcsymphony.org/broadwaysleadingmen

 

Heartland Men’s Chorus Announces New Executive Director

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HMCKC announces the promotion of HMCKC Development Director, Dudley Hogue to Executive Director after the retirement of Rick Fisher on June 30, 2022. 

Dudley has served the Heartland Men’s Chorus Kansas City in a variety of roles, on and off stage. He has been a performer, Board Chair, Production Manager, Choreographer, and event chair all prior to becoming the Development Director in 2019.

“I am incredibly excited to become the Executive Director of the Heartland Men’s Chorus Kansas City,” Hogue says. “It is important to me to continue the legacy of the Chorus and improve community building while increasing support for this fine organization.” 

In his former life, Dudley was the Executive Director of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, Executive Director of the Kansas City Women’s Chorus, Board member for GALA Choruses, as well as Advancement Director and Interim Executive Director for GALA Choruses, during which he helped plan GALA Festivals. Dudley has been seen on the stages of many community theater productions throughout the Kansas City region and has been on several not-for-profit boards across the country. Dudley is passionate about LGBTQIA causes, and what the performing arts can do to move us all closer to equality. 

Heartland Men’s Chorus Hires First Business Manager

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After 36 seasons, HMCKC is growing and expanding with the hiring of Vince Pugh in the newly created position of Business Manager. Vince started July 1st in the new role and he will manage the day-to-day operations of the organization, including accounting functions, and ticket sales.  He will also assist in event planning and donor relations. 

Vince Pugh brings years of organizational and project management experience with a passion for the performance arts. Most recently, Vince worked at the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce where he led all marketing, events, and programming. Vince understands the importance of community and what’s required to help foster an organization built on creativity.

Vince has a diverse background in event planning, musical theatre, and interdepartmental management. His experience married with his love for people has him eager for this new chapter.

In his free time, he enjoys running marathons, performing, and spending time with his husband, David and their two fur babies, Stevie and Birdie.

HMCKC Becomes Top 2022 AIDS Walk Kansas City Team

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HMCKC Becomes Top 2022 AIDS Walk Kansas City Team

For the past 34 years, Kansas City has come together to raise money to support those men, women, and children affected by HIV and AIDS with AIDSWalkKC and the AIDS Service Foundation. The foundation provides educational and financial resources to four local organizations that directly support the more than 5,700 men, women, and children in Kansas City affected by HIV/AIDS.

Heartland Men’s Chorus kicked off our fundraising campaign to support AIDSWalk Kansas City 2022 at the end of February and set a goal of $15,000. Heartland Men’s Chorus has a long history of support and is one of the many proud sponsors of this iconic event. As members of the organization, we came together and created fundraising pages, participated in raffles to raise money during rehearsals, collected donations after our Spring and Summer concerts, and donated to personal fundraising pages. In addition, on the day of the walk, during the opening ceremonies, we entertained and created event energy by singing three songs from our Spring concert.

We are proud of the efforts of our membership and the support of all those who donated. We raised $14,036 and, although short of our $15,000 goal, ended as the top contributing fundraising team for 2022. We know all these funds stay local and look forward to being an AIDSWalkKC 2023 Partner.

HMCKC’s First Executive Director is Retiring After 25 years!

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After 25 years of dedicated service to HMCKC, Executive Director Rick Fisher will retire on June 30, 2022. In Heartland Men’s Chorus Kansas City (HMCKC) history, only one individual has served as Executive Director.

For over two decades, Rick has worked diligently to ensure the financial security of the Chorus. He has established himself as a leader in the local LGBTQIA and Kanas City arts communities. Throughout the changing history of the last 25 years, Rick has served as an unwavering and constant influence for the Chorus.

Rick’s legacy looms large in the history of HMCKC. It seems only appropriate that his accomplishments be recognized as he retires. At his suggestion, we are asking you to join us in honoring him by donating to our endowment fund, a fund that Rick helped create. We hope to raise $25,000 to celebrate Rick and ensure a bright future for HMCKC. Any questions regarding the endowment fund and/or this fundraising effort can be sent to Dudley Hogue, Development Director, at dudley@hmckc.org.

Rick will be honored at our performances of Unbreakable at the Folly Theater on June 11 and 12, 2022. We hope you will be there to help us celebrate Rick and his invaluable contributions to Heartland Men’s Chorus.

Heartland Men’s Chorus Presents Unbreakable: A New Musical About Queer History

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From Selma to Stonewall, the common attribute of our country’s most powerful social justice movements is resilience. Unbreakable presents a historical arc of the experiences of LGBTQ people over the last 12 decades, weaving a musical tribute to how our community has evolved, triumphed, suffered, and soared. This new musical co-commissioned by HMCKC and 8 other choruses from across the United States is brought to you by Tony Award-nominated composer Andrew Lippa (I Am Harvey Milk, The Addams Family, Big Fish, The Wild Party).

Through the 75-minute concert, you’ll learn of the often untold stories of LGBTQ+ people who truly changed history. Joining the chorus on stage include local guest artists Kristen Altoro-Nevins, Joel Morrison, Malik Hughes, and Stacey Stofferahn.

HMCKC presents the Great Plains premiere of UNBREAKABLE on June 11th & 12th at The Folly Theater. Tickets on sale @ hmckc.org

 

About Heartland Men’s Chorus

Heartland Men’s Chorus (www.hmckc.org) is Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, now in its 36th season. Founded in 1986 with 30 singers to make music, HMCKC quickly became a safe oasis for a community scarred by fear and hatred.  Now with 80 singers, HMCKC is a vital part of Kansas City’s robust arts and cultural scene, making the historic Folly Theater its performance home for 27 years. More information can be found at Heartland Men’s Chorus. 

Now’s Your Chance to Join or Come Back to the HMCKC Singing Family!

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HMCKC alumni singers!
Have you missed singing and performing?
Missed the fellowship and connection?
The participation in part of a beautiful legacy and a new evolved mission and vision?
Now’s your chance to come back to the HMCKC singing family!

Sign up below for your returning singer voice check for 8/24 or 8/31 with the LINK BELOW or join us for an open rehearsal on September 7th and/or September 14th at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral- Founder’s Hall from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Returning singer voice checks will be held after open rehearsals and will include the same voice checks occurring on 8/24 and 8/31.

Schedule your audition here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C49ACAB2DA4FC1-heartland

HMCKC is committed to the health and safety of our singers and we do require proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to participation. Please bring a digital copy or paper copy of your proof of vaccination and a mask to your voice check and/or open rehearsal.

VOICE CHECK REMINDERS
Please be prepared to sing a song of your choice or a simple traditional song like Amazing Grace, America the Beautiful, etc. If you choose an excerpt on your own, please bring sheet music with the excerpt marked for our accompanist. We will do a quick and painless check for matching pitch, hearing and singing harmony, call and response aural recall, assess your level of music reading, and a vocal range check.

Questions? Visit www.hmckc.org or contact Artistic Director Shawn Cullen, at shawncullen@gmail.com.

HMCKC Announces Enhanced Safety Measures For All Members

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For 36 seasons the Heartland Men’s Chorus has entertained audiences in Kansas City. In the last year, all performances moved online because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but we are planning for in-person performances for this new season.

HMCKC is committed to our singers’ health and safety, and we do require proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to participation for all singers and non-singing members of the chorus.

“It’s been far too long since we’ve been able to make music, create fellowship, and deliver our message of love and acceptance! The health and safety of our singing members remains our first priority and we’ll stay hyper-vigilant until we pass through this moment of our legacy. Embrace the newness of today’s world with new ways to invite joy into your life- join us!” says Shawn Cullen, Artistic Director and Conductor of the chorus. 

Heartland Men’s Chorus is utilizing enhanced safety measures for Season 36 including the wearing of masks, indoor social distanced small ensemble singing, the use of outdoor rehearsal spaces, reduced contact rehearsal protocols, truncated rehearsal times, and the use of proper HVAC air filtration in rehearsal and performance spaces. All HMCKC members are now required to show proof of being fully vaccinated with a paper or digital copy of their COVID-19 vaccination card. 

The Heartland Men’s Chorus plans three in-person concerts for Season 36, starting with our annual holiday concert, Joy, scheduled at the Folly Theater on December 4th and 5th. 

Heartland Men’s Chorus’ New Vision, New Mission, & New Look

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M E D I A   A D V I S O R Y 

For Immediate Distribution    July 15, 2020

 

Media Contact:

Rick Fisher, Executive Director

Heartland Men’s Chorus

hmc@hmckc.org

(816) 931-3338

www.hmckc.org

 

Heartland Men’s Chorus’ New Vision, New Mission, & New Look

With Singing On Hold, HMC Keeps Focused on Its Future

 

KANSAS CITY, MO – As a nonprofit founded during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, Heartland Men’s Chorus is using the current pandemic to focus on its future. A planning committee made up of HMC board members, staff, and singers started on a new vision, mission, and branding in late 2019. “The continuity we had as a branding team, respecting the history and meaning of the organization to its stakeholders, while also looking ahead, created a seamless and constructive

ideation and design process that had energy and momentum,” says Matt Schulte, HMC Board Member.

 

NEW VISION: “Singing to inspire a world of love and acceptance.”

“It feels very “infinity and beyond” to me, and it leads with “singing” as that is our #1 calling as a chorus,” says Stefan White, HMC Board Member and singer.

 

NEW MISSION: “To build community, celebrate pride, and empower authenticity.”

Brandon Shelton, a longtime member, started singing with the Chorus in 2005. He is currently the HMC Design Manager and he was also hired to create the new icon and look. “Having worked professionally for 20+ years developing and steering major brands throughout the world, I was honored to be asked to join the committee responsible for the overhaul of HMC’s brand – two of my greatest passions colliding before me in a golden opportunity I could not pass up. In creating the new brand, it was very important to me that we respect and build off the rich heritage of the chorus, 35 years strong, while setting our sights well into the future,” says Brandon.

New Artistic Director Shawn Cullen was also part of the branding team and believes the new look will build on the foundation he started when he was hired. Cullen says, “A legacy of musical excellence, creative expression, and enriching fellowship that changes the hearts and minds of singers and audiences alike. Now more than ever, it seems that united voices against inequities, injustices, and ignorance are needed loud and proud. We stay present so our faces are seen and our songs are heard while we stand with voices strong for those that need us now and always.”

The new branding will be used on www.hmckc.org, on all social media platforms, and printed material going forward.

 

About Heartland Men’s Chorus

Heartland Men’s Chorus (www.hmckc.org) is Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, now in its 35th season. Founded in 1986 with 30 singers to make music, HMC quickly became a safe oasis for a community scarred by fear and hatred, while plagued by a virus. Now with 120 singers, HMC is a vital part of Kansas City’s robust arts and cultural scene, making the historic Folly Theater its performance home for 26 years. The Kansas City Star has called Heartland Men’s Chorus “one of the most beloved arts institutions in Kansas City.” More information can be found at Heartland Men’s Chorus. # # #

New brand launch video: https://youtu.be/cJ3d8XfJKo4