Singing & Board Member – Steve Dodge
While I was born in Southeast Missouri, I lived in Michigan for seven years before my family returned to Dexter, Missouri. I graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in Speech Pathology and earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education Administration from Central Missouri University. I retired from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Section of Special Education, as a Director of Instruction. After a year of consulting, a good friend called and asked me to work in her new restaurant. She taught me about cooking, and that has become a passion of mine in retirement. After ten years at the restaurant, I decided I was ready to REALLY retire.
I previously served on the Board from 1996 – 2003. I thought I was finished with my board role when I was asked to complete the term of a member who had resigned. I agreed to do so because I feel like the chorus is poised for a period of exciting growth, and I wanted to take an active role in that growth and development. When the day comes that I no longer sing with the chorus, I want to feel confident that I have done everything I can to ensure its wellbeing and longevity.
My first HMC concert was the holiday concert of 1995, and I have sung in every concert since that time. My favorite part is the excitement and energy on stage as we wait for the concert to begin.
Heartland Men’s Chorus plays a vital role in the Kansas City Arts Community. For the last 34 years, the chorus has entertained with a variety of musical styles, while also being a voice for social justice and equality.
I feel like I live my life with a music score playing in my head all the time. My friends know that I have an uncanny knack for remembering lyrics. Singing provides me with an outlet for that music that is always swirling around me. I cannot imagine life without music.
– Steve Dodge
Heartland Men’s Chorus teams with Dan Savage to increase awareness of bullying
/in ReviewsLibby Hanssen | The Kansas City Star
The Heartland Men’s Chorus’ “When I Knew” production tugged at the heartstrings with an emotional and uplifting performance Saturday night at the Folly Theater.
The 160-member all-volunteer ensemble, directed by Joseph Nadeau, performed for a sold-out crowd. Presented by the Bacchus Foundation, the concert focused on issues faced in the gay community: bullying, awareness and acceptance.
They teamed up with columnist/activist Dan Savage for the latest presentation in HMC’s series of musical documentaries. Savage is co-founder of the “It Gets Better” video campaign directed at supporting and protecting gay youth.
Throughout the concert, Robert Lamar Sims provided steady, sensitive accompaniment on piano and sign language interpreter Rick McAdams added dramatic and evocative gestures.
The first half of the program addressed the problem of bullying and opened with a directed “Don’t Laugh at Me” and Stephen Sondheim’s “Not While I’m Around.”
The chorus then launched into a presentation of the children’s story “Oliver Button is a Sissy,” written by Tomie dePaola. The half-hour musical, composed by Alan Shorter, was co-commissioned by the chorus in 2000. The story was narrated by Chris Hernandez and the title role of a tap-dancing, imaginative young boy was performed by Steven Jeffrey Karlin.
The second half of the program featured a variety of works interspersed with personal stories from chorus members and friends of the ensemble. These stories explored the individuals’ first awareness of their sexuality and included coming-out stories. Savage narrated the selections, which included his own reminiscence.
Projections cast on a scrim added dimension to the stories and songs. Witty, well-designed illustrations accompanied Savage’s words. Vintage photos of children were illuminated during “If You Only Knew;” photos of gay youth lost to suicide were shown while “All This Joy” was sung in their memory.
“When I Knew,” by Daniel Doss, was commissioned for this presentation and included voices of solidarity in prerecorded stories. It was a tear-jerker.
A brief montage from the “It Gets Better Project” was followed by rousing applause.
The program tempered the heavy emotional message with some fun numbers, like the cheekily empowering “Affirmation.”
The finale was an enthusiastic rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” The men whipped off their tuxedo jackets to reveal message t-shirts proudly emblazoned with “GEEK,” “SISSY” and “LIKES GUYS,” while joyously dancing under rainbow-colored strobe-lights.
For their encore, the chorus invited a group of teenagers to join them in performing “I Sing Out.”
The program will be repeated at4 p.m. Sunday, preceded by the panel discussion “On The Way to Better” at 1:30 p.m.
Donning their inclusive apparel
/in ReviewsBy Tom Marks | KCMetropolis.org
Over the past five months, various choral ensembles have graced Kansas City’s stages and churches with their talents. From world renowned, nationally touring choirs to our own local gems, this city has experienced a wide range of talent, style, and artistry—now the Heartland Men’s Chorus can add their name to this ever-growing list. Opening their 26th season, the Heartland Men’s Chorus presented “Holiday Glee” Friday night to a nearly full audience. Appropriately titled, their concert warmed the audience with all-purpose, entertaining seasonal cheer.
The ensemble began their concert with a traditional Zambian song, “Bonse Aba.” Classic Christmas tunes followed at which point, in characteristic style, the Heartland Men’s Chorus presented a Hawaiian themed “Mele Kalikimaka” by R. Alex Anderson, complete with flowery leis, grass skirts, and yes, coconut bras. The entertaining selection featured guest conductor, Andrea Bough, and the HMC Holiday Dance Team—a group of eight, fearless men who unabashedly displayed their committed, amusing, and downright entertaining dance moves.
After this laughable romp was the more sincere “Dona Nobis Pacem” by Joseph Gregorio. Though intonation issues pervaded this piece’s delicate texture, the dedication and earnestness revealed in the faces comprising this all-male ensemble overshadowed these issues, drawing the audience past the music’s technical aspects to the truly sincere and, consequentially, more significant way in which it was presented.
“Shehecheyanu”, a traditional Hebrew song arranged by Charlie Beale, paid homage to the chorus’ “Ad Astra” members who have passed away. Solos from singer Keith Wiedenkeller and bassoonist Keel Williams accented the somber Hebrew tune. The solemn tone was quickly dissipated, however, by a holiday medley dedicated to the teddy bear. Though the arrangement was terrible, the Heartland Men’s Chorus brought the same dedication to this piece seen previously and sold it to the audience with equal effectiveness. The HMC Holiday Dance Team once again grabbed attention during this selection as they playfully paraded around the stage in various manifestations of teddy bear costumes.
It wouldn’t have been a holiday concert without a selection from Handel’s Messiah. Closing out the first half was a modern rendition of the “Hallelujah” Chorus that had the audience clapping and moving in their seats to the upbeat, pop arrangement of this holiday staple.
Somehow, the second half of the concert presented even more riotous, humorous holiday music from the HMC. “Hanukah Gloves” by M. Charnin and R. Gray described the comical plight of a young man waiting in the checkout line as he tried to buy his mother the exciting gift of gloves for Hanukah, and was entertainingly acted by soloist, Wilson L. Allen.
Arguably the most entertaining selection for the evening was the “Nativity ‘Set.’” I didn’t think it was possible to mix Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” with Christmas lyrics, but somehow the Heartland Men’s Chorus managed to do so with tasteful effectiveness. I found myself laughing out loud at the ridiculous lyrics in the set’s second piece, “We the Kings (ala Jerry Herman).” As the chorus asked, “who are the men in the three cotton dresses?” Caspar, Balthazar, and Melchior appeared onstage in full fabulousness with colorful costumes and ornate headdresses.
The concert wrapped up with “Peace, Peace/Silent Night,” arranged by Rick and Sylvia Powell. This famous Christmas tune interestingly asked for audience participation. In addition to singing a verse with the HMC, the audience joined sign language interpreter Rick McAdams (who had been signing the night’s concert from the corner of the stage) in a completely soundless rendition of “Silent Night,” performed wholly in sign language. The hush in the theater created an effective, quiet reverence on which to the end the night. After the rousing applause that followed, the HMC concluded with an encore encouraging the audience to “keep Christmas in your heart the whole year through.”
The Heartland Men’s Chorus provides a valuable addition to Kansas City’s already diverse choral scene. Though musical issues appeared throughout the performance (problems with pitch, blend, and some unstable voices), their well-programmed, entertainingly performed concert overshadowed these issues. The men’s devotion to the ensemble and their consistently playful attitude toward the music was effectively transferred to their dedicated and appreciative audience. This group provides a necessary balance to Kansas City’s choral scene with their fun, purely entertaining and enjoyable performance.
REVIEW:
Heartland Men’s Chorus
Holiday Glee
Friday, December 2, 2011(Reviewed)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Folly Theater
300 W. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO
For more information, visit www.hmckc.org