For two decades now, the Heartland Men’s Chorus has utilized a small group of singers to perform different styles of music while representing the chorus when all 90-150 members weren’t available. From difficult acapella barbershop music, classical chamber selections, or Broadway-style theatrical moments, the HMC small ensemble was often the first boots on the ground delivering the mission of HMCKC into the KC community.
The first small ensemble of HMC was called “Heartbeat”, created under the leadership of Reuben Reynolds III in the Spring of 1992. Under the leadership of Joe Nadeau, “The Heartaches” were born and stayed together through his final performance in 2014. The ensemble then changed its name to “The Burnt Ends” with Artistic Director Dustin Cates and kept that name through 2019, the start of Artistic Director Shawn Cullen’s tenure with HMCKC. After the COVID-19 Pandemic, HMC reemerged with 77 singers, and the focus was on building back the full ensemble, but now, 140 strong, Artistic Director Shawn Cullen has resurrected the small ensemble, embracing the name of the longest tenure of success, “The Heartaches”. Auditioned this past July 2023, 16 members of HMC have been chosen as members and made their debut performance with Liz Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway at this season’s Evening of Note.
Look for The Heartaches during this season’s holiday production and save the date(s) February 8, 9, and 10 as The HeartAches perform their stand-alone cabaret, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” at the Black Box Theater, just in time for Valentine’s Day 2024.
What a year last year was! From the largest ticketed holiday show in HMC history to the sold-out “After All- 60 Years of Cher” spring show to the epic Disney Pride in Concert- we took a big leap in musical excellence, theatrical presentation, and audience growth! One of the biggest challenges I face each and every season is answering the question that everyone asks- “So, how are you gonna top that?” Even though I have over 50 original career productions under my belt, the pressure to produce something that singers and audience members alike will love is sometimes completely overwhelming.
Creatives often use a process at the beginning of their career rooted in imitating others. Through the learning process, programming moves naturally to assimilation and finally into the final stage of creative producing, innovation. No matter what, each time a producer or writer creates something for the stage, it takes a massive amount of vulnerability and trust grounded in experience and skill (still, always terrifying).
This season we are taking a fresh, innovative approach to our holiday show by creating an original theatrical storyline with characters and a plot to guide our audiences on a holiday adventure. “A Very Merry Christmas Pageant” is an original musical production that follows all members of HMC as they represent various parts of Kansas and Missouri and compete for the title of “Mister Merry Christmas”. You’ll find out the backstory of a few contestants as they partake in several elements of competitive pageants, all while being judged by three guest judges from the KC arts community. This hilarious and heartwarming production will keep you giggling in your seat as you listen to 140 voices performing an eclectic mix of music to get you in the holiday spirit. You’ll hear everything from “My Grown Up Christmas List” and “Do You Hear What I Hear” to non-holiday pop songs through a holiday lens, like Laura Branigan’s 80’s hit- “Gloria”! Now we just need to figure out how to fit all these singers on the Folly and Yardley Stage! As usual, myself and our leadership team stay so very grateful for the community support of HMC, and we can’t wait to bring our music with a message to Kansas City once again this 38th Season!
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/GALA-2016.jpeg720960hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2023-10-24 12:44:132023-11-08 21:29:34HMCKC Time Capsule – Gala Festival 2016
Two new board members joined the HMCKC Board of Directors during Season 38. One of them is Chris Madden, who is no stranger to music. He is the Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the UMKC Conservatory.
Chris is thrilled to join the board. He says, “Their mission to “build community, celebrate pride, and empower authenticity” is evident not only in the high artistic level of their performances but also in the many ways in which they serve the Kansas City community. These include sponsorship of a scholarship at the UMKC Conservatory as well as their Schools with Heart program, both of which demonstrate the chorus’s commitment to LGBTQ+ youth in the Kansas City metro. As a member of the Kansas City arts community myself, I look forward to supporting the organization in whatever way I can during my time on the board.”
Chris started his three-year board term in July of 2023.
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/ChrisMaddenHeadshot-scaled.jpg17072560hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2023-10-24 12:27:342023-10-24 12:27:34Meet New HMCKC Board Member: Chris Madden
At the Heartland Men’s Chorus, we want to keep our ticket prices as affordable as possible to ensure everyone has the chance to experience our performances. Tickets for most of our Season 37 performances range from $25 to $50.
Recently, we had people ask us why are tickets have gone up hundreds of dollars. They haven’t! This is your reminder DO NOT simply just search in your browser for “Heartland Men’s Chorus tickets” to purchase tickets! Several ticket companies could look like they’re connected to HMCKC, but they are not. They will charge you more and buy tickets directly from our website.
It’s easy to purchase tickets and pay regular prices. ONLY buy from www.hmckc.org.
If you have any questions, please email us at hmc@hmckc.org or call (816)931-3338.
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/Cher-Price-Alert-Instagram-Post.png10801080hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2023-03-21 13:36:582023-03-21 13:37:41Don’t Overpay For HMCKC Show Tickets
Attention all singers! Are you ready to join the Heartland Men’s Chorus Kansas City and be part of an unforgettable musical celebration? If so, we invite you to audition for our upcoming Disney PRIDE in Concert, taking place on June 17th and 18th at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. This […]
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/DisneyAuditions-1080x1080@2x-e1678384327892.png17382160hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2023-03-09 11:49:472023-03-09 11:53:15Audition to Sing HMCKC’s Disney Pride
The Heartland Men’s Chorus (HMCKC) is excited to announce the addition of choreographer Valerie Martin to its creative team. Martin will be joining the HMCKC family for her first production, “HMCKC presents AFTER ALL: 60 YEARS OF CHER!”
Martin is no stranger to the Kansas City theater scene, having previously choreographed and/or directed for Theater in the Park, The Barn Players Community Theatre, OCTA – Olathe Civic Theatre Association, White Theatre at the JCC, and the Church of the Resurrection. She also has a long history of activism and advocacy and is the resident choreographer for Shawnee Mission West and Blue Valley West high schools, and she also teaches private lessons and coaching.
Martin’s work with Sharp Women, LLC includes choreographing “Overture the Musical,” which won the Best of Fest-Audience Choice Prize at the New York Musical Festival in 2019.
“I am excited and humbled to join the HMCKC family,” said Martin. “Working with the Chorus is a true combination of allyship and art, and I’m thrilled to get to share my joy and love of dance with new collaborators and audiences.”
The Heartland Men’s Chorus is thrilled to have Martin on board and looks forward to her contributions to the upcoming production of “AFTER ALL: 60 YEARS OF CHER!”
For more information about the Heartland Men’s Chorus and upcoming events, please visit www.hmckc.org
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/valerie-martin-copy.jpeg476476hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2023-01-31 12:01:232023-01-31 12:04:41HMCKC Welcomes New Creative Team Member
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!
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/HMCKC_EON_PROM_Event_1920x1080.jpg10801920hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2022-10-06 09:41:552022-12-28 11:06:21Will You Be Our Prom Date?
Heartland Men’s Chorus kicks off its 37th season with auditions for new singers. This season starts with our Holiday Concert in December, then in March 60 years of Cher, followed by Disney Pride in June.
New singer auditions will take place on Sunday, August 28th, and Sunday, September 4th from 4:30p-6:30p at First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS 66208.
The other way for new singers to join us is at open rehearsals on Tuesday, September 6th, 2022, and Tuesday, September 13th at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral from 6:30p-9:30p.
The only requirement to audition is to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks are not required for auditions. Artistic Leadership will be looking for the following singing skills: matching pitch, ability to sing harmony, aural recall, a basic understanding of rhythm, and the ability to take feedback. Singers will be asked to sing an excerpt of a song that can demonstrate confidence, something prepared or performed in the past, or something as easy as Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Amazing Grace, or any other simple traditional song. You do not need to be able to read music to be a part of HMCKC – only the intrinsic motivation to continue to build on the basic required skills as a singer/musician.
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.
https://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-leading-men-1920x1080-1.jpg10801920hmckc_adminhttps://hmckc.org/wp-content/uploads/hmckc-logo-web-master-2x-1-300x138.pnghmckc_admin2022-08-10 16:22:072022-12-28 11:06:21HMCKC Become Leading Men of Broadway
HMCKC HeartAches Return!
/in BlogFor two decades now, the Heartland Men’s Chorus has utilized a small group of singers to perform different styles of music while representing the chorus when all 90-150 members weren’t available. From difficult acapella barbershop music, classical chamber selections, or Broadway-style theatrical moments, the HMC small ensemble was often the first boots on the ground delivering the mission of HMCKC into the KC community.
The first small ensemble of HMC was called “Heartbeat”, created under the leadership of Reuben Reynolds III in the Spring of 1992. Under the leadership of Joe Nadeau, “The Heartaches” were born and stayed together through his final performance in 2014. The ensemble then changed its name to “The Burnt Ends” with Artistic Director Dustin Cates and kept that name through 2019, the start of Artistic Director Shawn Cullen’s tenure with HMCKC. After the COVID-19 Pandemic, HMC reemerged with 77 singers, and the focus was on building back the full ensemble, but now, 140 strong, Artistic Director Shawn Cullen has resurrected the small ensemble, embracing the name of the longest tenure of success, “The Heartaches”. Auditioned this past July 2023, 16 members of HMC have been chosen as members and made their debut performance with Liz Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway at this season’s Evening of Note.
Look for The Heartaches during this season’s holiday production and save the date(s) February 8, 9, and 10 as The HeartAches perform their stand-alone cabaret, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” at the Black Box Theater, just in time for Valentine’s Day 2024.
Cullen’s Corner
/in BlogWhat a year last year was! From the largest ticketed holiday show in HMC history to the sold-out “After All- 60 Years of Cher” spring show to the epic Disney Pride in Concert- we took a big leap in musical excellence, theatrical presentation, and audience growth! One of the biggest challenges I face each and every season is answering the question that everyone asks- “So, how are you gonna top that?” Even though I have over 50 original career productions under my belt, the pressure to produce something that singers and audience members alike will love is sometimes completely overwhelming.
Creatives often use a process at the beginning of their career rooted in imitating others. Through the learning process, programming moves naturally to assimilation and finally into the final stage of creative producing, innovation. No matter what, each time a producer or writer creates something for the stage, it takes a massive amount of vulnerability and trust grounded in experience and skill (still, always terrifying).
This season we are taking a fresh, innovative approach to our holiday show by creating an original theatrical storyline with characters and a plot to guide our audiences on a holiday adventure. “A Very Merry Christmas Pageant” is an original musical production that follows all members of HMC as they represent various parts of Kansas and Missouri and compete for the title of “Mister Merry Christmas”. You’ll find out the backstory of a few contestants as they partake in several elements of competitive pageants, all while being judged by three guest judges from the KC arts community. This hilarious and heartwarming production will keep you giggling in your seat as you listen to 140 voices performing an eclectic mix of music to get you in the holiday spirit. You’ll hear everything from “My Grown Up Christmas List” and “Do You Hear What I Hear” to non-holiday pop songs through a holiday lens, like Laura Branigan’s 80’s hit- “Gloria”! Now we just need to figure out how to fit all these singers on the Folly and Yardley Stage! As usual, myself and our leadership team stay so very grateful for the community support of HMC, and we can’t wait to bring our music with a message to Kansas City once again this 38th Season!
Shawn Cullen
HMCKC Time Capsule – Gala Festival 2016
/in BlogMeet New HMCKC Board Member: Chris Madden
/in BlogTwo new board members joined the HMCKC Board of Directors during Season 38. One of them is Chris Madden, who is no stranger to music. He is the Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the UMKC Conservatory.
Chris is thrilled to join the board. He says, “Their mission to “build community, celebrate pride, and empower authenticity” is evident not only in the high artistic level of their performances but also in the many ways in which they serve the Kansas City community. These include sponsorship of a scholarship at the UMKC Conservatory as well as their Schools with Heart program, both of which demonstrate the chorus’s commitment to LGBTQ+ youth in the Kansas City metro. As a member of the Kansas City arts community myself, I look forward to supporting the organization in whatever way I can during my time on the board.”
Don’t Overpay For HMCKC Show Tickets
/in BlogAt the Heartland Men’s Chorus, we want to keep our ticket prices as affordable as possible to ensure everyone has the chance to experience our performances. Tickets for most of our Season 37 performances range from $25 to $50.
Recently, we had people ask us why are tickets have gone up hundreds of dollars. They haven’t! This is your reminder DO NOT simply just search in your browser for “Heartland Men’s Chorus tickets” to purchase tickets! Several ticket companies could look like they’re connected to HMCKC, but they are not. They will charge you more and buy tickets directly from our website.
It’s easy to purchase tickets and pay regular prices. ONLY buy from www.hmckc.org.
If you have any questions, please email us at hmc@hmckc.org or call (816)931-3338.
Audition to Sing HMCKC’s Disney Pride
/in UncategorizedAttention all singers! Are you ready to join the Heartland Men’s Chorus Kansas City and be part of an unforgettable musical celebration? If so, we invite you to audition for our upcoming Disney PRIDE in Concert, taking place on June 17th and 18th at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. This […]
HMCKC Welcomes New Creative Team Member
/in Blog, PressThe Heartland Men’s Chorus (HMCKC) is excited to announce the addition of choreographer Valerie Martin to its creative team. Martin will be joining the HMCKC family for her first production, “HMCKC presents AFTER ALL: 60 YEARS OF CHER!”
Martin is no stranger to the Kansas City theater scene, having previously choreographed and/or directed for Theater in the Park, The Barn Players Community Theatre, OCTA – Olathe Civic Theatre Association, White Theatre at the JCC, and the Church of the Resurrection. She also has a long history of activism and advocacy and is the resident choreographer for Shawnee Mission West and Blue Valley West high schools, and she also teaches private lessons and coaching.
“I am excited and humbled to join the HMCKC family,” said Martin. “Working with the Chorus is a true combination of allyship and art, and I’m thrilled to get to share my joy and love of dance with new collaborators and audiences.”
The Heartland Men’s Chorus is thrilled to have Martin on board and looks forward to her contributions to the upcoming production of “AFTER ALL: 60 YEARS OF CHER!”
For more information about the Heartland Men’s Chorus and upcoming events, please visit www.hmckc.org
Will You Be Our Prom Date?
/in Blog, Press ReleaseHMCKC 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
Auditions for Heartland Men’s Chorus Season 37 – It’s Magical!
/in BlogHeartland Men’s Chorus kicks off its 37th season with auditions for new singers. This season starts with our Holiday Concert in December, then in March 60 years of Cher, followed by Disney Pride in June.
New singer auditions will take place on Sunday, August 28th, and Sunday, September 4th from 4:30p-6:30p at First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS 66208.
The other way for new singers to join us is at open rehearsals on Tuesday, September 6th, 2022, and Tuesday, September 13th at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral from 6:30p-9:30p.
The only requirement to audition is to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks are not required for auditions. Artistic Leadership will be looking for the following singing skills: matching pitch, ability to sing harmony, aural recall, a basic understanding of rhythm, and the ability to take feedback. Singers will be asked to sing an excerpt of a song that can demonstrate confidence, something prepared or performed in the past, or something as easy as Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Amazing Grace, or any other simple traditional song. You do not need to be able to read music to be a part of HMCKC – only the intrinsic motivation to continue to build on the basic required skills as a singer/musician.
Learn more about joining the chorus: https://hmckc.org/join-the-chorus/
HMCKC Become Leading Men of Broadway
/in Blog, Press, Press ReleaseHere 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.
Friday, September 23, 2022 8:00 PM – Sunday, September 25, 2022 2:00 PM
More info and tickets at https://tickets.kcsymphony.org/broadwaysleadingmen