Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus has been added as a special guest to a performance featuring the works of Tony- and Emmy-winning Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall.
Schwartz is a renowned composer and lyricist whose songs have being featured in blockbuster stage productions like “Godspell,” “Pippin” and “Wicked,” as well as films like “Pocahontas” and “The Prince of Egypt.”
The Keystone State Boychoir, Pennsylvania Girlchoir, Garden State Girlchoir and New Jersey Boychoir are the main featured performers in the concert, but Joseph J. Buches, artistic director for PGMC, said a request for addition to the evening’s song list from Schwartz himself created an opening that PGMC was called upon to fill.
“Last year, Steve Fisher, the director of the Keystone State Boychior, and I were talking about doing something together,” he said. “We were bouncing off ideas and our schedules just didn’t align. A couple months ago, he called me and said they were doing this concert and that Schwartz wanted ‘Testimony,’ which is a piece that he wrote as part of the ‘It Gets Better Project’ a few years back. He wanted that on the concert so Steve contacted me. [PGMC] actually performed that piece three or four years ago. It’s a very powerful piece. We’re also going to sing on the finale with the students from the boys’ and girls’ choirs.”
Buches said the choir is excited to perform in the presence of someone as accomplished as Schwartz.
“It’s very cool to perform and have him there,” he said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking conducting and performing a piece when the composer is right there for it, especially one as well-known as him, but it’ll be great. He’s also done a lot of things with gay choruses around the country. I’m glad we’re getting our chance to perform for him.”
The Kimmel Center presents “An Evening with Stephen Schwartz” featuring the Keystone State Boychoir, Pennsylvania Girlchoir, Garden State Girlchoir, New Jersey Boychoir and special guests The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus 7:30 p.m. June 17 at Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-893-1999 or visit www.pgmc.org.