AGMC presents ‘Two Boys Kissing’ March 31-April 1
Feb. 3, 2017 Page 2 of 2
Gay love, life, loss in ‘Two Boys Kissing’
AGMC presents powerful new choral theatre work celebrating diversity March 31-April 1
February 3, 2017 —Well-known for its presentations of engaging and entertaining new works of choral theatre, the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus will proudly present the Atlanta premiere of “Two Boys Kissing” in three shows on Friday and Saturday, March 31-April 1. Tickets are now available.
The AGMC is only the thirdgroup to perform this significant and timely work, commissioned and premiered last year by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus. It was written by Joshua Shank, one of America’s leading composers of music focused on the LGBTQ community and the GALA Choruses movement. Shank will be in attendance for the Atlanta performances.
Perfect message, perfect timing
“We were finalizing programming for the AGMC’s 2016-17 season when we saw this exceptionally powerful work at the GALA Choruses Festival last July,” said Kevin Robison, long-time AGMC artistic director who along with AGMC member and theatre professional Christopher Repotski as stage director are heading the production. “It had such an impact on us — both its message and its music — that we immediately secured the rights to be the second chorus to present it. Among many other fine performances, this work and the AGMC’s own ‘When I Was Your Age’ were two of the hits of the festival for their originality and impactful messages.”
Robison noted that the choice of bringing “Two Boys Kissing” to Atlanta seemed perfect last summer and even more so now. “At the time, we were in the middle of an extremely volatile election cycle. Now, we’re in a period of great uncertainty regarding the future of our hard-fought human rights. So in so many ways, this amazing piece came along at the perfect time for the AGMC as another way for us to continue to fulfill our 36-year mission of changing hearts and minds through music.”
The work is based on New York Times best-selling author David Levithan’s 2013 book by the same name, which The Los Angeles Times called “open, frank and ultimately optimistic”. “Two Boys Kissing” tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who take part in a 32-hourkissing marathon to set a new Guinness World Record. While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are publicly locking lips, they become afocal point in the lives of other teenagers dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out and navigating genderidentity — all while the kissing former couple tries tofigure out their own feelings for each other.
Vibrant work for the next generation
“Two Boys Kissing” features poignant and funny dialogue by six actors, with the AGMC narrating the boys’ journey as a Greek Chorus representing the generation ofgay men lost to AIDS. As the book quotes those victims, “There is a nearly perfect balance between the past and the future. As we become the distant past, you become a future few of us would have imagined…We resent you. You astonish us.”
Robison stated that “This is a vibrant work for the next generation of the LGBTQ community. It acknowledges the history of our movement and at the same time gives energy to the young people who are taking the reins today — especially as some factions of our society attempt to take away the rights we’ve only so recently won.”
The chorus provides much more than commentary in the piece, the AGMC artistic director noted. “The men of the chorus propel the story forward in a very active way. I love the tone of their message because it’s not the typical ‘We did the hard work and you should recognize that’ attitude that’s often prevalent. The chorus also expresses true love for the new generation and offers young people the support and strength I think they’ll need. The goal of achieving broad and true acceptance of diversity obviously hasn’t been achieved; to reach it, new generations must stand upon the shoulders of those who have left us, as well as those of us who have survived the AIDS epidemic and the ongoing fight for human rights.”
The music is eclectic in style, ranging from pop/Broadway to contemporary classical. A 70-minute work in one act, “Two Boys Kissing” is an always-moving-forward piece with a focus on time being of the essence — not only in terms of the record-breaking kiss, but also of a community constantly evolving and responding to the perspective of a broader and not-always-accepting society.
Show times and tickets
Performances will be presented at 8 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, in addition to a Saturday 2 p.m. matinee, at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown Atlanta. Tickets for Two Boys Kissing are now available through the AGMC/Voices of Note website. Individual tickets for the show begin at $25.
Ticket packages for this show and the AGMC’s July 1 show saluting the Beatles, “Revolution,” or a combination of the AGMC’s two shows and the two upcoming shows of its sister chorus, the Atlanta Women’s Chorus, are also available. Voices of Note season subscribers receive a 25% discount over buying each concert separately, as well as VIP premium seating.
The AWC’s “Life’s Journey” two performances will be presented Saturday, Feb. 25, and “Gift of the Isles: Music of England, Ireland and Scotland” will be presented June 3.
Matinee performance engages Atlanta
This season, the AGMC and AWC’s parent organization, Voices of Note, has launched Engage Atlanta, an initiative to partner with area organizations to engage communities by providing free tickets to matinee performances. Engage Atlanta seeks partnerships with organizations that share its vision of educating and empowering all Atlanta communities through a commitment to diversity, service, compassion or the arts. For more information on how Voices of Note strives to make the arts accessible, or to receive complimentary tickets for your organization, contact Interim Executive Director Eve Campbell at (404) 320-1030 or .
About Voices of Note
The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus, one of the world’s longest-running gay male choruses, is part of Voices of Note, Inc., a not-for-profit organization governing the AGMC and Atlanta Women’s Chorus. Voices of Note is a catalyst for social change, providing an opportunity to be inspired, a journey to places in hearts and minds that have yet to be explored, and a voyage into the perspectives of our neighbors, teachers, siblings and friends. Both the AGMC and the AWC are members of GALA, the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses.
Voices of Note programs are supported in part by the Fulton County Board of Commissionersand theCity of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Major support is provided by Atlanta Magazine, Macy’s and PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP). Additional support is provided by Bridge Catering, Brandon D Hunt Design, Dan Lax Media, Peachtree Battle Chiropractic, Saint Mark United Methodist Church, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
A complete listing of financial supporters — and how you can support the mission of the two choruses — can be found at For more information, see the website or call (404) 320-1030.
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