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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 1, 1995

AIDS HITS HOME.

Melvin Owens lives in Harmony Place (Akron), the first federally-funded housing unit in the U.S. for individuals and families in the HIV spectrum. Melvin ministers to those living with AIDS, and brings special comfort to those in their final days.

I WAS TOLD THAT I'M HIV-POSITIVE IN 1985. IT WAS LIKE RIDING DOWN THE STREET GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN RUNNING INTO A BRICK WALL. I totally fell apart—totally, totally apart. I went home in shock; I denied it for a long time, I didn't beat it. I cried and I was just afraid of death. Finally, after a lot of praying and watching other people, I saw that other people were just as afraid as I was. And now, that I've looked at it thoroughly and saw which that I'm going, I see more. It's like a veil is lifted off way my eyes. I used to wake up and say, Oh, God, another day. Now I'm waking up saying, Good God! It's another day! I've made it! So it's like I'm not dying, I'm just beginning to live.

Mihai & Oman

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LES CHRONICLE

Photographs and stories are excerpts from the exhibit, sale2sout: Stepping into the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, by local father and daughter team, Martin Kahn and Elana Kohn.

Edgewater Park Sunday, Sept. 24

WALK HOTLINE: 216 529 WALK

COMMUNITY GROUPS

A look at the Chorus' history

by John W. Dellamanna

I am sometimes dismayed at the reactions I get when I tell someone in the gay community that I sing with the North Coast Men's Chorus. Some ask what it is, some don't even know that Cleveland has a gay men's chorus. Well, as the saying goes, We're here! We're queer! We're fabulous! Get used to

us!

North

The Coast Men's Chorus was founded in January of 1988 by

Rick Fuller. Thirty

serve University in both music history and library science. Robson is currently the music director at Euclid Avenue Congregational Church.

Our repertoire has been as diverse and varied as our 60-plus members. We have twice performed with the national touring company of Heartstrings, a musical to pro-

NORTH COAST MEN'S CHORUS P.O. BOX 15181 CLEVELAND OHIO 44115

or so men attended that first rehearsal to sing and socialize. We have been singing and socializing ever since then, with the operative word being singing! The chorus was initially under the joint direction of Robert Bellisario and Thomas Scott. Our first public performance was at Case Western Reserve University's Gay and Lesbian Conference in April of 1988.

In 1989 the chorus suffered its first tragic loss from AIDS with the passing of Rick Fuller. His quilt panel proudly bears the insignia of the North Coast Men's Chorus along with the title "Founder." January 1989 saw the directorship of the chorus in the capable hands of Robert Bellisario, a local musician from Avon Lake, trained at Cleveland State University.

In May of 1991, our smaller chamber group, the Coastliners, was formed. They are a fabulous little group, available for any special events you might be hosting. (Call the Chorus number and leave a message should you be interested.)

In September of 1993, after an exhaustive search, the Chorus retained Timothy Robson as its new music director. Tim received his bachelor's at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, continuing on at Case Western Re-

mote

AIDS awareness. In 1993, we put down our music folders and tuxedos and picked up our make-up bags and scripts

for our first full scale Broadway-style play, Puttin' on the Ritz, under the direction of the late Michael Le Bassi. Earlier this year, Leon Fisher joined Tim Robson directing the chorus in an equally stellar revue called Jerry's Boys, about the music of Jerry Herman. We have performed with such gay icons as Romanovsky and Phillips and the Flirtations.

I certainly hope that this little history of the chorus will encourage all of you out there to either come and hear us, or come and audition!

The chorus prides itself on catering to both the "SMQs” and the “GTGs" in our community. Oh, that's chorus lingo for the "Serious Music Queens," and the "Good Time Girls"! So, if you're an SMQ or a GTG (or like most of us, somewhere in between), come on out and sing with "The Elite, the Queer, the Proud, the North Coast Men's Chorus!"

Our audition is Monday, September 11, at Judson Manor, on East 107th St. at Chester Ave. in Cleveland's University Circle, from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm. All singers, especially those with previous choral experience, amateur and semi-amateur singers are encouraged to try out. Hope to see you there!

In Memoriam Of Our Founder, Cecil Ray deLoach (1952-1991)

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