The Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus, along with a full house of friends and supporters, celebrated joy at their first (hopefully annual) Pride Cabaret. While The New Vic’s more intimate space set the stage for a smaller, loungier show than their formal concerts at the Lobero, the authentic sense of “live laugh love” that the Chorus consistently provides was more apparent than ever.
Featuring mostly upbeat solo numbers, each vocalist brought a sense of panache to their performance, giving the show a delightful infusion of personality. Standards like “L-O-V-E” (performed out loud and in ASL by Philip Prinz) and “Beyond the Sea” (performed by Seth Taylor, martini in hand) crafted nostalgic comfort while new classics like Kai Roldan’s acoustic version of “Pink Pony Club” instilled an optimistic energy. Comic numbers like Kevin Doyle’s hilarious rendering of “Face Your Fears” (from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) were nicely balanced with tender moments like Chorus Artistic Director Tim Accurso’s emotional medley of Karen Carpenter songs and a farewell performance from accompanist Jay Real, who is leaving Santa Barbara for continuing education.
Noteworthy vocals were shown off in the evening’s selections from the musical theater tradition, including A.J. Rawls singing “Proud of Your Boy” (from Aladdin) and Ryyn Schumacher performing “Out There” (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame). CJ Smith, the self-proclaimed “theater gay,” represented contemporary musical theater with Kerrigan and Lowdermilk’s “Avalanche” and (2025 Indy Award–winning musical theater performer) Marisol Miller-Wave, as Sally Bowles singing “Cabaret,” had everyone wanting to “go like Elsie.”
The show also included several ensemble performances. While I generally don’t recognize the supposed sanctity of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” I make an exception for the S.B. Gay Men’s Chorus, as their rendition of the national anthem represents a version of this country I’m proud to stand for.
