Designed by Maddy Fraczek
SPECIAL THANKS,
Rosenberg Family Fund of Oregon Community Foundation
Christel & Fritz Gabriel Field of Interest Fund of Oregon Community Foundation
Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation
James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation
Ranelletti Family Foundation
Regional Arts & Culture Council
The Douglas and Gloria Rumberger Foundation
JUXTAPOSITION : A BRIDGING VOICES CONCERT
In late 2019, Bridging Voices presented our normal, run-of-the-mill, Winter concert, unknown to us, this would be our live concert until TODAY! This concert is unlike any other Bridging Voices concert you’ve ever seen, and is the last concert under long time artistic director, Erik Gullickson (but more about that later!)
JUXTAPOSITION is a concert for contrasted times, one of anger and hope, one of joy and rage, one of MCR and Stephen Sondheim!
There will be one intermission, and two special guests…. !!
So… what exactly in Bridging Voices?
If you somehow wandered in here with no idea of what you’re seeing, don’t fear, we’re going to treat you to an introduction of ourselves. Which hereby obligates you to rave about us to all your friends, just so you know… Normally we’d just let you piece it together yourself, but this is a special night.
According to the board
Bridging Voices LGBTQ+ and Allied Youth Chorus creates a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ, transgender, non binary, and allied youth of all backgrounds to experience empowerment and unity through music. We believe bridges are better than walls and aim to break down the foundations of homophobia and transphobia through community and visibility.
ACCORDING TO tHE youth
Bridging Voices is:
“Home”
“Authenticity”
“a welcoming community”
“A good LGBTQ community”
support more than just us!
Bridging Voices believes that LGBTQ+ youth everywhere have a right to be healthy, happy, and safe. Throughout the country, laws and policies are being frequently introduced with the goal to endanger the lives of LGBTQ families, especially transgender and non-binary youth. Below are organizations recommended by local advocates and members of our community throughout Florida and Texas.
florida
https://zebrayouth.org/ - a collation of organizations in Central Florida dedicated to LGBTQ youth.
https://www.alsoyouth.org/ - an advocacy support group for LGBTQ youth in Sarasota and Manatee, FL.
https://www.jasmyn.org/ - a Jacksonville, FL based LGBTQ youth services organization.
TEXAS
https://www.transtexas.org - Transgender education organization
http://www.thriveyouthcenter.com - San Antonio LGBTQ homeless focused social service organization
http://fiesta-youth.org - San Antonio LGBTQ Youth center and advocacy group
Tonight’s set… or whatever…
Hosted by Jo, Rae Koh, and Hero
Act one
Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) - Roger Waters/Paul
Our Time (from Merrily We Roll Along) - Stephen Sondheim/Huff
Featuring Olivia and Rae Koh
Sing (as performed by My Chemical Romance) - Gerard Way/Paul
Revolting Children (from Matilda) - Tim Minchin/Huff
Featuring Everett
On Children - Ysae Barnwell
Featuring The Small Group
Finale B (from Rent) - Jonathan Larson/Emerson
Featuring The Small Group
Another Day - Lisa Loeb/Paul
Featuring The Small Group
Theseus Resides at Waverly Heights - Olivia Thorpe
A BRIEF INTERMISSION
Act two
Entr’acte
Featuring Dr. Evan C Paul, and Randall Thorderson
Special Guests
Rose Empress LXI JenuWine Surreal Beauté, and Emperor XLII Daniel Surreal Foxx
A moment with Cat Ferris
Featuring The Small Group
Everybody Says Don’t (From Anyone Can Whistle) - Sondheim/Hayes
Sunday (From Sunday in the Park with George) - Sondheim/Huff
thank you for supporting bridging voices
Additional Featured Performers - Eli & Cooper, Vee & Hero, and Jo
Additional Arrangements - Zachary Joseph Smith, Erik Gullickson
SINGERS
Aster - Alto
Elliot - Alto
Skylah - Alto
Maddy - Alto
*Liliana - Alto
Sasha - Alto
*Frances - Alto
Everett - Alto
*Vee - Bass
*Hero - Bass
Eli - Soprano
East - Soprano
Rae Koh - Soprano
Will - Soprano
*Adela - Soprano
*Jo - Soprano
Cooper - Soprano
*Olivia - Soprano
*Erin - Tenor
*Jake - Tenor
Kevin - Tenor
*Small Group
Special Guests
Rose Empress LXI JenuWine Surreal Beauté and Rose Emperor XLII Daniel Surreal Foxx!
ARTISTIC TEAM
Artistic Director
Erik Gullickson
Erik Gullickson holds a Master of Music degree in Voice and Opera from Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. Erik has worked in the arts for more than thirty years as a performer, teacher, director, and stage manager on over 100 productions across the country. Since moving to Portland, he has performed with Trinity Cathedral Chamber Singers, Reader’s Theatre Repertory, Cabaret White, and the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, notably serving as a conductor for PGMC’s historic 2018 tour of mainland China. As a teacher and coach, Erik’s students have found success at major universities, national tours, and prime-time television (Glee). A lifelong youth advocate, Erik is continually amazed at the bravery, strength, and raw talent of Bridging Voices. He describes his ongoing work with Bridging Voices as the culmination of all life’s paths; and an opportunity to cultivate a space where all youth are welcome as they are, to create collaborative performance work that challenges and uplifts both audience and performer alike, and to learn from the youth about this new world they are creating. Erik has served as the Bridging Voices Artistic Director since August 2015.
Principal Pianist Composer In Residence
Dr Evan C Paul
Evan C. Paul holds a Master of Music degree in collaborative piano performance from Northern Arizona University and a Ph.D. in music composition from the University of Oregon. Originally from New England, he has been living in Portland since 2015, and this is his fifth season with Bridging Voices.
Evan is active as both composer and collaborative pianist in the Portland area, having worked with numerous choral and opera organizations throughout the city and state, including the Portland Lesbian Choir, the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, the Portland Phoenix Chorale, Portland Opera, OperaBend, Cascadia Opera, Ping & Woof Opera, and the Portland chapter of Opera On Tap. He has arranged a number of works specifically for Bridging Voices, including a new arrangement of his own work “Skating," which they premiered in 2019, as well as several of the arrangements on this program.
When he is not performing or composing, Evan spends his time researching films, tending to his plants, finding new casserole recipes, and collecting cardigans.
Production Manager
Laurie R. Kash, PhD
Laurie R. Kash is a behavior professional with her own company, An Illuminated Life, LLC, where she serves people around the state with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness. Many years ago, before her time as a Special Education Director, Laurie enjoyed her time as a theatre teacher and director. In Portland, Dr. Kash continues her LGBTQA+ advocacy through her work with the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court where she served the ISRC as the First Lady to the Empress of Portland for two years. She has also been the Production Manager for Bridging Voices, Portland’s LGBTQA Youth Choir under the leadership of Erik Gullickson.
Creative Director
Cat Ferris
Cat Ferris is a playwright and member of the Dramatists Guild, who had their premiere in the Trans Plays Of Remembrance Festival 2020, with their short-play “A Special Type of Grief” (dir. Jo Michael Rezes)
In December 2021, Cat was brought on to direct and write Bridging Voices’ filmed choral event “Is This Thing On?”
Cat has also handled graphic design and marketing for this concert, as well as organization wide outreach and engagement, and I’m also putting together this entire virtual program as we type… ohhh scary fourth wall break.
Cat can be found at catfer.co and starting on Monday, in Chicago! (yay!)
aDDITIONAL CREDITS
Additional Recording - Brooks Graham and Justin Thorpe
Videography - Mark Biedermann
Script - Cat Ferris
Production Assistants - Blaire Bridges, Cat Ferris, Pascal Tower, Youth leaders (Erin, Everett, Maddy, Frances)
A Special Thanks to The Staff at Winningstad Theater for their work (and guidance!)
WHILE IT’S QUITE LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO THANK EVERY PERSON WHO’S CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS AND ENDURANCE OF BRIDGING VOICES THROUGH THE LAST NINE SEASONS, THIS IS ERIK’S SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING:
MATT ALBER, ASH, JONNY PASILLAS, BILL DICKEY, MOREL INK, JOHNNY ATORINO, BECKY BARD, LISA BENSON, MEL BERWIN, BLAIRE BRIDGES, GARY CARROLL, OSCAR CLARK, MARK CLIFT, CONFLUENCE LGBT CHORUS, HEIDI ESBENSEN, DEREAU FARRAR, COLIN FREY, JON GARCIA, ROBIN GODFREY, BROOKS GRAHAM, DANIEL AND LAVONNE GULLICKSON, SUSAN GULLICKSON, KELLY GUTIERREZ, SARA AND GARTH HEPLER, ELLIOTT HINKLE, MATT HISEL, JOSEF HOFFMAN, SUSAN HOUGH, DOREE JARBOE, CHERYL JONES, RICHARD JUNG, LAURIE KASH, ISA KELLETT, TRICIA KNOPE, SHARON LAMOREAUX, TIM LISZT, SUSAN LUTZKE-HOFF, MARGOT MARTIN, SARA MARTINS, DENNIS MCCALLUM, MARY MCCARTY, TOM MCGINNIS, NATHAN MECKLEY, BOB MENSEL, EVAN MILES, JANE RAMSEYER MILLER, IAN MORTON, CHRISTINE NAGEL, EDDIE PASSADORE, JOHNNY PASILLAS, STEVE PEARSE, KIM AND JENNIFER PEARSON, MEMBERS OF THE PORTLAND GAY MEN’S CHORUS, MEMBERS OF THE PORTLAND LESBIAN CHOIR, DENNY RICHARD, KATE AND JADE RUBICK, SARA AND GARTH HEPLER, CHRISTOPHER SCHIEL, KIERSTEN SHAW, ADAM SCHECTER, BARBARA SLADER, STEPHANIE LYNNE SMITH, COREY TAYLOR, JUSTIN THORPE, JUSTIN TRAHAN, REID AND CRISTINA VANDERBURGH, ANN WEESE, WAVERLY HEIGHTS, TERRAN WILLIAMS, AND ALWAYS; LAWRENCE.
“May we come to trust the dreams we must fulfill.”