The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) is an amateur choral group composed of gay men from the Los Angeles area. Established in 1979, GMCLA has grown in size, gained professional artistic and administrative staff, toured nationally and internationally, and released 16 CDs. GMCLA has appeared with numerous stage, film, and television celebrities including Billy Porter, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Malcolm Gets, Doris Roberts, Jerry Herman, Melissa Manchester, Mary McDonnell, Levi Kreis, Joanna Gleason, Alex Newell, Amber Riley, Charles Pierce, Miss Coco Peru, Valarie Pettiford, Jane Lanier, Randi Driscoll, Margaret Cho, Michael Jeter, Stephen Schwartz, Liz Callaway, Lance Bass, Jennifer Holliday, Tierney Sutton, and LeAnn Rimes. The Chorus has appeared on several television broadcasts including the 85th Academy Awards, Access Hollywood, Will & Grace, $#*! My Dad Says, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Mad TV, and a six-episode arc on Six Feet Under. Community involvement and history The chorus first formed on July 12, 1979, at Plummer Park Community Center, Los Angeles as a volunteer effort of 99 gay men. The first major public event the GMCLA participated in was the March on Washington D.C. The GMCLA also participated in the first-ever national LGBTQ concert at the Washington Memorial. The GMCLA continued to grow throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. During the AIDS crisis, the chorus suffered the loss of its musical director, Jerry Carlson, to HIV/AIDS as well as over 20 other members by 1988. Ultimately, over 150 members were lost to the AIDS pandemic leaving only eight original members of the chorus as members, who are known as the 'First Nighters'. The GMCLA was under the direction of Christopher Verdugo from 2011 until September 9, 2016, when Verdugo decided to step down as director in search of new opportunities. Verdugo was a member of the choir for ten years, beginning as a choral member and later transitioning to his executive role in 2011. Under his leadership the chorus grew to 250 members. During his time with GMCLA, Verdugo drew inspiration from the It Gets Better Project to launch a national tour partnered with Speak Theater Arts. The main goal of the "It Gets Better" tour was to tackle a variety of issues that affect LGBT folks throughout their lives through music and storytelling. The cast of the shows consists of eight members of the GMCLA who tour around the country. The cast partners up