This week I talked with Craig Coogan about his new documentary "Music Triumphs Homophobia" that’s available on Amazon Prime Video. The film chronicles the impact of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) as they perform for audiences in New England & around the world. Using archival material, news footage and interviews “Music Triumphs Homophobia” documents how a small Boston-based chorus became global cultural ambassadors educating people about LGBTQ lives & encouraging acceptance & respect for our LGBTQ community. Written & directed by multiple award-winning filmmakers Michael Willer & Coogan the film is scored with original compositions by Chad Weirick BGMC’s Principal Accompanist & Assistant Music Director & features choral cover performances of songs by Katy Perry, Janet Jackson, Andrea Day, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Stephen Schwartz & Benji Pasek. Since 1982 BGMC has created musical experiences to inspire change, build community & celebrate difference. It’s a mission that has brought BGMC to some unlikely venues including a Congregational Church in rural Vermont, Worcester’s College of Holy Cross, Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, conservative Catholic-dominated Poland, a kibbutz by the Dead Sea, a university parking lot in Istanbul & the shores of South Africa. In South Africa the city of George welcomed BGMC for a free community concert but it was marred when George Mayor Melvin Naik took to the airwaves to lambaste BGMC & the city’s support for its LGBTQ residents. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded by inviting BGMC to join him for the country’s annual Youth Day march where he personally greeted each member of the chorus & publicly welcomed them to South Africa. I talked to Coogan about what he hopes to accomplish with "Music Triumphs Homophobia" & his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
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